Bursa - don't miss de-tour to Cumalikizik, quite pretty traditional village to walk around, but would require 1-2 hours of time
Pergamon - it is very spread, forum colleagues mentioned some strange side components, but even iconic locations (Acropolis, Asclepion, Red Hall, museum) would probably require full day
Istanbul - no time for Istanbul Archeological Museum? Not that big, but it really highlights with stunning masterpieces many civilizations included in the WHS list

Nice itinerary. Not much to add. I haven't been in Tlos and Pinara, but just Patara. How did you choose between these three? If you are short on time, Patara may be a better choice. You can directly park outside of the ancient city and wuickly visit it. Turning to Tlos from main road and visiting it may cost you 1-2 hours.

In addition, you may hit the road early (around 5-6am) when you are staying in Eskisehir and visit Frig Mountain and Afyon mosque instead of Aizanoi. Mosques are 24 hours open in Turkey, it may add an extra WHS visit to your itinerary. Afyon is a culinary city, you can eat the best kaymak, lokum and pastirma/sucuk in the universe there.

If anyone wonders how the food scene of Afyon is, can take a look at that facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/afyondayemek?mibextid=LQQJ4d

To the suggestion of csarica, I would add that the Phrygian valley is a wonderful site which fully deserves to be visited, with a potential that goes well beyond its tentativeness, and your plan of driving from EskiÅŸehir to Denizli seems perfect in that sense: it really would be a pity to miss it. The drive is very easy, by the way. "The black fortress of opium" (Afyonkarahisar) is also an interesting sight, worthy of its fascinating (and somewhat ominous) name! You might even consider to stop there for more ease to explore the valley, even more so with the tasty suggestions by csarica! :-) EskiÅŸehir I found a nice place to wander for a while, especially after th eextensive renovations in the Ottoman neighbourhood of the last decade or so.

The long bridge, Uzunköprü, will be under restoration for a while. It is not accessible and it is kind of a very long building site. I wonder though if, by car, you can circumdrive it and still get some meaningful views, especially from the hills around and from the side opposite to the town.

Thanks Astrftis for the complementary comment. I just realized that I wrote Frig Mountain instead of Frig Valley 😀😀😀
Frig is the Turkish word for Phrygia 😊

Noted. Will check if we manage with timing.


Els said in her review it was the best? lol. and also because i plan to take a hotel just near there.


considered, but, i have another 6 day itinerary from Ankara for later to visit mosques and also gordion day trip, safranbolu , hattusha and konya with catalhoyuk. I just don't have more time now.


i was in istanbul before (allthough not seen the museum yet). and i play to fly in to either IST or SAW and stay away from istanbul city.


will consider


crap. will check proposed boundaries if i can get in see / do somehow.

BTW, I had this added as well actually from Bursa to Ankara and then from Konya pickup again at Xanthos.

But I simply have just 13-14 days. So i'll do 1 more week another time (or two and add the balloons as well).

Day 1
/Ankara Arrival
Day 2
/Ankara Day trip Sivrihisar Great Mosque (WHS) 2:25 to Gordion (WHS) 0:45h then to Ankara 1:30h

Day 3
/Ankara Day trip to Safranbolu (WHS) 2:30h one way
Day 4
/Ankara Day trip to Hattusha: the Hittite Capital (WHS) 3h one way
Day 5
Morning visit Mosques (WHS/TWHS) and Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara

Drive to Konya
Day 6 Visit Çatalhöyük (WHS) in morning 0:45h drive one way and afternoon Konya (TWHS) with Anatolian Seljuks Madrasahs (TWHS)

Day 7 Back to Ankara and fly

I just learned from one of the Turkish UNESCO committee members that 2024 submission of Turkey is Iznik and 2025 is Sardes. They are currently in Sardes, finalizing submission.

I have already written that Zerzevan will not be the 2025 candidate. When you read the related news in Turkish language, you can understand that it is just a hope for future, not a planned move. But it is quite hard to understand that from news in English.

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/100000223978025/posts/pfbid0bNTEoF2zs1J7phrmuNYqpu1Mfx37zvEgpUB6ug3V7NsJh1sxnRWVMG2A7jiXVsQAl/?d=n&mibextid=x4r0xg

https://sardisexpedition.org/en

A must-check website before a Sardis visit! This is one of the few tents in Turkey that I haven't visited yet and hoping to visit this summer.

good i checked again the forum. Lol. Goign to Turkey next week and almost missing out on the 2025 tent site then. Checking now how to plan it in.

Seems Aizonoi has to go out, and will add Sardis when driving from Burso to Denizli. Driving time is the same.

For if someone needs, this is my final iti, including clickable google links for faster driving.


Sat Feb 17
Day 1
/Marriot Hotel Go to 13:00 DUS – SAW 18:15
Car Green Motion
take Marriott near SAW
Sun Feb 18 Day 2
/Bursa Sheraton Via Iznik (TWHS2024) 1:30h. Estimated spend 4-5 hours incl lunch. (https://maps.app.goo.gl/9dG3tw4r3o8ctwtA6)
to Bursa (WHS) 1:15
Mon Feb 19 Day 3
/Bursa Sheraton Day in Bursa (WHS) - lunch iskender kebab
Morning drive to Cumalikizik (about 0:30 drive) https://maps.app.goo.gl/qMgYDS31ZAyfB71r9 visit 1 hour and then go parking https://maps.app.goo.gl/CFQChQbqhjT3Qxgn8 better drive to yildirim and just park in street. then first green tomb (https://maps.app.goo.gl/pF7LzgeHQePCXMvL8) 20 minute walk to Yildirim Bayezid I Kulliye (or drive and park?) (https://maps.app.goo.gl/RC7cf9Xni8bZ6ysW6)
then 30 minute walk (better take car drive to parking https://maps.app.goo.gl/XbdifzS4N39cqTmr9 ) https://maps.app.goo.gl/N2VikRczGdQg4WTp6 (grand mosque Ulu etc) from there 10 minute walk to osman gazi tomb (https://maps.app.goo.gl/TZeffsrCarbSAbGU9 ) drive to https://maps.app.goo.gl/fsa9kn8MgptZ4HbC6 for final 2 components
Tue Feb 20 Day 4
/Park Dedeman Drive to Aizonoi (TWHS) in about 2:45h (https://maps.app.goo.gl/FCCuUag81VDwVdS97 ) then to Park Dedeman hotel (https://maps.app.goo.gl/CcfwFgwHRExnBQvh7 ) about 3:30h
Wed Feb 21 Day 5
/Park Dedeman Visit Hierapolis-Pamukkale (WHS) 0:15h (https://maps.app.goo.gl/XCsf5LGQ3kWi5YX18 ) and Laodikeia (TWHS) (https://maps.app.goo.gl/otjzN5yExbP5bBjL8 )at the hotel dinner at Akhan Caravanserais (TWHS) (https://maps.app.goo.gl/TuBXN3iVdPAWJ89s9 )

Thu Feb 22 Day 6
/Flower hoteL patara Visit Aphrodisias (WHS) 1:15h (https://maps.app.goo.gl/hptuvGFneuS22PnN8 ) not forget marble quarry across the street. To Patara area (3:30h) stop at Kibyra (TWHS) as it's on the way (https://maps.app.goo.gl/hiaPUnNtcWxN5kFXA )

Fri Feb 23 Day 7
/Ephesus Centrum hotel Start with Patara (TWHS) Lycian city. Go (0:30h) to Xanthos-Letoon (WHS) First Xanthos part (https://maps.app.goo.gl/iEZ48bBAm3ftgGe69 ). THEN Letoon (https://maps.app.goo.gl/jjqVD4aARaGzkmyY8 ) THEN
Pinara Lycian city (0:30h) (https://maps.app.goo.gl/UGRiSBPy2Fffw3oU7 ) is not far, might be worth. TLOS maybe to far another 0:30 out).
To Ephesus (about 4h drive need depart 3pm latest)
Sat Feb 24 Day 8
/Izmir To (5 minutes) to Ephesus (WHS) main site https://maps.app.goo.gl/pVje8aQdmAqst6Vu7 and artemis temple (https://maps.app.goo.gl/BChRjc3uLJURqsJm8 ) and if time to house of virgin mary (https://maps.app.goo.gl/tdpmVQP1NRaTHjiH9 ) to (1h) Izmir (TWHS2026) check a bit of Izmir (old city is across the street from Marriott.
Sun Febn 25 Day 9
/Izmir Morning trip (without wife?) to Sardis TWHS2025. https://maps.app.goo.gl/S8F6o3jWg39vTp677 ) (skip the 2nd component tumuli which is here https://maps.app.goo.gl/j2hrJnjRXLqPtLMz9 ). 1h drive both ways. Rest of day in Izmir TWHS.
Mon Feb 26 Day 10
/Assos To Pergamon (WHS) 1:30-2h (drive to Akropolis https://maps.app.goo.gl/9u2wMnqSPRHQix928 ) red hall (https://maps.app.goo.gl/kW4YagrXvaFuPzvw5 ) amfi (https://maps.app.goo.gl/EnujUrXRhLrF1HdU7 ) asklepiion (https://maps.app.goo.gl/J1UhttE5PfZevQg57 ) then tumili https://maps.app.goo.gl/1YWiSGNCxMAxiG649 and https://maps.app.goo.gl/firr81TJr78ymy3QA

Ayvalik TWHS (1h) only drive through go through if time (this church is mentioned in file https://maps.app.goo.gl/CDeQHymxJpMGDUMg6 and ataturk blv with buildings. Olives maybe here? https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ewfgkdhh5Pb1KhKr7
go to Assos hotel (is 2h more!)
Tue Feb 27 Day 11
/ Rüstempaşa Kervansaray Hotel Via Assos (TWHS) to (1h) Troy (WHS) to Canakkale (0:30h).
Circle drive Canakkale (TWHS) peninsula is up to 2h with short stops. But take the ferri from Canakkale (drive around is 1h) (start here https://maps.app.goo.gl/JM9HcsoTggA8xyy6A via coast to https://maps.app.goo.gl/p8DWDZy4RGSnqjQN8 )
From Gelibolu to Erdirne is just over 2h.
Uzunkopru Bridge (TWHS) (get close here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jHNh9ZhXs9G4tzUF9 and then here https://maps.app.goo.gl/vN1jcZKJaADTjVyP8 ) the detour is 5-10 minutes on each side.
Drive to Edirne (1h from bridge) to hotel in bufferzone near mosque.
Wed Feb 28 Day 12
/Marriott near saw Visit Edirne Selimiye Mosque (WHS) https://maps.app.goo.gl/cqnnYtF6NMybc2F89 in the morning (hotel nearby in bufferzone) day before wander bufferzone for dinner. And visit Sultan Bayezid II Complex (TWHS) https://maps.app.goo.gl/8YTthvXx6Pw6Fbh48 by car. Drive to SAW airport hotel after (3h) even if arrive late is better.
Thu Feb 29 Day 13 Fly out 14:00 SAW – DUS 15:30

I learnt some internal gossips about Turkey's next 5 year UNESCO plans.

1) 2025 will be Sardes (already submitted), 2026 will be Izmir. I don't know what was wrong with Iznik's file but they will try to fix it and resubmit it for 2027.
2) Other than these three, Yesemek's file has been completed and is on the pipeline. Probably for 2027 or 2028.
3) There is significant progress in Pontic King's tombs in Amasya. This may be 2029.
4) Ministry has been working on a serial nomination but I don't know the details. My guesses are 1) transnational nomination of Genoese trade posts or 2) Seljuks Madrasahs/ Caravanserais or Lycian cities

The story on Iznik: seems indeed to have been withdrawn after negative advice from ICOMOS, "criticizing the reuse of historical materials and restoration mistakes."

https://www.duvarenglish.com/historical-site-deterioration-in-iznik-stalls-unesco-world-heritage-bid-news-64502#google_vignette

High Entrance fees for Turkish WHS.
Just to flag up a converstion from the WhatsApp group that I thought would be of interest to people planning a trip to Turkey in 2025. It caught me off guard a little as I was planning to go to Western Turkey this year, but having seen the details I don't think I could afford it.

As of last year the entrance fees at some of the major Turkish sites have increased drastically for non Turkish citizens.
Topkapi Palace: 2,000 lira (c. €54/ US$55) You have to buy a ticket that include the Harem and Museum. That is enough alone to qualify for our high entrance fee criteria.
Ephesus: €40 for the basic site or €65 if you also want to visit the Museum, Terrace Houses and Basilica.
Galata Tower: €30 (I had to check it is just an interesting, nice t-list tower and yep, it is just that with a museum about itself)
Hagia Sophia: €25 which in context looks to be a bargain, but added to the others make a very expensive day of sightseeing in Istanbul.
Heiropolis and Pamukale: €30 on the website, but I am not sure if that includes both sites, or as was reported on the WhatsApp it is €40
Troy: €27

Having a bit of a scan of the other sites that have tickets available on the official Turkish museums website the majority of the other WHS fall into the €20-30 category, though a fair few seem to require additional tickets for museums and secondary sites.

Also something of relevance to us is that this price applies to every non Turkish resident over the age of 8 (under 8s are free). The idea of arriving at the gate of Ephesus and having to pay €195 to take my family (2 adults, 2 children [8&5]) around is enough to bring on a touch of the vapours.
Our rough plan to visit 5 Western Turkish WHS would end up with entrance fees alone of €516, and that is with one of us getting in for free!

There are various Museum passes that can help allieviate some of these costs, but they are still rather pricey in context and are valid for 7 or 15 days. The Agean one could be particularly useful for people wanting to hit the main big western sites.

Hopefully it is just a short lived moment during an financially eventful year, I won't hold my breath though.

I have received the following question from a reader, maybe someone can help?

I am looking for a map or directions on how to find the three menorahs at Hierapolis.

1. menorah sarcophagus and lid.
2 tombs : 163D
3. Tomb 148B

I have read all about them - but can't locate them specifically on this huge archeological site. Any directions or site map with tomb numbers would be appreciated.