Statistics might tell you, for example, that Turkey grows 70 percent of the world’s hazelnuts, but they don’t even begin to describe the extraordinary physical beauty of soaring cliffs lapped by deep clear turquoise seas, the fresh scent of the umbrella pines in the heat of the summer sun, the shimmer of the full moon above the travertine pools at Pamukkale, the simple pleasure of eating calamari on a shady terrace beside a colourful fishing harbour, and the venerable history everywhere you look. Nevertheless, Turkey’s vital statistics are mind-bogglingly huge.
Geography and Landscape
The Turkish coast (not all of it covered in this book) is a staggering 7,200km (4,474 miles) in length, comprising the shores of the Black Sea, the Bosphorus Straits (at İstanbul), the Sea of Marmara, the Dardanelles, the Aegean Sea (in the west) and the Mediterranean (in the south). Turkey connects Europe with Asia – in fact, only three percent of the country’s land area is in Europe – a bridging function that has for centuries been an important element in the history of Asia Minor.
Population pattern
Two-thirds of Turkey’s 75.8 million population live within about 30km (18 miles) of the coast, in one of four giant cities – İstanbul, İzmir, Antalya and Adana or the many towns and ribbon developments that line the roads between them. Only the capital Ankara is well inland.
The west coast between Thrace and Marmaris is characterised by bays, peninsulas reaching out into the Aegean, many islets, and a hinterland dominated by broad, fertile river valleys and alluvial plains. The best scenery is to be found a little further east, along the Lycian Coast between Fethiye and Antalya, where the Toros (Taurus) Mountains swoop directly down to the sea, their feet clad in sandy coves and caves carved by the crashing surf, their jagged limestone ridges fringed by giant cedars. The region, called Lycia in antiquity, is scattered with once-isolated fishing villages slightly off the beaten track but accessible off the spectacular coastal road. At middle altitudes, the pine forests and herbal scrub are a riot of colour and aroma in spring, while those lowland valleys support citrus and almond groves.
On the road between Kalkan and Kaş on the Lycian Coast
Frank Noon/Apa Publications
The convoluted peninsulas of Bozburun and Datça, respectively south and west of Marmaris, are also alluring. There are also some very pretty areas along the north Aegean coast, while the south Aegean is generally flatter and more built-up. The area immediately to the east of Antalya has a broad fertile coastal plain – formerly known as Pamphylia – that makes for glorious long sandy beaches but rather boring views, and you have to go 20 to 30km (12–18 miles) inland if you want mountains and canyons.
Historic Crossroads
Think of a great civilisation and chances are they will have had a foothold in Anatolia at some point – the Hittites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines and Ottomans, for starters. Cleopatra owned a small chunk, given to her as a wedding present by Mark Anthony. Norman crusaders set up kingdoms in Constantinople, Antioch and Edessa. Genghis Khan, Timur and their Mongol hordes swept through, briefly and violently. Most of them left a physical legacy, part of a magnificent smorgasbord of history that spans several thousand years, many major cultures, several religions and figures such as Helen of Troy, Croesus (as in rich as…) and even Santa Claus (St Nicholas).
The ruins of ancient Knidos, near Marmaris
Frank Noon/Apa Publications
The Seljuk Turks after whom Atatürk chose to name his nation were in fact a small group who only arrived in Anatolia in the 11th century AD from their Central Asian homeland. Today, while the Turks are remarkably united as a nation, invasions and migrations have created an extraordinary racial mix. The differences in features can be seen, from faces straight off a Grecian urn in the northwest, to the almost Mongol features in the blue eyes and fair complexion of nomads in the far south. About 20 percent of the country’s population are Kurds; about one percent are Arab; 98 percent are Muslim, either Sunni or Alevî.
East Meets West
Throughout its long history, Turkey has faced two directions at once, acting as a trading route (part of the Silk Road), crossroads and political conduit between the great civilisations of Europe and the East. These days, Turkey is again pulled in two directions, between Atatürk’s pro-Western, secular approach – those (not necessarily the secularists) whose top priority is to join the EU – and those who would prefer to remain an independent regional power while preserving traditional values. The two sides contend in both lawcourts and parliament, and women, whether they choose to wear headscarves for religious or political reasons, as a fashion statement, or to keep the dust off their hair, are in the front line.
Although more Turks now live in cities or large towns than out in the countryside, agriculture and village life are still prominent. But the major cities and resorts, the latter in a wafer-thin coastal fringe, have a veneer of sophistication that matches any in the world, with fine dining and clubs filled with beautiful people. Alongside them are increasing battalions of identikit villas and apartment blocks, as Turkey’s interior-dwellers claim a holiday home by the sea – a trend that accelerated in the 1980s as an anti-inflationary investment. Beautiful, unspoilt coastline tends to be protected by the military, archaeology or forestry services, and luckily there are still plenty of such stretches.
The National Divide
People have joked for years about the great Anglo-German sun-lounger battle, but in Turkey they took it one stage further, dividing up the coast. The Brits traditionally dominated the Aegaean and Turquoise Coast as far as Ölüdeniz and the Germans the stretch from Çıralı to Alanya. Beyond Alanya was the province of the Turks and Arabs. The Lycian Coast between was a sort of gentrified no-man’s land, shared by older, wealthier tourists of various nations. These days, it’s getting more confused as British house-buyers head for the south coast, the Russians arrive en masse and the Turkish middle classes scatter along the Aegean and Lycian coasts for seaside holidays.
Choosing Your Spot
Which bit of coast is best for you? There is a rough division by nationality, but much more important is to choose by interest. Stay in around Ayvalık for visiting Pergamon and Assos; Çanakkale for Gallipoli and Troy, and the two inhabited Aegean islands; Kuşadası for Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Didyma, Priene and Miletus; the Lycian Coast for an embarrassment of riches including Xanthos, the Letoön, Patara, Tlos, Olympos and Phaselis; and Antalya for Perge and Aspendos.
Socially, Bodrum and Kalkan are the most upmarket resorts, with Kaş, Dalyan and Foça close behind. Antalya, Datça and Ayvalık are middle of the road, while Kuşadası and Ölüdeniz fall at the lower end of the spectrum, although there are exceptions to all. Olympos, near Antalya, is the closest the coast has to a backpacker hangout, while Behramkale (Assos) and Bozcaada plus Gökçedaa islands in the north Aegean are favourites of İstanbul’s trendsters. Belek attracts the golfing set.
Enjoying a resort in Ölüdeniz
Frank Noon/Apa Publications
If you crave a long sandy beach, head for Patara or the area between Antalya and Alanya, which also has the most gently sloping shoreline, ideal for small children. The Lycian Coast, west of Antalya, has fabulous scenery and great swimming, but few actual beaches (many of these pebbly and sharply shelving). The deeply indented coast around Bodrum and Marmaris, is perfect for watersports of all kinds, especially yachting, windsurfing and diving. The Aegean Coast is generally more family friendly, with the best beaches found north of İzmir.