Mini Travel Guides

Orient Express and Sirkeci Gare are two tightly connected key words. Although the famous luxury train no longer runs all the way to Istanbul, a visit to the station is a worthwhile trip down memory lane.

Sirkeci Gare's main front

The pink brick, white stucco and black wrought iron structure is a prime example for late 19th century Ottoman architecture which sought to combine oriental elements with western modern style. The architect of the train station was a German, August Jachmund, who had come to Istanbul to study Ottoman architecture and ended up lecturing at Istanbul’s polytechnic. The building was completed in 1888 and inaugurated in 1890.

Side entrance of the train station

Approach the station from the street car stop of the same name and admire a gleaming steam engine which is exhibited at the left of the side entrance. The exterior is beautifully maintained whereas the interior serves as a modern day train station which connects Istanbul to the Balkans and Greece.

Steam engine outside Sirkeci Gare

However, 19^th century nostalgia remains very much in evidence. First is the Orient Express restaurant which serves excellent food and is full of photographs and memorabilia of times gone past.

Orient Express restaurant

Next to it is a tiny museum. Admission is free and it’s only one room, but you can admire a lot of exhibits connected to the Orient Express, like old log books, the reconstruction of a luxury dining car, a conductor’s uniform, even cutlery and crockery which was used on the famous train. The charm of this museum lies in its small size and the fact that, short of touching, you can get really close to the exhibits and study them at your leisure.

Memorabilia in the Railway Museum

Also within the station is a community hall. For some reason this is the venue where several nights a week the Sufi lodge of Istanbul arranges a performance of the whirling dervishes, the best I have seen outside of the festival in Konya because the performers are Sufi who have trained many years to achieve perfection. Tickets to the event can be obtained from many shops and kiosks in the vicinity or along Divan Yoglu.

Whirling Dervishes performing in a hall in Sirkeci gare

Leave by the front entrance, cross the square and take a last look at the graceful structure which is an important historical landmark of Istanbul before crossing the Galata Bridge to sample some fish buns and perhaps proceeding to visit the Galata Tower.

You can see our recommendations for hotels in Istanbul for all budgets and use the LateRooms seach box to look at all Istanbul hotels.

Sirkeci Gare – Istanbul’s emblematic train station

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If, like me, you are on your way to the east of Turkey, either to Cappadoccia or even further to Lake Van and you travel over land, you are bound to pass Kayseri. Many travelers neglect to visit the city because it’s definitely not in the Top 10 must see list of Turkey attractions. Which is a shame, because Kayseri has a lot to offer, not least new insights and perspectives into Turkish life.

There must be something in the air or in the water or else it has to do with the fact that Kayseri once was an important trade stop of the ancient Great Silk Road, but it’s a fact that no other Turkish city is the home town of so many Turkish entrepreneurs. The city conveys an impression of wealth, modernity, business life and provincial charm all rolled in one.

Kayseri Bus Terminal (Otogar)

Wealth and modernity start already at the nearly futuristic Bus Terminal which resembles more a small airport than a stop for long distance  coaches.

I took the local bus outside the terminal for my journey into town. It’s a straight run, so you can’t really get lost. I asked for the old town and got off where directed, then asked for the Grand Bazaar, walked through an underpass and ended up in front of a very new Hilton Hotel, built in the shape of a wing.

Hilton Rooftop Bar and Mount Erciyes

I asked in the lobby for a map of the city and found myself right in the middle of things. The concierge also told me that they have a roof top Bar where I might want to have a coffee. I did and was rewarded with a fantastic view of the snow covered Mount Erciyes, Kayseri’s most famous landmark. The now inactive volcano’s eruptions were responsible for much of the bizarre formations of Cappadoccia. For those who love trekking and alpinism, the region around Erciyes is a well known destination.

The view from the rooftop also gave me a great orientation of the sites I wanted to visit. Leaving the hotel and turning left, I happened upon a lovely flower market with cute displays of arrangements as  gifts for births and weddings.

Flower arrangement for the birth of a boy

Crossing the very busy Park Caddesi I saw the Atatürk Watchtower and just behind it the castle. It’s a very well preserved structure dating from Byzantine times and what is so ‘Typical Kayseri’ about it is that it’s not treated like a historical site reserved for visitors but totally integrated into every day life. You can enter any one of the many openings in the thick walls and find inside shops, stalls and thriving trade. The same goes for the Covered Bazaar. It dates only from the 1800 but is a place were the people from Kayseri go and do their shopping. None of the tourist trappings are in evidence, in fact no tourists at all are about. That there is a lot of money in Kayseri though became evident to me when I looked at the jewelers. The sheer opulence and size of the many gold necklaces and bracelets far surpassed the ones I had seen in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.

Inside Kayseri castle

Much older than the bazaar is the adjacent Kayseri attraction of the Vezir Hani caravanserai which dates from the 1500. Defined by huge bundles of sheep wool which is collected there and brilliant carpets for which the city is also famous, it’s a sight of a caravansera I have never seen anywhere in Turkey before.

Carpets displayed in Vezir Han Caravanserai

Kayseri features several museums and notable mosques too but my time was limited. I couldn’t resist another visit to the Hilton rooftop to have a final glance at Mount Erciyes before returning to the bus terminal. My visit to Kayseti was one of the rare occasions where I didn’t feel like a sightseeing tourist but rather totally integrated. I might have been a business woman on her way to a deal with one of Kayseri’s  entrepreneurs.

Three famous sons of Kayseri:

1. Abdullah Gül – current president of Turkey
2. Elia Kazan – movie director
3. Aristoteles Onassis – although born in Izmir he came from a Kayseri family!

If you’ve visited this Turkish city, what would you recommend as the best things to do in Kayseri?

Why you should stop in Kayseri, Turkey

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The far eastern part of Turkey, close to the border with Iran and Armenia holds many attractions. From the snow covered volcanic cone of Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest mountain, to the vast expanse of Lake Van with its (rumored) monster and Akdamar island to many important historical sites, not to mention the very different and colorful culture and lifestyle of the Kurdish people—the avid traveler who doesn’t mind finding things by himself will be richly rewarded and discover a Turkey which is a far cry from the tourist centers of the Aegean Sea and the beach resorts of the Mediterranean.

Lake Van and Akdamar Island

Naturally, I couldn’t resist to see for myself and went on a four day trip to Van from my temporary home town of Didim near Bodrum. As usual I went by coach on this cross country journey which took about 27 hours. Turkish coaches are very comfortable and stop frequently for loo/coffee/food breaks and your co-passengers with hardly any foreigner among  them, are highly entertaining. If you can’t face such a long bus ride, you can also fly into Van, which I used as the starting point to further trips.

I stayed in the beautiful  Merit Sahmaran Hotel in Edredit, a village 15km from the center of Van on one side and 20km from Gervas on the other.   Gervas is where the boats to Akdamar island depart. A dolmus or minivan stop is right outside the hotel entrance which made it easy for my daytrip to Van. The hotel is located right on the shore of Lake Van with fabulous views across the water and the high mountains surrounding the lake.

Pool and terrace of Merit Sahmaran Hotel

My first stop in Van was at the tourist information center  in Kisla Caddesi to get a map and enquire about how to reach the many things to do in Van, i.e. the Cathouse, Van castle and the Seven Churches. As I said, Van is a destination for travelers as opposed to tourists, who expect and are used to guided tours. There aren’t  many of those around here which makes visiting Van attractions all the more fun.

I wanted to know about the famous Van cat, a very special breed of cat, all white with different colored eyes and absolutely crazy about splashing around in water. They are bred in the ‘cathouse’ (kedi evi) which is located within the campus of Van University.  A minibus which leaves from the far end of Cumhuriyet Caddesi and is clearly marked ‘Kampüs’ takes you there. Then, an armed guard takes care of you and accompanies you to the cathouse. And there they are: hundreds of cute white woolly balls, cavorting around in their enclosure and staring at you with one brown and one blue or green eye. Or royally  ignoring you!

Van cats in the cathouse

Back in Van, I went in search of the archaeological museum which is located right behind the town hall. Entry is free and the most spectacular find were 12 stelae which are exhibited in the courtyard. They have been discovered in Hakkari , date from the 11^th century BC and are unique in Turkey. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the lifelike expressions of these stone carvings.

One of 12 stelae archaeological museum, Van

Next I wanted to visit the mountain village of Bakracli with its ruined medieval Armenian monastery of Varagavank, also known as Seven Churches. You can only get there by taxi and you are well advised to negotiate the price in advance with the help of the English speaking lady from the tourist office which has a taxi rank outside. We settled on approx. Euro 25 for the 20km return trip. The narrow road climbs higher and higher up into the mountains and you get a fantastic view of the lake and the city of Val down below. Then, you find yourself in a tiny village with stone houses, Kurdish kids came running to look at the blond haired foreigner in their midst, a young girl equally running for the key to open the gate and then entering church after church, built into the mountain side with well preserved frescos but the entire site rather ruined and without any of the facilities which normally surround – and mar- historical sites in Turkey. With a bit of imagination, I felt as if I was the first visitor to look at this testimony of the Christian Armenian past. Plans are under way to restore the churches and make them more accessible to culture tourism, but I liked it just fine as it was.

Armenian monastery 'Seven Churches' in its present state

Van has a huge castle too which you can reach by dolmus, then climb up and around, but I didn’t feel like too much hiking that day. Instead I needed to replenish some travel outfits and was delighted to find that Van doesn’t have any of the designer rip offs you find so often in the west of Turkey. Instead plenty of smaller department stores in Maras Caddesi with good quality clothes at very reasonable prices. Nobody hassles you, nobody jumps out at you, it’s even a pleasure to go shopping in Van.

If you’re looking for accommodation in Van, the HotelsCombined price comparison site will help you quickly find some great deals.

Things to do in Van, Turkey

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Here are my recommendations for some of the best Istanbul hotels, whether you’re looking for a budget option or something really special.  I searched for a double room for two nights 20 – 22 October 2010.  All the accommodation received an average of at least 75% in mainly verified (i.e. guests actually stayed there) guest ratings.

Istanbul budget hotels

The Tulip guesthouse is located in Istanbul’s historical Sultanahmet district, near the campus of Istanbul university. It’s also within walking distance of all major sites. The guesthouse offers free high speed internet access and has a roof terrace. The price for a room with private bathroom was £50 including breakfast   There’s also the budget option of a bunk in an 8 bedded dorm with shared bathroom facilities for £12 a night. It receives an average of 86% from 10 guest reviews.

The Hotel Antique is also located in the Sultanahmet district within walking distance of St Sofia and the Blue Mosque. The price was £33 for a basic ensuite room or £41 for a room with TV and air conditioning, including breakfast.  It receives an average of  78% from 80 guest reviews.

Blue Mosque Istanbul

My personal favorite, a hotel in which I’ve stayed, is the Muhlis Bey Hotel in Sultanahmed, situated directly opposite the Four Seasons. From the roof terrace where breakfast is served, you can nearly touch the Blue Mosque. The rooms are small but very modern and so are the bathrooms. The price was £60  including breakfast.  It receives an average of 80% from 14 guest reviews.

Bedroom of the Muhlis Bey Hotel

Istanbul mid range hotels

A brand new hotel with rooms furnished in a mixture of Ottoman and Byzantine styles but at the same time equipped with all modern amenities like free wi-fi internet is the Harmony Hotel, located in Sultanahmed. Rooms with balcony overlook the Sea of Marmaris and all major sites are within walking distance. The price was £58 for a basement room or £72 for a standard double room including breakfast. It receives an average of 82% from 32 guest reviews.

A notch up is the W Hotel in Dolmabahce Caddesi near Dolmabace Palace. It offers a lot of luxury and a wonderful location in Istanbul’s fashionable Besiktas district. You can reach Sultanahmed either by taxi or by Metro and tramway. A double room with many amenities costs £187 including American buffet breakfast. It receives an average guest rating of 90% from 141 reviews.

Dolmabahce Palace

Istanbul Luxury Hotels

All my recommendations for luxury accommodation in Istanbul are hotels in which I’ve stayed.

The luxury Four Seasons Sultanahmed is located in a historical building which was once a prison and is close to Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. Apart from all amenities in the spacious rooms, the hotel offers special event nights every week, from wine tastings to performances of the whirling dervishes. The lowest price for my date search was £573 but this was for a room with a separate living area and a view of the old city.  A standard double generally costs around £350. The hotel receives an average guest rating of 92% from 157 (unverified) reviews .

Performance of the whirling dervishes

Ciragan Palace Hotel is the ultimate luxury hotel in Istanbul. Again, it’s a historical building which once was a Sultan’s Palace with a modern annex but in keeping with the style. Located in Besiktas directly on the Bosporus the hotel features a spa, several restaurants and an infinity swimming pool. The price was £374 for the simplest double with park view but without breakfast . It receives an average guest rating of 96%.

Garden of the Ciragan Palace Hotel

Do you have any tips for the best places to stay in Istanbul?

Ten of the best places to stay in Istanbul for all budgets

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It’s very hot in July on the Turkish coast of the Aegean sea, so when my friend suggested a trip to Sinince, a ‘lovely mountain village’ as he put it, I was all for it, if only to get a bit of the sea cooled air. He wouldn’t say what else there was to see and do in Sirince; only that I should wear good walking shoes. I was quite happy to just go along and let myself be surprised.

We drove to the town of Selcuk, parked the car, headed for the central bus station, and hopped on the dolmus (public minibus) to Sirince. As soon as the minibus reached the outskirts of Selcuk, it took a right run and started a dizzying ascent on a twisting road further and further up the mountains. Deep valleys and ravines on our right, sheer cliffs on our left, we were definitely headed for cooler regions. Everything was very green and my friend pointed out to me that what  grew on terraced mountain sides and in the sheltered valley were grape vines. The plants were low to the ground so I didn’t, at first, recognize them for what they were.

“Surprise number one,” he grinned, “we are headed for a famous Turkish wine making place for wine tastings.” That sounded great to me.

The dolmus bus deposited us in Sirince’s tiny village square and I knew at once  that taking  hiking shoes was sound advice. Narrow cobbled alleys wound around and between ancient stone houses, some of them converted into very romantic looking inns. And of course it was uphill and quite uneven under foot, so this is certainly no place to visit in sandals.

Trees, vines and oleander in full bloom were everywhere and provided shade whilst we meandered upwards, stopping frequently to visit the many small shops selling their wines (and, of course, offering tastings.)

Sirince is indeed a wine making center with a long Greek and Turkish Ottoman tradition. The wineries are small and there are dozens, all turned out beautifully with their individual displays. The specialty is fruit wine and you will find such exotic concoctions as banana and pomegranate.Whether you like it is of course a question of personal taste, but it’s no doubt an interesting experience.

Sirince is not only about wine. The buildings and surrounding countryside are a pleasant surprise because they are just so pretty and are not expected to be found hidden away among steep mountains. Like every Turkish town worth its salt, Sirince, too, has a bazaar, but in keeping with the place, it’s small, sedate and very charming. The vendors don’t hassle you, they just smile and politely invite you to visit their shops to look at their wares. And some very nice things are to be had, like handmade soaps and fabulous face creams made from olive oil, hand carved wooden objects, extraordinary wine bottle covers made from leather, and embroidered linen, towels and table cloths. If you want a tasteful and at the same time useful Turkish souvenir or gift, Sirince is the place to buy it.

Nobody is in  hurry, nobody shouts and the wine tastings which lead to the occasional consumption of a full glass, contribute to a totally relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere which you don’t find often anywhere else in Turkey.

Tourists can certainly be found in this small town, but even at the height of  summer there weren’t that many because Sirince is still very much an insiders destination and the organized tours to Ephesus and elsewhere bypass it.

To round off a wonderful day trip, I discovered that many of the restaurants which all feature vine covered court yards offer a great variety of my favourite dish: gözleme, which are crisp, thin pancakes filled with either sweet or savory ingredients such as spinach, minced meat, or honey and ground nuts.

The return dolmus to Selcuk runs, during the summer season, every hour on the hour and, loaded with a bottle of strawberry champagne, a bottle cover and a carved wooden box for my friend and a face cream for me, we were on our way back to Selcuk. It was a relaxing, but memorable day.

Written by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte for EuropeUpClose.com

Let’s be honest. What’s a holiday without a bit of local shopping. Browsing the markets, looking out for souvenirs, even buying necessities just to find out which brands such and such country has and how the locals do things is fun and educational at the same time.

Who can resist to try on this antique kaftan?

Thinking about Istanbul, such world famous places like Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar and maybe even Arasta Bazaar immediately spring to mind and certainly should be on the must-see list, but I love to find shops which are not necessarily found in guide books but offer special or particularly nice things.

I’d like to share two Istanbul shopping tips with you; one is a small boutique which specialises in antique and modern traditional Turkish clothes, embroideries, pillow cases and small artefacts and the other is a shopping mall which is an architectural work of art in its own right.

The boutique is located in the basement of the Muhlisbey Hotel in Tevkifhane Street  in Sultanahmed and belongs to the lady who owns the hotel too.  The hotel has only a few rooms and is housed in a restored wooden building, very romantic and a nice place to stay.

The owner is extremely knowledgeable about Turkish history as far as textiles are concerned and entering her tiny shop, you feel like you have walked into a museum, but one where you can actually touch the exhibits, try them on and, bank balance allowing, buy them. She is an avid collector of embroidered antique caftans and wedding gowns, but these precious things cost a bundle.

Enjoying a coffee after my chat

For the more modest purse though, you can find hand embroidered bed spreads, pillow cases, towels and other linens as well as new kaftans, shawls and scarves. She also had lamps, picture fames and other small artefacts.

Even if you don’t buy anything, it doesn’t matter, you are made extremely welcome, can sit on one of the fabulous sofas, drink a Turkish coffee or tea and discuss the art and history of textiles .And she told me about the Sadberk Hanim Museum, started by a Turkish lady of that name who shared the same love for the exceptional art of Turkish clothes and textiles. The museum is to be found heading north on the European side of the Bosporus, turning left towards a white waterside mansion shortly before reaching Sanyer’s town center.

I like to visit a shopping mall, because that’s a place where the locals go and you can learn about their culture by seeing what’s on offer and what they buy. Istanbul has several huge shopping malls, some of them award winning. My favourite is the Kanyon Mall located in Istanbul’s Levent district and so named because the mall was designed to resemble a glass, steel and concrete canyon. The mall is reached by taking the Metro to the Levent stop and then simply following the signs to the entrance.

Cafe in Kanyon Mall Levent

It’s truly a work of art, because the 30 tiered floors are soaring up into the sky, but in such a graceful way that you can only look in admiration. 4 floors are dedicated to shops, the rest are offices. Water, plants and lots and lots a flowers intersperse the walk ways. The shops have a lot of floor space which makes browsing around a pleasure because  you never get pushed or jostled. Not only do you find branches of Harvey Nichols and other international brands but also Turkish designers, shops offering hand made soaps and lemon cologne and of course, an enormous variety of Turkish Delight. You find sit down restaurants with the freshest seafood on the menu as well as romantic cafes or stalls for a quick sandwich.

So if you’re looking for two unique experiences, take my Istanbul shopping tips and head for the boutique at the Muhlisbey Hotel and/or Kanyon Mall.

Istanbul Shopping Tips

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Endless books and stories have been written about Turkish food which does not come as a surprise because this country with influences from many cultures has a sin fin of culinary delights to offer. Not only do the Turks treat their food with respect which means only fresh ingredients are used and nothing is boiled or fried to death, they also have an artistic nature which comes to the fore in the many concoctions that represent Turkish deserts.

When, of all people, my local bank manager told me that I hadn’t really been to Istanbul if I had never tasted a fish bun which is only served in Istanbul and only at the Galata bridge, I didn’t hesitate to make a beeline to the water on my next visit to Istanbul in search of a – so far – unknown delicacy.

Watch out for this sign and you have found the fish buns

I’ll eat anything that comes out of the water, mussels, oysters, shellfish, cold water fish, hot water fish even algae so my mouth was already watering when I got off the streetcar from Sultanahmed at the Eminönü  stop. Crossing over to the water front, you can’t really miss the ‘fish festival’ which takes place at the foot of the Galata bridge on the Eminönü side.

Brightly painted stalls with colourful attendants line the steps and the place before it and the signs announce the fish buns. Heat and smoke waves waft out of the stalls where huge filets of fish are sizzling on skillets.

This is where you get the drinks and condiments

The cooks, all in their embroidered costumes, use long tongs to flick the filets, then, when they are done, remove the spine and bones with incredible skill, slab the filet into a split open bun, add whatever seasoning or pickles you want and hey presto, you have a hot, fresh and delicious snack.

Fish bun cook and vendor

You can get either a cold drink or the obligatory glass of tea from other stalls and then you go and find a seat on haphazardly scattered around plastic chairs, the sea wall or the steps leading up to the bridge and enjoy. I have to admit, the bun was so good, I had another one.

Then I walked across the bridge towards Galata and watched the densely packed fishermen casting their rods into the Bosporus below and catching the fish to replace the one you have just consumed.

Fishermen on the Galata Bridge

Fresher impossible and a colourful, noisy and happy way of filling your stomach. To make matters even more picturesque, fish is not only grilled in the stalls but also in carved and gilded boats which are moored to the left of the bridge.

Floating fish bun restaurants

I can’t think of a healthier and cheaper snack. If you don’ like fish, don’t despair. The next gözleme, kebab, pide  or köfte is never far away.

Things to eat in Istanbul – Fish buns at the Galata Bridge

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Can you believe this: the 6th best preserved temple and historical complex in the whole of Asia remains unvisited by many  travelers to Turkey’s Aegean coast?   Tourists  just whiz past Euromos and Lake Bafa on their way to more famous sites like Ephesus or Miletos.  So, let’s remedy their oversight by exploring the Zeus Temple of Euromos and Lake Bafa.

Located at approx. 10km north of Milas and 90km north of Bodrum, Euromos is situated off the highway that leads to Söke and Izmir. As you approach, Euromos immediately pulls the visitor in. You have to watch closely for the road sign and then quickly turn off. But once you have managed this, you are in another world.

The side road leading to Euromos is a far cry from the highway. It is a narrow pebble covered lane twisting and turning through dense olive trees growing on rising green mountain slopes. No traffic, no noise other than the wind, birds and cicadas and it’s easy to imagine hearing Pan playing his flute. A last bend to the right and you are out of the olive trees only to be met by a total of 12  perfectly preserved Corinthian columns with elaborately carved tops, surrounded by a multitude of broken columns and other carvings which are strewn across the area.

No tourist buses, no umbrella touting guides, no refreshment kiosks or souvenir stalls, in fact, no nothing except you, the temple and a few other knowledgeable souls who have found their way here.

The temple, which dates from the 2nd century AD, was dedicated to Zeus and is believed to have been built by Emperor Hadrian. Inscriptions on the columns are actually name plaques of rich people who contributed to the construction of the temple.

Euromos was once also a thriving city, possibly once connected to Milas, and although the temple is the most visible monument, you can climb up through the olive trees and discover remains of massive city walls, an agora and an amphitheatre which could seat 5000 to 7000 people. Most of it is still hidden below ground. As you climb and meander you  feel a little bit like an archaeologist, ready to stumble over an undiscovered treasure at any moment.

On this particular day, my friends and I were on a mission to visit interesting and beautiful places which are often neglected by those who simply don’t know about them.

This brought us to our second stop: Lake Bafa. The lake is located approx. 10km further north from Euromos and reached by the same highway.

Whereas Euromos is a site of historic interest, Lake Bafa is a nature lovers’ paradise. The huge, oval shaped lake which has a shore line of 62km, was a bay of the Aegean Sea some 2000 years ago and was known as Gulf of Lade at the time. Silting of the Meander river caused the lake to be cut off and as the sea receded, the bottom was revealed which  is what you walk on today. The Latmos mountain chain surrounds the lake with Five Finger Mountain its highest peek at 1700m. Hikers willing to climb a bit will discover a series of caves, some of which contain exceptional rock paintings.

The lake and surrounding area is home to 255 species of rare birds. Visitors can fish for eel, sea bream and mullet in the salty water of the lake or hire a  boat and visit a small island which features the remains of a monastery dating from Byzantine times. History fans are also rewarded by the sites of nearby Heraklia that contains more monasteries as well as the mysterious rock tombs with their half removed lids. As you look down upon them from the top of the monastery, you happily discover several small restaurants eager to offer you a dish of freshly caught and grilled fish along with respite after your hearty hike and climb.

Not to forget the legend of Selene and Endymion; it was at Lake Bafa that the Moon goddess fell in love with the young shepherd Endymion. Zeus jinxed him into eternal sleep because we was jealous, but Selene visitied him every night and they produced 50 children!!

Combing both destinations makes for a lovely, peaceful and at the same time interesting day trip from Bodrum, Didim or Kusadasi. Don’t miss it if you have a chance.

Written by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte for EuropeUpClose.com

With all the grand monuments  of Roman, Greek and Ottoman past spread all over Turkey’s Aegean coast, it’s easy to forget that the area plays an important role in the history of Christianity too. A visit and day trip to Mary’s House near Selcuk is a reminder.

As is so often the case, legend and reality fuse to make a compelling story. Mary’s House is said to have been the last dwelling of the Virgin Mary and also the place where she is buried.

According to legend, St. John promised Jesus to take care of his mother after his death and, as he was spreading Christianity in the area, thought that a remote stone house high on top of the Bulbus mountain would keep her safe and let her live out her remaining years in peace.

He made the steep ascent up the mountain with  a donkey carrying Mary and she took up residence in a modest house consisting of only two rooms and a kitchen. It’s open to discussion if she really died there and is buried nearby, but the place has become a destination of pilgrimages and was visited by three popes.

It’s a place of worship and should be approached as such. Part of the house fell into ruin and has been restored when a church was built which connects the remains of the house with the chapel.

Take the road from Selcuk and follow the signs indicating Maryemana which is what Mary’s House is called in Turkish. The road up Bulbus mountain is steep and winding but leads through dense woods with intensive green everywhere. Half way up a statue of the Virgin Mary stands by the wayside.

Statue of the Virgin Mary on the road up Bulbus mountain

When you arrive at the top, park the car and enter on foot. Visit of Mary’s House as a place of worship and pilgrimage is free but a few liras are asked  for the maintenance of the park and gardens which surround the house and church.

It’s an extremely peaceful place with an abundance of flowers and trees whilst you follow the cobbled path up to the house and church. The chapel which is open to the pubic is tiny and lighted by many candles.

At the exit of the church you can walk down a steep path to a natural spring, called Water of Mary which is supposed to have healing properties and from which everyone can drink.

Path leading to the well

Just above it however, there is a stone wall which is covered with hundreds of papers. It’s the wall where pilgrims and believers write down their wishes or prayers and then attach the folded paper to the many others already there.

Wall covered in papers with wishes and prayers

On the way back to the main entrance you will find several cafes and, so as not to forget Turkey’s ‘other’ past, a sculpture or two of the Phrygian kings. We couldn’t fail to see a certain resemblance to our friend Steve!

Do you see the resemblance?

As usual in any place of tourist attraction there are also a few souvenir stalls near the exit where you can buy images of the Virgin Mary, bottles of the Water of Mary or other trinkets.

Signs throughout remind visitors that this is a place of worship and therefore to dress appropriately and to refrain from being noisy.

A beautiful daytrip to a place  which exudes serenity and peace and pleases the eye with the wonderful vegetation surrounding it.

One does not usually associate Turkey with the production of top rate wine and one does not expect wines to grow on steep mountain sides, but, as Turkey is always good for a pleasant surprise, you will find both on a day trip to Sirince.

The place is little more than a village, located high up in the mountains about 8km east of the town of Selcuk. Some tours are available in tourist locations such as Kusadasi, Bodrum or Didim, but not many. Just make your way to Selcuk, by car or bus and then take the dolmus to Sirince from the central bus station. In summer, the dolmus departs every hour on the hour and the ride uphill takes about 30 minutes, the return trip about 10!

In the dolmus on my way to Sirince

As soon as the dolmus leaves Selcuk, the narrow road climbs steeper and steeper and you wonder where the wines are. And then, you see them, in terraces glued to the mountains or in the  sheltered valleys in between.

Despite it being July, everything was so green and the air was pleasantly cool after the scorching temperatures in Selcuk and Ephesus. The dolums stops at the tiny village square and from there you have to rely on your feet and good hiking shoes to manoeuvre the cobbled paths winding between the houses, quite a few of which have been converted into romantic inns. And it’s uphill all the way and down again on your way back, so remember to leave sandals and flip flops at home! I saw a few unprepared tourists having a hard time of it.

Old house converted into an inn

As soon as you set foot into the village square you find shops and wineries everywhere, offering their products and inviting you to tastings. The wines made here have a long Greek/Turkish Ottoman tradition and are quite famous. A speciality are the many, many fruit wines, some as exotic as banana and pomegranate.

Turkish wine bottles

But, it’s not all about wine. The village itself with its Greek and Turkish houses and the view of the surrounding mountains is lovely and very charming to look at. The small bazaar offers  many hand crafted products, among them hand carved wooden figures and spoons and quite elaborate covers for wine bottles as well as ceramics, hand embroidered linen, soaps and creams based on olive oil and many more nice trinkets which make good souvenirs or gifts.

Wood carvings

None of the hustle and bustle of an Istanbul bazaar here, a much more sedate pace rules and the vendors hardly ever say more than a polite ‘merhaba’ or buyurun (please, come in).

Sirince bazaar

There is no shortage of restaurants and cafes where you can rest your feet and fill your stomach. Most of them have wine-covered courtyards where you can enjoy your meal and I was delighted to find that many  offer my absolute favourite: ‘gözleme’ which are the paper thin pancakes filled with potatoes, minced meet, spinach and cheese or eaten plain with honey and nuts.

If you are anywhere in the vicinity during your Turkey holiday, my Europe travel tip is to take a day trip to Sirince perhaps combined with a visit to Selcuk.