Thinking of visiting Turkey in 2020? Now is the right time to do your research and start booking. Turkey is a very popular holiday destination for families, solo travellers or couples of all ages. With something to satisfy everyone’s interests, depending on where you go, it can get very crowded at times. We assume you are here because you want to avoid the usual tourist spots or would like to explore parts of Turkey that are not inundated by visitors. Maybe you are looking for a secret escape spot. If so, you are at the right place; read on!
As our name implies, we know a few hidden spots in Turkey for you to visit in 2020 so we made a shortlist of our favourites for you.
1. Macahel
Macahel, Turkey’s first and only UNESCO protected biosphere, is a hidden wonder located in the North East on the Black Sea Coast, bordering with Georgia. Tucked away on the Karcal Mountains, it offers breathtaking views, powerful waterfalls, delicious honey, endemic plants and tranquil lakes. The plateau, reaching an altitude of 3,450m, is not easy to access which helps in keeping its raw nature intact. It has a very relaxing atmosphere that helps ease the stress and worry of our daily lives. Our travellers love this spot and always want to stay longer, so we have added an extra day in Macahel to all our itineraries. Check out this photo of our mountain hotel in Macahel.
2. Sumela Monastery
While you are in the Black Sea region, you simply cannot miss this spot. Sumela is a Greek Orthodox monastery built in the Pontic Mountains, on a cliff edge in Trabzon, dedicated to Virgin Mary. This 4th century building is still under ongoing restoration – so you can’t get inside it – but just seeing the exterior from the viewpoint is worth the 40 km travel from the city centre. On your way there you can stop by one of the local cafes to have lunch by the river. Don’t forget to take the short walk to see the tiny chapel down the road, Aya Varvara, another hidden spot. Sumela has earned a mention in Lonely Planet’s website with its unique location. You can read more about it here.
3. Mount Nemrut
The mountain of Gods, Nemrut, is a 2,134m high mountain in the southeast of Turkey. This spot is perfect for history and culture enthusiasts. At the summit of Nemrut is the tomb of King Antiochus of Commagene – a UNESCO List of World Heritage site. Around the tomb, you will see giant statues of Gods carved out of boulders that were carried up from the valley below. If you ever want to watch a magnificent sunrise alongside the statues of Gods that have been witnessing it for two thousand years, you must visit Mount Nemrut. As most hidden spots on our list, it is not the easiest to access, but there are flights to Adiyaman from Istanbul and Ankara. Nemrut is in Kahta county, 86 km east of Adiyaman. Keep in mind the winters can be very rough in this region; we recommend travelling between April and October.
4. Kekova
Does a sunken city on the south coast of Turkey sound hidden enough? Kalekoy, Ucagiz and Kekova villages are all part of the Kekova region that is home to a sunken Lycian city, Dolikisthe. The ancient town sunk into the pristine waters with an earthquake in the 2nd century CE. Swimming is banned to protect the sunken ruins, but you can hire a small boat or kayak to take in the sights at your own pace. The ruins themselves are modest but the whole atmosphere of the region makes the experience. Daily boat tours from Kas stop here as well as Kalekoy and several other coves. While you are in the region, we highly recommend visiting Kalekoy, a village famous for its Byzantine fortress, as well as waterfront restaurants adorned with colourful bougainvilleas and turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.
Read on this blog about a kayaking experience around Kekova and Kalekoy
5. Tuz Lake (Salt Lake)
Not so far from the famous Cappadocia is Tuz Lake. This gorgeous pink lake is under two hours drive
from Nevsehir. It is the second largest lake in Turkey and is fed by two rivers but does not have an outlet, so the lake’s tuz, which is Turkish for “salt”, content increases as a result. At times the lake turns red due to algae bloom, especially in summer months, and visiting close to sunset ensures you will capture the best colours. Keep in mind that there is no proper accommodation around the lake as the mass tourism has not got to
it yet. Consequently, most of the time you have the whole lake to yourself, and undisrupted calm waters mean perfect magical photo opportunities. You can make a day trip out of this spot or stop by on your way to Ankara airport from Cappadocia.
We could not create a list of places to visit in Turkey and skip some of our other favourites just because they are not so hidden.
Three not so hidden yet still amazing spots to visit in Turkey are:
1. Cappadocia
Currently, Kapadokya (Cappadocia) must be one of the most famous spots in Turkey, thanks to all those amazing photos of the hot air balloons spread across the skyline of this otherworldly landscape at sunrise. The internet is full of information about the region so we won’t repeat things here, but one tip we would like to give is to visit Derinkuyu, a multi-level underground city in the region. The caves were built into the soft volcanic rock by Phrygians back in 8th-7th century BCE.
2. Istanbul
You will most likely land in Istanbul, especially if you are travelling to Turkey via an airplane. This is a must-see city, not just in Turkey but in the world. Istanbul is one of the few cities in the world that lie on two continents – Europe and Asia – and it truly shows this blend in every corner. Discover food, culture, history, architecture and more in this mesmerising city – the fifth largest in the world. In addition to a wealth of information on the web, we have a few quick tips of our own for Istanbul:
- Do a boat tour of the Bosphorus.
- Eat doner at Karadeniz Donercisi in Besiktas (it is arguably the best in the city).
- Sip cocktails looking over the Bosphorus at Pero in Yenikoy.
- Wander around the coastal neighbourhood of Kuzguncuk between Beylerbeyi and Uskudar on the Asian side.
3. Fethiye
Let’s finish up with one of our favourites. Fethiye has been a long-time tourist destination due to its National Park of Oludeniz, but it has much more to offer than this well-known swimming spot. Our tips for Fethiye are to:
- Go on a sail boat to check out unreal blue water of the coves;
- Hike at least some part of the Lycian way (another great way to discover the coves);
- Paraglide off Babadag (the view is just amazing); and
- Visit Saklikent Gorge (pack your swimmers and be prepared for ice cold river water that runs through this hidden spot; the trail is wet and slippery).
Currently, Hidden Wonders has scheduled tours for 2020 that cover Macahel and Sumela among other spectacular spots in the Black Sea Region, but we strive to create amazing memories for our travellers regardless of the region they want to discover. So, if any of the other hidden treasures of Turkey got your interest and you would like to add them to your itinerary, let us know and we can organise every detail for you.