Western Anatolia

Durable, diverse and down to earth, western Anatolia combines everything from ancient sites and spectacular mountain terrain to some of Turkey's heartiest food and friendliest people.

The region's diversity of ancient civilisations can be experienced directly: hike the rock-carved Phrygian Valley; pound marbled pavements in the ancient cities of Sagalassos and Afrodisias; or take a woodland pilgrimage on the St Paul Trail. Original Ottoman capital Bursa, meanwhile, is a cornerstone of Turkish identity, with mosques, imperial mausoleums and the İskender kebap. The shimmering travertine pools of Pamukkale, on the other hand, are just great for splashing in.

The region's lesser-known attractions constitute its secret weapon: escapist Eğirdir, set on a tranquil lake, is perfect for hiking, taking a jaunt in a local fisher's boat or for doing nothing at all; while vibrant Eskişehir, a student city with an atmospheric old town, offers river gondola rides and happening bars and restaurants.

Explore Western Anatolia

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Western Anatolia.

  • Archaeological Site

    Hierapolis

    This ancient spa city's location atop Pamukkale's tourist-magnet travertines is quite spectacular. Founded as a curative centre around 190 BC by Eumenes…

  • Nature Reserve

    Travertines

    The World Heritage–listed saucer-shaped travertines (or terraces) of Pamukkale wind sideways down the powder-white mountain above the village, providing a…

  • Historic Site

    Muradiye Complex

    This Ottoman-era complex incorporates a stately medrese (seminary; 1426) and the equally handsome Sultan Murat II (Muradiye) Cami, also built in 1426, but…

  • Ruins

    Sagalassos

    The sprawling ancient city ruins of Sagalassos, dating from 1200 BC, are set high amid the stark and jagged peaks of Ak Dağ (White Mountain). Rarely…

  • Roman Site

    Afrodisias

    Added to Unesco's World Heritage List in 2017, this remote site in the Anatolian hinterland trumps many of Turkey's ancient sites for its sheer scale and…

  • Mosque

    Yeşil Cami

    Built for Mehmet I, the Yeşil (Green) Cami was completed in 1422 and represents a departure from the previous, Persian-influenced Seljuk architecture that…

  • Theatre

    Roman Theatre

    The Roman theatre is the highlight of Hierapolis, dramatically sitting uphill from the site and overlooking the ruins and mountains beyond. The stage area…

  • Roman Site

    Ancient Aizanoi

    Rural Çavdarhisar (60km southwest of Kütahya) is home to one of Anatolia's best-preserved Roman remains. The Temple of Zeus, built under Hadrian (r AD 117…

  • Area

    Odunpazarı

    Eskişehir's protected heritage district is crammed with cobblestone alleyways of timber-framed konaks (mansions) with overhanging upper stories. Many of…

  • Gallery

    Odunpazarı Modern Museum

    This ambitious art museum, with its highly contemporary wood-slat facade riffing on Eskişehir's history as a major wood-market town, opened in 2019…

  • Mosque

    Ulu Cami

    This enormous Seljuk-style mosque (1399) is central Bursa's dominating feature. Sultan Beyazıt I built it in a monumental compromise – having pledged to…

  • Archaeological Site

    Laodicea

    Laodicea was once a commercial city straddling two major trade routes, famed for its black wool, banking and medicines. Cicero lived here for a time and…

  • Mosque

    Ulu Cami

    Among the most important surviving Seljuk mosques in Turkey, the Ulu Cami (1273) is supported by 40 fat, soaring wooden columns with intricate stalactite…

  • Cable Car

    Uludağ Teleferik

    The 8.2km Uludağ Teleferik is the world's longest cable car. The cable car travels from its lowest station Teferrüç (236m) to Oteller (1810m), where…

  • Tomb

    Muradiye Tombs

    Muradiye cemetery's 12 tombs (dating from the 15th and 16th centuries) include the sparsely decorated tomb of Sultan Murat II (r 1421–51) along with the…

  • Archaeological Site

    Midas Şehri

    The major site of the Phrygian Valley is in the village of Yazılıkaya, 32km south of Seyitgazi. Archaeologists call this important section Midas Şehri …

  • Historic Site

    Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle

    The extraordinary octagonal Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle at Hierapolis is built on the site where it's believed that St Philip was martyred. The…

  • Historic Site

    Kurşunlu Külliyesi Complex

    This religious complex, once used as a Mevlevi lodge by Eskişehir's Sufi community, was built between 1517 and 1525 by a leading master of classical…

  • Ruins

    City Walls & Gates

    İznik's once-imposing Roman walls, renovated by the Byzantines, no longer dominate but parts of their 5km circumference remain impressive. Four main gates…

  • Mosque

    Emir Sultan Cami

    An early Ottoman mosque, the 14th-century Emir Sultan Cami was named for Sultan Beyazıt I's son-in-law and adviser, a Persian scholar-dervish. Today's…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Western Anatolia.

  • Activities