During October 2024, I travelled with my favourite Filipina to the Turkish Lake District, which is only 3-4 hours north of the Mediterranean hot spot of Antalya, yet not well known by foreign travellers. Türkiye continues to be one of my favourite countries and I’ve returned many times since working in Istanbul in 2003. As I delve deeper into the culture, strive to learn the language and explore more remote areas, the warmth and generosity of the Turks, the diversity of its landscapes and the quality of the food continues to draw me back.
We based ourselves in Egirdir, a small town nestled between the Taurus mountain range and the fourth largest lake in Türkiye. It’s a perfect base for exploring the region by car, foot or bicycle and the town itself is full of character. We enjoyed the fresh carp and sea bass caught daily in the lake and the plethora of fruits, vegetables, cheeses and olives being displayed by local farmers at the colourful and bustling all day Thursday market. The apple harvest was at its peak, with piles of fermenting red and green apples lining the roads, destined to be turned into concentrate by local drinks companies.
We spent a morning climbing the backdrop to Egirdir, Mount Sivri, from which we had lovely views across the lake. Sadly, we also had a bird’s eye view of the hilltops flattened by quarriers and the expansive algae bloom caused by drought and pollution.
Outside Egirdir, we visited the ancient cities of Sagalassos and Antiocehi-in-Pisidia, the provincial capital of Isparta (a leading rose oil producer) and the stunning Kovada national park and Yazili canyon park. These sites all sit on the 500km St Paul’s Trail, which traces St Paul’s missionary journey through Roman Asia Minor and is now firmly on my bucket list!
After five wonderful days, we drove east to Konya. The rugged mountains softened into rolling hills, brown and dusty after the recent harvests. During our lunch stop at Beysehir we visited the 13th Century Eşrefoğlu mosque, which is rare example of a Seljuk wooden building whose cedar tree interior columns were still in immaculate condition.
Konya is a modern city with traditional historical significance, as the final home of Rumi and the centre of the Whirling Dirvishes, the Mevlevi Sufi order of Islam. Its most visited attractions are the Mevlani museum and Whirling Dervish shows, but it’s worth spending a couple of days exploring its ancient mosques and bustling markets. These are juxtaposed against manicured gardens and restored Seljuk houses crammed with cafes and souvenir shops. The butterfly gardens were a bus ride out of town but well worth a visit if you don’t mind tropical humidity.
I can’t count how many times we were invited to cay (tea), which, when accepted, resulted in varying degrees of conversation, depending on our respective language abilities! It’s worth mentioning that we travelled wholly independently, relying on local knowledge en route, and (although of no surprise to me) didn’t experience any safety concerns.
