There's so much more to Turkey than beaches – and these destinations prove it
Have you ever found yourself sunbathing on one of Turkey's stunning Mediterranean beaches, or exploring the atmospheric remains of an ancient Roman city on its picturesque Aegean, and idly wondering – what lies behind this beautiful coastline?
Plenty, I assure you – and if you're curious, there's never been a better time to find this out. Turkish airline Pegasus has just announced that in late June it plans to launch direct flights to the central Anatolian city of Kayseri, gateway to Cappadocia, and to the country's gastronomy capital, Gaziantep, in the fascinating south east.
There are many more overlooked places well worth exploring too, plenty of them (at least, all the others in this list) easily reached from the UK via Istanbul with Pegasus, Turkish Airlines and Sunexpress.
Tens of millions flock to Turkey's coastal resorts every year, yet only a fraction of them find out what this vast (more than three times bigger than the UK), hospitable and history-and culture-steeped country has to offer. So go on – be one of the few, and explore its wilder side.
Konya
Set on the fringes of the sprawling Konya Plain in south-west central Turkey, a famous early visitor to the city was St Paul. Today visitors and pilgrims flock here to see the Mevlana Complex, where the poet and mystic Rumi started the Mevlevi (Whirling Dervish) order some 800 years ago.
The turquoise-tiled dome of Rumi's tomb is a city landmark, a whirling dervish performance an ethereal experience.
Equally compelling is the nearby 'World's First City' of Çatalhöyük. At 9,000 years old, it's a Unesco World Heritage site with an excellent new museum.
Maruf Türbeönü has great views of the Mevlana Complex. Try local dishes like okra soup and etliekmek (mince-topped crispy flatbread).
The smart Dedeman has a nice outdoor pool, fine breakfast buffet and doubles from £155.
Kayseri
This fascinating central Turkish city stands astride the ancient Silk Road, on the skirts of the dramatic, snow-capped volcanic cone of Mount Erciyes, which stands 12,850 feet high.
As well as being the natural gateway to the fairytale landscape and rock-cut churches of Cappadocia, an hour away by road, it has several attractions of its own.
The well-restored citadel dates back to Byzantine times, there's a sprinkling of Medieval Seljuk Turkish mosques, and the Bedestan and Vezir Hani for bazaar-style shopping. Visit in winter for decent skiing on Mount Erciyes, a 20-minute drive away.
Elmacioğlu (0090 352 222 69 65) is renowned for its succulent İskender kebap (lamb with yoghurt and tomato sauce) and its yoghurt-doused, spiced-meat dumplings, manti.
The five-star Wyndham Grand has a spa and wellness centre. Doubles from £53.
Kars
Remote Kars, in northeastern Turkey, was spurned by most Turks until the 24-hour, snow-bound winter train journey from Ankara on the Eastern Express became the 'in thing' to do a decade or so ago. With its stern citadel rock, turbid river, and entire quarter of grand, stone-built, 19th-century Russian houses, it's unique in Turkey.
The ruined Armenian church-studded 'ghost' city of Ani, a 45-minute drive away, is one of the most atmospheric sights in Turkey – and another Unesco World Heritage site.
Kaz Evi specialises in Kars' local delicacy, goose. Once the preserve of the home, it is now – thanks to female entrepreneur Nuran Ozyilmaz – a restaurant staple.
Cheltikov still has the grandeur of the 130-year-old Russian mansion house it was converted from. Doubles from £87.
Gaziantep
Fanning out beneath a rocky outcrop surmounted by an imposing medieval citadel, the narrow streets of this southeastern Turkish city's bazaar quarter offer some of the country's most colourful shopping opportunities.
Watch copper vessels being beaten and tinned and knives forged and honed in tiny workshops, or test the different grades of locally grown pistachios from huge sacks fronting hole-in-the-wall shops. The old, honey-hued stone houses of this quarter are beautiful, the huge collection of Roman-era mosaics in the city's chief attraction, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, simply stunning.
Imam Cağdaş is an institution. Try lahmacun, a large flatbread topped with spicy ground lamb, followed by a slice of pistachio-stuffed baklava.
Anadolu Evleri offers stylish doubles in an historic mansion from £77.
Mardin
Tumbling down a steep limestone bluff overlooking the vast flatlands of the Mesopotamian plain below, old Mardin is one of Turkey's most arresting sights.
A couple of decades ago, it was a run-down backwater. Today's Mardin is full of elegant boutique hotels and fancy restaurants catering to droves of domestic tourists among the pale-stone houses, packed around narrow alleys punctured by the ribbed domes medieval mosques and graceful Syrian Orthodox church belfries. Kurdish, Syriac and Arabic as well as Turkish are spoken here, making it one of Turkey's most cosmopolitan cities.
Al Hayyal dishes up an array of regional dishes, best enjoyed on the airy terrace for sweeping sunset views over Mesopotamia.
Fashioned from a fine old mansion house, Reyhani Kasri is superbly located in the centre of the old town. Doubles from £85.
Şanliurfa
A longstanding pilgrimage centre for Muslims (who believe it to be the birthplace of Abraham), Turkey's most bustlingly Middle Eastern city today attracts visitors of all stripes to see the remarkable nearby Neolithic sites of Göbekli and Karahan Tepes.
The T-shaped megaliths at Göbekli, some 5 metres high and carved with an array of wild animals, are 7,000 years older than Stonehenge. The Pools of Abraham, at the foot of a towering citadel rock, are ringed by green parkland dotted with shady tea gardens, the adjacent bazaar an amazing warren selling everything from the almost black local isot chilli flakes to artisan olive oil soaps.
Gülhan, a traditional tradesman's place, offers delicious stews, tender döner kebabs and crispy lahamacun.
Double Tree by Hilton is a haven of comfort and tranquillity, and has doubles from £99.
Van
The waters of high-altitude Lake Van are scintillatingly blue, its picturesque shores ringed by towering peaks. The city of Van, east of the lake and just 60 miles from the Iranian border, makes the ideal base to explore this captivating highland region.
A boat ride out to the beautiful, tenth century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on the islet of Akdamar is a must, as are the evocative ruins of the Rock of Van, riddled with the tombs of the enigmatic, Iron Age Urartians.
Predominantly Kurdish Van is famed for its breakfast spreads, assembled using the region's superb dairy products, and its endangered fluffy white swimming cats.
Sütçü Kenan is the best place on Van's 'breakfast alley'.
The glitzy Elite World is the most comfortable hotel in central Van. Doubles from £53.
Essentials
Pegasus will fly direct from London Stansted to Kayseri from June 21 (from £84 one way), and to Gaziantep from June 25 (from £84 one way).

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Race Across The World: I could win Race Across The World's £20,000 first prize - and here's how
Why not just hire a car? The rules of Race Across The World prohibit air travel, but taxis and hitch-hiking are fair game . . . so there can't be anything wrong with renting your own wheels. As contestants neared the finish line at India 's southern tip, after a trek via train, bus and tuktuk from the Great Wall of China, all of them had cash to spare. Budgets have been tighter than ever before on this series but, despite that, every one of the four couples had enough money to go by cab on the final leg. It's taken them 51 days to cover 8,700 miles, which is an average of 170 miles a day. Driving a rental, they could easily have covered the distance in half the time. And if a hire car was too expensive, why not buy a motorbike? It's just the devious way my mind works, but surely there must be a shortcut to victory. When the race was set in Canada two years ago, several pairs of competitors cadged lifts with obliging Canucks. I'd be inclined to find an amateur chauffeur and offer him a bribe: get me to the final checkpoint ahead of the pack, and you can have a quarter of the £20,000 prize money. It's an expensive way to win — but losing is more expensive. Muscle rub of the week When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, we learned on Flight 149: Hostage Of War (Sky Documentaries), President George Bush was in the White House, getting a massage. That's what you call lying down on the job. None of the five duos was prepared to cheat, of course, because the real winners on this show are the ones who forge tighter bonds with each other along the way. The race's producers have done an exceptional job of picking the right participants: all of them have been likeable and interesting, and every couple has grown closer week by week. Both sets of siblings, Elizabeth and Letitia, and Brian and Melvyn, barely knew each other at the start of the trip. Thank goodness that, as it turned out, they discovered they genuinely liked each other. Might have been awkward if the adventure had simply served to remind them why they drifted apart in the first place. We've all been hoping that young lovers Fin and Sioned would get wed along the way. Sioned certainly was. When she and her boyfriend were presented with garlands at a flower market in Bengaluru, she told him hopefully, 'We can get married now.' The most touching relationship has been that of the eventual winners, mother-and-son Caroline and Tom. She obviously adores him, and he's learned to show his appreciation, finding the words to thank her in a sweet diary entry. Still, she's sensible to be wary of him first thing in the morning. Her tactic at home, she said, is to take him a cup of tea in bed and a bacon butty — and then run. Millions of parents will sympathise. It was the show's bad luck, though, that the most intriguing couple, divorcees Yin and Gaz, were eliminated halfway through the series. What would it take to bring those two back together — maybe a stint in the jungle on I'm A Celebrity next?


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I'm an Emirates cabin crew supervisor - here are my 10 essential tips to get the most out of flying business class
Flying business class is a luxury that takes the stress right out of travelling, but it obviously comes at a greater cost than economy. So, is it worth it? If you can afford to, then without a doubt, yes. It turns flying from simply a necessity to get from A to B into a pleasurable and very comfortable experience to look forward to and savour. If you are going to splurge, it makes sense to get your money's worth and enjoy all the amenities because, unlike many economy services, business provides much more than just the flight. Emirates airline offers one of the world's leading business class services. Here, cabin supervisor Emma Wood gives her top tips to make sure you experience all it has to offer: 1 - MAKE USE OF THE COMPLIMENTARY CHAUFFEUR SERVICE Enjoy seamless travel from your doorstep to the airport with Emirates' complimentary Chauffeur Drive Service, included in the ticket price in most countries for Business Class customers, including the UK and Dubai. This premium car service accommodates customers within 70 miles of the airport. Make sure you book it in advance to make the most of it. Any excess mileage will be subject to an extra charge. If you'd like to travel further, or to request an infant or child seat, it is best contact your local Emirates office at least 24 hours in advance. 2 - ARRIVE UP TO FOUR HOURS BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT TO ENJOY THE LOUNGE Make sure you give yourself enough time to indulge in one of Emirates Business Class Lounges before your flight - you can access the lounge up to four hours before scheduled departure time. They offer the ultimate way to start your journey with gourmet dining with locally sourced foods, alongside a premium beverage selection. The designated quiet zones and Business Centres feature complimentary Wi-Fi, making them ideal spaces for unwinding or catching up on work, while private showers and spa treatments ensure you can reset and feel refreshed before you board. Business Class travellers departing Dubai can also visit the exclusive Moët & Chandon Champagne Lounge. Here, four of the brand's most iconic champagnes are served alongside delicately crafted canapés by Michelin-starred chefs. The lounge's elegant design and tranquil setting provides a refined pre-flight moment. 3 - BROWSE THE MENU OPTIONS AND PRE-ORDER Emirates Business Class offers an elevated onboard dining experience, featuring a diverse selection of food and beverages from sweet and savoury snacks to gourmet meals and complimentary champagne. Enhance this inflight dining experience further by pre-ordering your main course as early as 14 days and up to 24 hours before you fly. It's a simple way to guarantee your top pick, and it helps streamline the dining experience once you're in the air. For those who prefer to decide closer to take off, the full food and beverage menu is available to browse via the Emirates app or website. Whether you're craving something familiar or curious to try a regionally inspired dish, your selections are just a few taps away. 4 - ENJOY THE AWARD-WINNING WINES AND CHAMPAGNE SERVED TO YOUR SEAT A wonderfully curated selection of white and red wine is available, alongside premium spirits and an array of other beverages. In Business and First Class, Emirates has tailored its wine selections into six regions: the UK and USA, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Australasia, and Asia. This approach allows the airline to offer wines closely aligned with the taste preferences of passengers from these regions. 5 - KEEP THE COMPLIMENTARY LOUNGEWEAR AND WASH KITS One of the newer touches on board is Emirates' thoughtfully-designed Business Class loungewear. On flights over nine hours, passengers receive a matching set of ultra-soft cowl-neck top and pants, made from breathable modal fabric in a soft blue tone. It's the kind of outfit you can easily fall asleep in. The kit includes matching slippers and an eye mask, all neatly packed in a drawstring pouch. On shorter flights, slippers and an eye mask are still provided to keep things relaxed. To complement this experience, signature Bulgari amenity kits are also offered on long haul flights, containing luxury skincare products and fragrances, alongside other comfort essentials for your personal and convenience care during the journey. Customers can make use of a dental kit, earplugs, a double mirror made from wheat straw material, deodorant, tissues, and a foldaway hairbrush with a new soft black elastic hair tie. On flights over nine hours, passengers receive a matching set of ultra-soft cowl-neck top and pants 6 - ENJOY WHAT REALLY SETS BUSINESS APART FROM ECONOMY - THE BED When you're ready to switch off, your seat seamlessly converts into a fully flat bed with a mattress topper, plush blanket, and pillow, designed for optimal rest during your flight. Adjustable lighting and seating controls allow you to create the perfect sleep environment. Should you need additional bedding or assistance, the crew will be happy to help. 7 - SIT AT A BAR TO CHAT WITH FELLOW PASSENGERS AND CABIN CREW Step away from your seat and stretch your legs in the iconic Emirates onboard lounge. With its comfortable leather seating and curated premium beverage selection, it offers a welcoming environment to enjoy a speciality cocktail, savour gourmet bites, and connect with fellow travellers at 40,000 feet. 8 - ENJOY LIVE SPORTS EVENTS AT 40,000 FEET For sports fans, the onboard lounge can also stream live TV, so you don't have to miss your favourite match while in the air – whether it's the Emirates FA Cup Final or Wimbledon. Ask cabin crew to change the channel on the large TV if there's something you want to switch to. 9 - GET A POLOROID MEMENTO Something our passengers love doing is getting a few nostalgic pictures of their experience in Business Class using our onboard Polaroid camera. Don't forget to ask cabin crew if you or your family want to get a nice picture keepsake of you posing in the onboard lounge to take home. 10 - EXPLORE ICE TO PLAN YOUR FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT INCLUDING MUSIC, GAMES, FILMS, TV SHOWS AND PODCASTS With thousands of hours of entertainment and up to 6,500 channels to choose from, Emirates' award-winning ICE system is best enjoyed with a little planning. Browse the latest films and shows before boarding and create a watchlist so you can start enjoying as soon as you're seated. ICE now also includes curated Spotify playlists and top-charting podcasts, so there are plenty of options to keep you entertained.


Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Telegraph
Race Across the World: the final, review: emotional, thrilling and far more than just a contest
Our critic, Michael Hogan, will be joining you in the comments below just after 10pm to talk about the highlights of this year's series Globetrotting contest Race Across the World (BBC One) climaxed with thrills, spills and worthy winners. It was impossible not to cheer as mother-and-son duo Caroline and Tom triumphed in a tense dash to the finish line. It made for a fitting end to their Asian adventure and testament to the joys of multi-generational travel. After seven weeks and 13,000km (8,000 miles in old money), the four remaining teams embarked on the last leg. Travelling to the southernmost tip of India at Kanyakumari was a frenetic trek, cunningly edited for maximum jeopardy. Viewers could be forgiven for nibbling their fingernails or squealing at their screens. This final began with Caroline and Tom in pole position, having opened up a seven-hour lead. Sisters Elizabeth and Letitia were their closest rivals, a mere 54 minutes ahead of Welsh childhood sweethearts Fin and Sioned. Canny brothers Brian and Melvyn had led until a disastrous penultimate leg left them way back in last place. Could they claw back the 19-hour gap? Crunch time meant a choice between sticking to the scenic coastal route or heading inland in the hope of better transport connections. Caroline and Tom blew their advantage with an overnight delay. Brian and Melvyn gambled on expensive taxis to kickstart their comeback. Fuelled by 'beer and biryani', they were closing in. Race Across the World is far more than just a contest. It's also an immersive travelogue and intimate reality show. Viewers got a Michael Palin-esque, ground-level view of India's southern states, from the cantilevered fishing nets to the vibrant flower markets. Our cockles were warmed by the helpful, friendly locals – including the sweet young man who bought Fin and Sioned a bagful of provisions and a couple who cheerfully invited Elizabeth and Letitia to their wedding. A welcome reminder of the kindness of strangers. Cynics might scoff at 'sob stories'. I'd call it reflectiveness at the end of an epic journey. Producers ramp up the emotional stakes, of course, but such are the ebbs and flows of human relationships. Brian and Melvyn had drifted apart but bonded again in their 60s. Naturally, the wry Northerners refused to say they loved each other. Tom helped Caroline rediscover her sense of purpose. Elizabeth and Letitia's strained relationship was now repaired. Teenage couple Fin and Sioned, the youngest ever contestants, had gone from bickering to buying matching flower garlands, maturing before our very eyes. You don't get such a variety of human stories on Love Island. Especially when Tom admitted he was 'too hot' to propose. The show's magic formula has seen it grow from a BBC Two experiment to a primetime BBC One hit with a celebrity spin-off and multiple Bafta wins. In six years, Race Across the World has become a flagship format and staple of the schedules. It not only provides escapism but makes a persuasive advertisement for smartphone-free, slower-paced travel. An exhortation to venture out of one's comfort zone and embrace new experiences. As the land mass of India narrowed towards its tip, so did the race. All four pairs were in close proximity and blew their remaining budget on taxis. They sped in fishing boats across a sapphire blue bay, then abandoned their backpacks and sprinted to sign their names in the hallowed checkpoint book. After 51 days, incredibly, there was just 19 minutes in it. Caroline and Tom pipped the sisters to the post, with the lovebirds in third and the 'pale old codgers' three hours behind. They'd caught up, but not enough. 'Beer?' asked Melvyn, true to form. 'Desperately and definitely,' gasped Brian. When everyone sportingly toasted the winners, it made for a typically wholesome sign-off. As always, this was more about the journey than the destination. Like Tom told his tearful mother, the experience they'd shared meant they'd already won. 'While I'm standing here sweaty, smelly and exhausted, I feel on top of the world,' beamed Caroline. 'I felt like such a failure to begin with. We must never doubt ourselves again.' A lesson for us all. Ever-competitive Caroline wanted to race home again. The rest preferred to travel in comfort. They'd earned it.