Roadtrip Turkish Aegean

Except for city trips to Istanbul, I have mostly overlooked Turkey until now. That had to change, so I decided to explore the Turkish Aegean (also known as the Turkish Riviera or Olive Riviera) on my own with a rental car.

The northern coastal section primarily relies on domestic tourism, with hardly any foreign tourists found here. The people mainly live off agriculture.

I discovered through my research before my trip that Turkey is indeed an exciting travel destination with much more to offer than the package tour spots of Antalya and Side. I was eager to visit the major cities of Izmir and Bursa, as well as ancient sites like Pergamon, Troy, and Sardis.

Here, I've summarized everything you need to know for a road trip along the Turkish Aegean:

Use the navigation to jump directly to the section that interests you.

Unique ancient Greek sites and remarkable places along the Turkish Aegean. World-renowned archaeological sites like Troy (near Hisarlik), Pergamon (Bergama), Ephesus (Selçuk), and Halicarnassus (Bodrum), all rooted in ancient Greek cities.

This region is also known as the "Coast of Light," because, according to locals, the sea shines and sparkles deep blue when the sun hits it. Unfortunately, I only caught glimpses of this beauty for a few minutes: we experienced one of those rare bad weather phases with heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Additionally, dive into the bustling city of Izmir and explore everyday life. Also, immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of the fourth-largest city, Bursa.

Day 1: Arrival in the evening in Izmir (Overnight at Hotel EGE PALAS in Izmir)

Day 2: Izmir - Pergamon - Ayvacik - Troy - Canakkale (Overnight at Hotel AKOL in Canakkale)

Day 3: Canakkale - Lake Manyas - Bursa (Overnight at Hotel KIRCI in Bursa)

Day 4: Bursa - Sardis - Izmir (Overnight at Boutique PARK HOTEL in Izmir)

Day 5: Izmir and return flight to Germany

Highlights & Sights

Visiting the third-largest city in Turkey

Izmir, formerly Smyrna, is the starting and ending point of my road trip. The city was founded as early as 3000 BC and is one of the oldest cities in the world. Locals affectionately call Izmir the 'Pearl of the Aegean.'

It is the largest city on the Aegean coast and, with a population of over 4.1 million, the third-largest city in Turkey. Allegedly not particularly popular with tourists. Reasons given include the hustle and bustle, city traffic, and smog. I'll admit driving in Izmir is a challenge.

I quickly adapt and drive by the motto: those who keep their distance lose, and eyes closed and go for it.

I cannot relate to the hustle and smog; I felt very comfortable in Izmir. If the hustle of the bazaar is too hectic for you, you can retreat to the waterfront promenade and relax.

In Izmir, you'll find perfect opportunities for shopping, haggling, and trying Turkish food-especially at the Kemeralti Bazaar. At Kordon (waterfront promenade), I could sit for hours in a café or bar and people-watch. Strolling along the water is just as enjoyable. Especially at sunset, it's a great place.

The Alsancak district, with its small streets filled with bars and pubs, is one of my favorites. It's hard to decide which restaurant to dine at in the evening.

The Izmir Clock Tower (Izmir Saat Kulesi) was built in 1901 and is located in Konak Square near the Yali Mosque. The tower, built in the Ottoman style, is surrounded by four fountains and was donated by Kaiser Wilhelm II. Today, the Izmir Clock Tower is a city landmark and one of the most famous sights in Izmir.

Not far from Konak Square is the lively bazaar district with the Kemeraltı Bazaar. One of the most beautiful and authentic bazaars in Turkey. This hustle and atmosphere appeal to me. You can wander around here for hours and shop at the stalls: household goods, spices, butcher shops, fruits, clothes, food, and (unfortunately) animals.

A bit hidden is the Kızlaragası Caravanserai at Kemeraltı Bazaar. It used to serve as a warehouse and overnight accommodation for merchants; today, you can find cafés in the courtyard and no shops lined around the square. An ideal place to pause from the hustle of the bazaar and take a tea break.

Take the opportunity to try Turkish food at one of the many stands:

We ate twice at the market: first fresh pide from the wood oven with ground meat and spinach cheese, with arugula salad and hot pepper (very spicy) and for the second time salad and fish skewers (Kemer 6; Hisarönü Mah. 871 Sok. No:16 Konak).

If you like seafood, you can stop by one of the numerous mussel stands. Additionally, you can find the well-known sesame rings (simit) and grilled corn everywhere. Unfortunately, I couldn't try everything.

If you're adventurous and not a vegetarian, you can try Kokoreç (pronounced Kokorech). What is it? According to locals, it's a Turkish specialty: lamb intestines rolled on a skewer and grilled over charcoal.

... that the belief in the evil eye in Turkey is still widespread? Amulets with the blue eye (nazar boncugu) are said to reflect the evil eye back to its originator. Most of these symbols are produced in the Aegean region. You can buy these symbols on chains, pendants, and other objects. You will also find them at the bazaar in Izmir.

The palm-lined waterfront promenade Atatürk Caddesi runs from the Alsancak harbor south to Konak Meydani, the center of the city, and is probably the city's most famous attraction. The huge equestrian statue of Atatürk is the focal point of the city in the Alsancak district. The streets radiate from it in a star shape. When many bars and pubs close during Ramadan, there is still a vibrant atmosphere along the waterfront Atatürk Caddesi.

I pick up my rental car from Europcar right at the airport. No one wants to see my International Driving License. I have it with me just in case.

The drive to Hotel Ege Palas directly on the Kordon in the Alsancak district takes about 30 minutes. The last few meters are chaotic during evening rush hour; lane markings seem to be merely decorative and two-lane streets quickly become three or four lanes.

Hotel Ege Palas

The Hotel Ege Palas is located in the Alsancak district and offers the perfect spot to explore Izmir. My hotel room is on the 19th floor and boasts a great view of the Aegean Bay. Directly above me is just the rooftop bar, which I later hear while falling asleep...

Just around the corner from the hotel are many narrow streets with great outdoor restaurants. I can't test them all, but the plates of the guests look very inviting!

Oglakcioglu Park Boutique Hotel

On the last night of the trip, we stayed at the Park Boutique Hotel Izmir. The name sounds more elegant than the hotel was ultimately. My room smelled somewhat of cold smoke, and the room was only half the size of Hotel Ege Palas.

The location is good, a metro station is just a few meters away. In the streets around this hotel, you can find plenty of bars and restaurants to dine or enjoy a drink. If I had to choose, I would prefer the other hotel. The location near the water and in the heart of Alsancak convinced me.

The Most Beautiful Ruins of Turkey

Bergama is a small relaxed town with about 70,000 inhabitants, in stark contrast to the once mighty ancient Pergamon, which was discovered by a German researcher only in the mid-19th century and once had 160,000 - 200,000 inhabitants. For history-interested tourists, it's a must and a quiet alternative to the overrun Ephesus.

At the time of my visit, there were neither large tour buses nor many tourists at the ancient site. I associate Pergamon with one thing only: the supposedly most beautiful ruins in Turkey. Additionally, the second-largest library in the world, which is said to have contained over 200,000 parchment rolls, belonged to this city.

By the way, parchment paper made from animal skins was also invented here. You can also see the foundation of the well-known altar of Zeus from the second century BC. The altar itself is expected to be on display again in Berlin at the Pergamon Museum starting in 2019.

On-site, the altar would have likely been used as building material by the population of that time and is no longer present. I want to get a personal impression of the wonderful ruins from the Roman era. So, I climb the 330 m high mountain to the Acropolis.

If you arrive early in the morning at the valley station, you can walk to the top (duration about 1 hour), later the sun beats down directly on the mountain. We take the cable car up. Time is tight, and I have other sightseeing stops planned for this day.

The Acropolis, located on the steep slopes of the mountain, impresses, as does the view down into the valley at Bergama and the Asklepion.

We take the cable car down into the valley and drive the approx. 2 km to the Asklepion, once the most important healing center of the Roman Empire. This facility was established by Archis, the Greek god of healing (Asklepios).

Healing treatments included mud baths, sunbathing, and enemas. Treatments with herbs and ointments were also provided after diagnoses were often made based on dream interpretations.

More Information and Tips

For the approximately 100 km long drive from Izmit to (Bergama) Pergamon, we need almost 2 hours. Heavy rain showers frequently make it difficult to arrive quickly, although the roads outside the towns are almost empty.

Entry fees are as follows:

Parking at the valley station per car: 5 TL

Cable car ticket up: 13 TL

Entry for ruins: 25 TL

Daily from 8 AM to 7 PM (the 8 is covered up; it may be that the opening hours are shorter in the fall. In no - including brand new - travel guides could I find matching prices or opening times.)

We spend about an hour for the visitation. At the entrance and exit, there is a small café where we take a short break with Turkish tea.

Parking: 5 TL

Entry fee: 20 TL

We also spent an hour visiting Asklepion. A thunderstorm approaching sped up our departure.

After lunch in Pergamon/Bergama, we arrive at the legendary Troy, one of Turkey's most popular attractions, after about 200 km and a 3-hour drive. The city became famous thanks to the wooden horse, which led to its downfall. Since 1998, the archaeological sites of Troy have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Right when entering the site, we spot what Troy is mostly known for: a gigantic Trojan Horse. Of course, it's a replica. You can go inside the horse and pose for souvenir photos. I skip that and quickly leave the area, as costumed employees dressed as Romans come by every 2 minutes, offering a souvenir photo with them and the horse.

I notice that Asians seem to love this. They pose like it's a contest. I decline and move quickly on. There isn't much left to see in Troy. The tour takes you past massive rock fragments and ruins. Remnants of former streets and columns. Almost nothing remains of the legendary place in today's Turkey.

Plaques with Roman numerals provide information about the settlement layers. Additional signs explain what buildings must have stood here. Remains of the Temple of Athena, a Roman bath, a small amphitheater, and covered excavation sites protecting the remnants of the original and partly reconstructed city wall can be seen.

The well-known 40-meter wide and 17-meter deep Schliemann trench, dug by Schliemann, is still distinctly visible. Well-preserved remnants of the four to five-meter-thick city wall, which protected Troy from attackers, also remain. Until it was defeated by the Trojan Horse. Troy became wealthy due to its favorable location at the Dardanelles Strait, the passage to the Black Sea, by charging tolls from passing ships. Heinrich Schliemann discovered the ruins on the Hisarlik hill under stone, rubble, and sand.

More than ten settlement layers have been uncovered, dating back to the Bronze Age. Castle walls, columns, and a theater have been excavated here. Schliemann became famous for uncovering the "Treasure of Priam": approximately 8,000 artifacts consisting of ancient vases, daggers, and valuable jewelry.

He donated the items to the German people, but they were taken as war trophies to Russia after World War II. The original remains there today. A faithful copy of the Treasure of Priam can be viewed at the Neues Museum in Berlin.

At the Archaeological Museum in Canakkale, you can view numerous artifacts from the excavations in Troy.

Additional information:

Parking cost: 5 TL

Tickets: 20 TL

Opening hours daily from 8 AM to 8 PM

Duration for the visit of Troy: As it started to rain during our visit, we walked around the site for just over an hour, examining the excavations.

Drive from Canakkale to Troy: Canakkale is 30 km away from Troy. The drive takes about 30 minutes.

Canakkale is an ideal place to stay. Its proximity to Troy and the historically significant Gallipoli Peninsula (over 100,000 soldiers died on battlefields and in trenches) is ideal. Unlike the hectic Izmir, the city is very cozy, and many students liven up the small town.

The only highlight while walking along the long waterfront promenade is the original life-sized model of the Trojan Horse from the 2004 film Troy starring Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom, located north of the main ferry terminal. Next to it stands a model of the ancient city of Troy and a small exhibition with images and historical backgrounds.

We overnight at the Hotel Akol. The location right on the waterfront promenade and near the wooden horse is good. The hotel seems to be very popular with tour groups. The food is mediocre, and the breakfast leaves much to be desired. There is a hotel bar on the roof. My room is again directly one floor below, so I can hear the lively activity quite well.

On the way between Canakkale and Bursa, we reach Kuş Cenneti Milli Parkı National Park. Lake Manyas was declared a national park in 1959 due to its biodiversity and the threat posed by industrial wastewater.

However, this once bird paradise is hardly preserved. At the entrance, we receive binoculars and can watch hundreds of pelicans and cormorants that stay on and around the lake from an observation tower.

Occasionally, storks have also built their nests in tree tops, a rare sight for us. Nevertheless, I am a bit disappointed. After the visit to the nature reserve in Hula Valley in Israel, I expected more here. If you are not an absolute bird enthusiast, you can skip this stop and head straight to Bursa.

We arrive in Bursa at rush hour around 3:30 PM on Friday afternoon. The roads are jammed, and the lane markings are no longer recognizable. A two-lane suddenly becomes a four-lane road.

To the left, I am overtaken by a skateboarder while the driver on the right diligently talks on the phone and changes lanes every minute. In general, Turks change lanes as soon as you leave a little distance to the vehicle in front. No one remains in one lane for more than 2 minutes.

We decide immediately to visit one of Bursa's three major mosques: the Green Mosque (Yeşil Camii), with the Green Mausoleum (Yeşil Türbe) located just above it. The mosque is about 1 km east of the center, regarded as a masterpiece of early Ottoman architecture and was built in the Bursa style ("multi-dome mosque").

The Green Mausoleum is the landmark of the city of Bursa. It was built by Mehmed I, who tragically died only 40 days after its completion. He was buried in the mausoleum next to his family. A must-visit for Turks-I found it quite unremarkable, the building itself is a great structure.

Afterwards, we navigate through heavy traffic into the old town and spend some time looking for parking. A challenging task in Bursa. We find one near the Great Mosque and the gate to the old town.

We briefly visit the sultan's graves, which I also find as boring as the first mausoleum. I prefer to enjoy the view of the city. The view is wonderful:

We walk through the old town along streets that lie off the main roads.

Afterwards, we continue to the Great Mosque of Bursa. This mosque is large and located directly in the center near the bazaar. It is predominantly frequented by locals.

Bursa has about 1.5 million inhabitants and is the fourth-largest city in Turkey. It lies at the foot of the more than 2,500 m high Uludag Mountain, where you can even ski in winter. Bursa was the first capital of the Ottomans before Istanbul was later designated as the capital (currently, Ankara is the capital of Turkey).

The Great Mosque: You must not leave Bursa without seeing this mosque. Not as impressive as the one in Istanbul, but absolutely worth a visit!

Bursa Teleferik (Unfortunately, we couldn't make it to the gondola ride up the mountain. Here you can even ski in winter!)

Koza Han: Caravanserai from 2491 and a small oasis of calm amidst the bazaar's hustle. Relax with a coffee or tea.

Green Mosque (Yeşil Camii)

Watch a football match of the Turkish top-tier team Bursaspor (Unfortunately, it was summer break during my visit)

The hotel is perfectly located for football fans: directly across from the Turkish top-tier team Bursaspor football stadium.

For us, the location is less practical: Despite the VIP rooms in the back, which are really spacious and come with a kitchen, there is no quiet: promptly at prayer time, the muezzin sings directly from the opposite mosque.

I sit up straight in bed and am wide awake. The selection at the breakfast buffet is meager, and once again the coffee-like so often in hotels-is instant.

In Sardis, there are hardly any tourists compared to Ephesus!

Before heading back to Izmir, you must visit one place: the ancient Sardis, the old capital of the Lydian Kingdom. The city is about 300 km from Bursa, but only an hour (85 km) from Izmir.

Since excavations began in this sleepy little town, a Temple of Artemis, a stadium, a sports facility, residential houses, and several Roman and Byzantine baths have been discovered.

The first excavation site was once an impressive complex with a Roman bath and gymnasium, of which a restored part, in my opinion overly restored, can be seen here.

More ruins can be admired here. The small mosaic pieces of the old streets and floors in the baths are surprisingly well preserved:

Despite its proximity to Izmir, the place lies quietly and sleepily; we are almost the only guests at the ruins. At the exit, there's a small stall run by an old woman. We are invited to sit down and enjoy a tea or coffee. Her husband picks fresh mulberries from the tree for us. They are truly delicious.

We continue to the site and the excavations of the Temple of Artemis. What we do not know until then: we are the only visitors! There's a good reason for this: the access road to the Temple of Artemis is too narrow for large tour buses. Good for us, bad for tourism.

This place is fantastic and for me, it's a highlight of this trip. Women are busy like hard-working bees scrubbing the stones with toothbrushes, freeing them of dirt. Incredible work! The facility lies idyllically in front of a fantastic panorama. A must-visit if you are in Izmir and want to take a day trip!

For the excavations, you should plan for an entry fee of 8 TL. Entry to the Temple of Artemis also costs 8 TL. Opening hours are from 8 AM to 7 PM.

As a German citizen, you can enter and stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa. A personal ID is sufficient. Instead of a stamp in your passport, you will receive it on a separate piece of paper, which you should not lose.

I flew with SunExpress, an airline that offers very affordable flights to Turkey. My experience with check-in, which Beatrice and Britta also share: Arrive early at the airport, as the process of check-in, security check, and boarding took me unusually long!

When I arrive for my flight to Izmir at Stuttgart Airport, I am hit with pure horror: the terminal is overcrowded, and the lines at check-in snakily wind through the waiting area. I realize my destination-the Turkish Aegean-is not a typical destination for round trips and individual tourists like myself.

Package vacationers join the queue, mixed with Turks living in Germany who want to revisit their homeland.

The suitcases are gigantic, and I feel somewhat out of place with just my backpack. After I eventually get through check-in, the next line awaits: security checks at only two body scanners.

Eventually, I managed to get through the controls and am on the bus to the aircraft. It took a total of 2 hours (!) from entering the airport to boarding the plane. Incredible.

So make sure to arrive on time to avoid missing your flight!

The flight time from Germany (in my case Stuttgart) to the international Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir takes 3 hours.

In tourist areas in western Turkey, many Turks speak good English or even German. The further you travel inland, the harder it gets, and you should write down and learn the most important words in Turkish.

Words like Merhaba (Hello), Teşekkür ederim (Thank you), Evet (Yes), and Hayır (No) are certainly key phrases you should know.

The off-season and thus the best travel time is from May to June and in September. It is often pleasantly warm during this time, and there are not yet so many tourists in the country. In summer, it gets warm to very hot. In high season (July - August), tourist crowds flood the region. Advance booking is essential.

Except for city trips to Istanbul, I have mostly overlooked Turkey until now. That should change, so I decided to explore the Turkish Aegean (also known as the Turkish Riviera or Olive Riviera) on my own with a rental car.

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