There are so many spectacular sceneries that can’t be missed while touring or driving along the countryside, farmland, lakes, and mountain roads in Turkey. Every town has its own charms to enjoy its stunning natural views and fascinating historic sites.
Canakkale
Canakkale is a seaport city located on the southern coast of Dardanelles. Just like Istanbul, its territory is located in both Europe and Asia side. Sea transportation plays an important role for the people to travel between the two continents..
Travel back in time to 3,000 BC and explore the ancient city of Troy situated in Hisarlik, it was the setting of the Trojan War described in the Greek Epic Cycle. In the Iliad, the Achaeans set up their camp near River Scamander and docked their ships.
Troy city itself stood on a hill across the plain of Scamander, where the battles of the Trojan War took place.
The Trojan Horse was displayed at the entrance of this archaeological site of Troy. You can climb up this two-level ‘wooden horse’ to view the ancient city and and the Aegean Sea at the far end.
One of the ruins that had been dug up by archeologists belonged to Troy VI.
Izmir
As we drive from Canakkale to Izmir to visit Asklepieion, passing through the grassland with many wind turbines along the highway.
Asklepieion
Asklepieion was a healing temple, sacred to the Greek god of medicine named Asclepius. Many patients would visit to seek either physical or spiritual healing.
Patients will undergo a series of baths or purge their emotions through arts. An offering will then be made by patients, such as money or prayer to the temple, therefore to Asclepius. The temple’s priest then prays for the patient to ease their mind and create a more positive outlook for them.
Later, the patients will then go through incubation or dream therapy where they would take the night here. During the night, they would be visited by a god or Asclepius himself. The patient would then receive the proper treatment through their dream or receive guidance from Asclepius to treat their illness.
Natureast Anatolian Taste
We arrived at Natureast Anatolian Taste to buy some Turkish delights and local coffee beans for ourselves, relatives and friends. We get free tasting for each flavor and manage to choose my favorites.
Address: Cumhuriyet, Atatürk Cd. No:59, 35925 Selçuk/İzmir, Turkey
Ephesus
The ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, Izmir was built in the 10th century BC. The city was also under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC. It was destroyed once by the Goths in 263 and again in 614 AD by an earthquake.
Ephesus is one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean, where the visible ruins give tourists the idea of the city’s original splendor and its former life.
The Library of Celsus was built in memory of Tiberius Julius Celsus, an Ancient Greek governor of the Roman Empire. It was constructed using his own personal wealth and was buried in a stone coffin beneath it.
This open-air theatre (far right) was believed to be the largest in the ancient world with an estimated 25,000 seating capacity. It was originally used for drama performances, but later gladiatorial combats were held here as well during Roman times.
House of Virgin Mary
This shrine is located on Mt Koressos near Ephesus, Selcuk. It is believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken here by Saint John and lived there until her Assumption.
The preserved stones and construction dates back to the Apostolic Age, with minor additions such as the garden landscapes outside the shrine. Inside you would see the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary displayed in the center and also outside of the chapel.
Planning A Trip to Turkey
If you are planning to visit other parts of Turkey and get some travel tips during your visit in winter, you can check out some of my posts:
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