Pergamum: Pergamum was once one of the most influential societies in the ancient world. Only traces of its greatness remain -- but high atop the hillside, the acropolis still sings the songs of the wind through its broken pillars. The theater is the most extraordinary remnant of this forgotten society, clinging stubbornly to the side of a hill that overlooks a fruitful and expansive plain.
St. John's Basilica (Selçuk): Most of the marble or cut-stone ruins you'll see in Turkey are ankle-high, a shadowy evocation of what once was. That's why the preserved redbrick walls of St. John's Basilica create such a pleasantly unexpected surprise. This holy site retains the soul of its original purpose; pilgrims gather around the presumed saint's tomb in an unabashed atmosphere of goodwill.
Ephesus: Ephesus is among the best-preserved ancient sites in the Mediterranean, rivaled only by Pompeii. Frankly, it's humbling to see how efficiently life functioned before the advent of mechanized whatnots. In ancient times an important port city, the now-landlocked Ephesus (the shore is presently 5km/3 miles away) was an advanced society with a clear-cut hierarchy and an economic base, and the extensive archaeological remains are here to prove it. The partially reconstructed Library of Celsus, the newly excavated portions of the terraced housing, and the strangely evocative Public Latrine are just a few of the highlights of this sprawling, marble-strewn site.
Ancient Theatre (Hierapolis): The acoustics are as great down in the pit as they were 3,000 years ago. The extreme upper tiers overlook the great expanse of ancient Hierapolis -- and now, thanks to UNESCO, unobstructed views of Pamukkale's whitening terraces.
Temple of Apollo (Didyma): It'll be love at first sight at the monumental gate of the enormous, heroic, and unexpectedly intact Temple of Apollo. Mosey on across the street to get a glimpse of the sacred settlement -- including the Sacred Way connecting the site with Miletus -- currently under excavation.
Lycian Tombs: How did they get there? And why? Expertly carved into inaccessible vertical cliffs to resemble a classical temple, the Lycian sarcophagi are mysterious and dramatic, with their Gothic headdresses perched above the ghosts of royalty. The best spots to see them? Dalyan, Kaunos, Myra, and while boating the pristine waters of Kekova.
Yazilikaya: The stony lineup of cone-headed deities at this sacred Hittite shrine is undeniably more impressive in person than in pictures. The true mystery is, who was the first to discover Chamber B, a room of enigmatic carved reliefs inconspicuously hidden inside a jagged chasm in the rock?
