Turkey holds more ancient cities than any country in the world, and the famous ones, Ephesus, Pergamon, Troy, are only the beginning. Beyond them lie hundreds of sites that deserve equal fame: entire cities of marble and stone standing in silent valleys, visited by a handful of travelers. This guide introduces you to the finest of Turkey’s lesser-known ancient cities and shows you how to plan a route through them.
The Wealth of the Ancient World
Anatolia was one of the most densely settled regions of the ancient world, and its history spans thousands of years. Phrygian kings, Lydian millionaires, Greek colonists, Persian satraps, Roman governors, and Byzantine bishops all built cities on this land, and their remains survive in astonishing numbers.
The result is a landscape strewn with ruins. In many regions you can scarcely drive a kilometer without passing a mound, a column, or a fragment of wall. The famous sites were excavated and promoted; the others wait in the fields and hills, often just as impressive.
For the traveler, this abundance is the great secret of Turkish travel. You can visit a spectacular ancient city in the morning and have it almost to yourself, then relax in the afternoon while the crowds at the famous sites fight for space. The lesser-known cities are the true reward of the curious traveler.
Aphrodisias: The City of the Sculptors
Deep in the valley of the Morsynus river, the city of Aphrodisias is one of the most beautiful ancient sites in the world. Dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, the city was famous for its school of sculpture, and its workshops supplied statues to the whole Roman world.
The site preserves a stadium that seated tens of thousands, a theater, a great bath complex, and the Temple of Aphrodite. The museum beside the site houses one of the finest collections of Roman sculpture anywhere.
Aphrodisias rewards a full day. The site is large, the light is beautiful, and the crowds are small. Walking through its marble streets, past the sebasteion with its mythological reliefs, you understand why this city was considered one of the jewels of the Roman East.
Sagalassos: The City in the Clouds
High in the Taurus mountains, the city of Sagalassos climbs a series of terraces at an altitude of over 1,400 meters. The site was one of the great cities of Pisidia, and its remote location kept it intact for centuries after its abandonment. Excavation has revealed a city of exceptional beauty.
The most famous feature is the Antonine fountain, restored to flow with water for the first time in a millennium. The theater, the agora, the baths, and the library survive in remarkable condition, with views across the mountains to the lakes beyond.
Reaching Sagalassos is part of the experience: the road climbs through the mountains, and the final approach is dramatic. The site is usually quiet, and the combination of ruins, mountains, and solitude makes it one of the most memorable places in Turkey.
Priene: The Grid of the Greeks
On the slopes above the Meander valley, the city of Priene was planned on a strict grid in the fourth century BC, and its plan is still clearly visible today. The city was built on a hillside, and its streets climb in steps between the rows of houses, temples, and public buildings.
The Temple of Athena, built by the same architect who designed the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, crowns the hill with its columns and its view over the valley. The theater, the agora, the bouleuterion, and the houses of the city survive, giving the visitor a complete picture of a classical Greek city.
Priene is best visited together with its neighbors, Miletus and Didyma, in a single day. The three sites tell the story of the Ionian coast, and each is quiet enough to allow the slow, thoughtful visit that ancient cities deserve.
Termessos: The Eagles’ Nest
The city of Termessos was built on a mountaintop in the Taurus mountains at over 1,000 meters, and its position made it virtually impregnable. Never conquered by an army, it was simply abandoned, and its ruins have stood undisturbed in the forest ever since.
The approach to Termessos is a walk through the forest of the national park, past the city walls and the necropolis with its carved rock tombs. The theater at the top of the site commands a view over the Pamphylian plain that is among the finest in Turkey.
Termessos is a demanding site: the climb is steep, and the walking is rough. But it is also one of the most atmospheric places in the country, a city of eagles and ruins above the clouds, and the traveler who makes the climb is rewarded with solitude and wonder.
Göbekli Tepe: The First Temple
In the foothills of southeastern Turkey, the site of Göbekli Tepe has rewritten the history of civilization. The site dates to around 10,000 BC, thousands of years before the invention of writing or the wheel, and its T-shaped pillars, carved with animals, are the oldest monumental architecture in the world.
The pillars were arranged in circles, and the site appears to have been a gathering place for the hunter-gatherers of the region. Its discovery has transformed our understanding of how human society developed, suggesting that ritual and religion came before agriculture and the city.
The site is now protected by a vast roof, and the museum at nearby Şanlıurfa displays finds from the excavations. Göbekli Tepe is no longer off the map, but it remains a place that changes how you think about human history.
Sardis and the Lydian Gold
The city of Sardis was the capital of the Lydian kingdom, whose kings were famous for their wealth. It is said to have been the birthplace of coinage, and the gold of the Pactolus river made its name legendary. Its remains cover centuries, from the Lydians to the Romans and Byzantines.
The most spectacular survival is the Temple of Artemis, one of the largest temples of the ancient world, with its columns standing in a marshy valley. The gymnasium and the synagogue of the Roman city are also remarkable, the synagogue one of the most important in the diaspora.
Sardis sits near the modern highway between Izmir and Ankara, which makes it an easy stop, yet it receives a fraction of the visitors of the coastal sites. The temple, with its huge columns and its lonely setting, is one of the great sights of western Turkey.
The Lycian Cities of the Coast
The coast of Lycia, in the southwest, is dotted with ancient cities that combine ruins with spectacular settings. The city of Letoon was the religious center of the Lycian league, and its temples are set among the reeds of a marshy plain. The nearby city of Xanthos was the capital, with its pillar tombs and its carved reliefs.
The most atmospheric Lycian cities are those reached by boat. The sunken city of Kekova, partly submerged by an earthquake, is best seen from the water, and the city of Simena climbs the hillside above it with its small theater and its fortress.
The Lycian way, a long-distance walking route, links these cities and passes through some of the most beautiful countryside in Turkey. Whether you walk or drive, the Lycian coast offers ancient cities in settings of extraordinary beauty.
The Carians and the Halicarnassus Legacy
The region of Caria, in the southwest, was the land of the people who built the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The city of Halicarnassus is now Bodrum, and its castle incorporates stones from the great tomb, but the Carian heartland holds other treasures.
The city of Euromos preserves one of the best-surviving temples of Zeus in Anatolia, its columns still standing with their capitals in place. The city of Stratonikeia is one of the largest marble cities of the region, with its theater, its baths, and its agora spread across the fields.
The Carian cities are quiet and unspoiled, and they offer the traveler the pleasure of discovery. Walking among the columns of a temple with the sound of the cicadas and the smell of the thyme is the essence of the Anatolian experience.
The Hellenistic Cities of the East
In the east of Turkey, the Hellenistic kingdoms founded cities that still astonish with their scale. Aizanoi, in the mountains of Phrygia, preserves one of the best-surviving temples of Zeus, together with a stadium, a theater, and a covered market that are unique.
The city of Hierapolis, above the white terraces of Pamukkale, is famous, but its neighbor Laodicea is quieter and increasingly excavated, with its theaters, its stadium, and its early churches. The cities of the east repay the traveler who leaves the main routes.
These cities share the qualities that make the lesser-known sites so rewarding: scale, solitude, and the sense of discovery. Standing in a vast theater with the whole city empty around you is an experience that no famous site can match.
Planning a Lesser-Known Cities Route
The lesser-known ancient cities of Turkey can be linked into unforgettable routes. The southwestern route from Izmir to Antalya takes in Priene, Aphrodisias, Sagalassos, and Termessos. The eastern route from Ankara reaches Aizanoi and the Hittite sites. The Lycian route follows the coast with its cities and its walks.
Give each site time. The famous sites are usually seen in a hurried two hours; the lesser-known ones deserve half a day or more. Carry water, wear good shoes, and bring a guidebook, because the informational signs are often minimal.
The best seasons are spring and autumn, when the light is golden and the sites are quiet. Summer is hot, especially in the interior, and the high sites like Sagalassos and Termessos are at their most pleasant in the early morning. However you plan, the lesser-known cities give you the Turkey the crowds never see.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most impressive lesser-known ancient city?
Aphrodisias is the usual first answer: it is enormous, beautiful, and quiet, with one of the best sculpture museums in the world. Sagalassos is the most spectacular for its setting and its restored fountain, and Göbekli Tepe is the most important for its age. All three reward a full day.
Are the lesser-known sites accessible without a car?
Some are. Priene, Miletus, and Didyma are reachable by bus and minibus from the Aegean towns. Aphrodisias and Sagalassos are best reached by car, and Termessos requires a walk from the national park entrance. A rental car remains the most practical way to visit several sites in one trip.
How many ancient cities does Turkey have?
Turkey contains hundreds of known ancient cities, and new ones are discovered regularly. Only a fraction have been excavated, and many famous sites in the guidebooks are among the larger remains of cities that once covered many hectares. The number of significant sites is usually estimated in the hundreds.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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