Immaculate coves, traces of ancient history, the freshest of herbs, the light of the charcoal reflecting on the crispy fish… Are you ready to follow the traces of a civilization stretching from Ionia to Lycia in the Aegean, the land of philosophers from Miletos? Places to visit, untouched coves to explore and a history stretching back centuries await you in the Aegean, where the sound of waves mixes with cheerful melodies in its lush nature and deep blue sea. Those who say where to go for a holiday in the Aegean find much more than a classical holiday program when they turn their route to this rich geography. The cities of the Aegean region, which have different characteristics from each other, host hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Here are 11 places you must see among the routes to visit in the Aegean, their features and everything you can do within the scope of an Aegean tour…

1- Places to Visit in the Aegean Whisper the Secret of Stones: The Ancient City of Ephesus – İzmir
Selçuk district of İzmir, BC. It is home to a history dating back 5000 years. Travelers, who are not limited to the narrow streets of Şirince Village while exploring the places to visit in the Aegean, have the opportunity to see the building blocks of Hellenistic and Roman civilization in the Ancient City of Ephesus, which is home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world. . In the ancient city, where the Ancient Theatre, Celcius Library, Hillside Houses and Odeon Temple are located, you can see many important works of art such as figures of Greek mythology, the head of Socrates, and the statue of an Egyptian priest. You can add the Selçuk Museum to the list to turn your exploration of places to visit in the Aegean into a real history trip.

 

2- Take an Ancient Walk in Nature: Lake Bafa- Muğla
Bafa, the largest lake on the list of places to visit in the Aegean, offers its visitors a unique hiking experience among the walls from the Hellenistic period. The islands in Bafa Lake, on the other hand, transform the hiking landscape into a fantastic world with the monastery ruins on it. You can camp in and around Lake Bafa, which is one of the most beautiful examples of places to visit in the Aegean that integrates with nature and where you will find traces of history at every step, and you can come across the Agora of Heraklia in an abandoned school garden during your nature walk. The Temple of Athena, located on the hill dominating this 60-kilometer-long area, also watches the travelers of Lake Bafa in all its glory.

 

3- The Homeland of Love and Beauty in Places to Visit in the Aegean: The Ancient City of Aphrodisias- Aydın
The ancient city of Aphrodisias, the best preserved ancient city in the Anatolian borders, gets its beauty and splendor from Aphrodite, to which its name is dedicated, and its historical richness from the schools that provide sculpture education of the period. Aphrodisias is at the top of the list of the most beautiful places to visit in the Aegean for art and history lovers, with the remains of sculptures found in the excavations, the Sebasteion Temple, the Tetrapylon Gate, the baths and the ancient theater. In the museum in the city, it is possible to see finds from the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods.

 

4- Among the Places to Visit in the Aegean, a City Where Death Doesn't Stop: The Ancient City of Bergama- İzmir
Aegean Region is very rich in terms of historical and touristic places. However, the ancient city of Bergama, named after the heroic name of history, Pergamon, also reveals the history of science of the period with an inscription on its door. The entrance to the city, where Asklepion, the world's first major health center, was founded, goes down in history with the motto "In the name of the gods, death cannot enter here". The ancient city, where you can meet the first of the list of places to visit in the Aegean, also has the steepest amphitheater in the world. Pergamon Museum, where 200,000 rolls of books are preserved, reflects the rich history of the period in terms of science and research.

 

5- Touristic Places of Aegean Region Promises a Slow But Entertaining World: Seferihisar- İzmir
Seferihisar, Turkey's first slow city, that is, the city of "cittaslow", is one of the popular touristic routes of places to visit in the Aegean. With its streets painted in the most beautiful shades of white and blue, its castle from the Middle Ages and the center of organic nutrition, Seferihisar is also home to Akkum Beach, a popular summer destination for tourists. While the boats departing from Sığacık take their visitors to the deep waters of the unique bays, another route for history buffs is the Ancient City of Teos.

 

6- The Youngest Place to Visit in the Aegean for Geology Enthusiasts: Kula-Manisa
Famous for its houses reflecting the 18th and 19th century Ottoman architecture, Kula is also a district where the Gediz Trough, one of the largest tectonic pits of the region stretching from east to west, passes. Gediz Trough, with the Divlit Volcano, which creates the youngest earth formations in Turkey, takes its place in the guide of places to visit in the Aegean for travelers interested in geology and tectonic studies. Çakallar Village, an abandoned village located on the slope of the volcano, brings together those who want to see footprints dating back 12 thousand years in Kula. Volcano cones, lava plateaus, volcanic lakes formed as a result of volcanic and tectonic movements in the region