Clearing skies at the picturesque Cliffs of Moher

Rising over 120 meters above the Atlantic Ocean, the cliffs are a world-famous attraction drawing in nearly one million visitors a year and are part of The Burren Geopark UNESCO natural protected area. Which is really just travel-speak for “these cliffs are mind-blowingly beautiful and deservedly one of Ireland’s best attractions”.

Seeing as our visit was part of a day tour, we enjoyed a relaxing drive through the acclaimed regions of Ballyvaughan and the Burren, which are comprised of martian landscapes, rugged shoreline, and over 6000 years of history.

We also managed to squeeze in a couple stops before reaching the cliffs. We began with a stop in the small seaside village of Kinvara to see the amazing Dunguaire Castle. Perched spectacularly on the water’s edge, the castle dates back to the 16th century and is thought to be the most photographed castle in Ireland.

Admiring the Irish countryside

Traditional thatched roof houses in The Burren region

Dunguaire Castle on a clear winter morning

Our next stop was the 13th century Corcomroe Abbey, a crumbling Cistercian monastery that is nearly as photogenic as the hairy cows and sheep that wander its grounds. After getting our fill of photos, we made a quick stop for an Irish coffee (to warm up) before setting off in search of some neolithic history.

With human habitation dating back more than 6000 years, the Burren is rich with interesting archaeological sites. As we were making good time, we decided to make two stops before lunch, the first of which was Cahermore Ring Fort. In all, the Burren contains more than 400 of these circular remains, with Cahermore being one of the oldest and best preserved. Dating back to approximately 500 AD, the fort provided protection from the elements and wildlife (there were even bears back then!). It was an absolutely amazing site to walk through.

Corcomroe Abbey is hauntingly beautiful

Cahermore Ring Fort, a 3000 year old residence

The Poulnabrone dolmen, a neolithic burial tomb

Our final stop before lunch was perhaps the most intriguing. The Poulnabrone dolmen is a neolithic portal tomb that dates back to somewhere between 4200 and 2900 BCE. I always struggle to fully grasp how old a site is. Unlike other forms of measurement, time is so very difficult to put into context and looking at anything older than a couple hundred years in comparison to the meager amount of time’s I’ve circumvented the sun doesn’t really register. Therefore, when standing alongside a neolithic burial tomb that was built well over 5,000 years ago (or roughly 192 of my own lifetimes) it was difficult to wrap my head around life during this time.

Luckily, with just a few clicks and choice words online I was able to add at least a bit of context to our day. During the period in which the Neolithic temple and circle were built:

• the first bluestones at Stonehenge begin to be raised (3000 BC);
• the Mayan calendar starts on August 11, 3114 BC (the same calendar that had everyone worried the world would end in 2012);
• construction of the Ggantija megalithic temple complex begins on the island of Gozo, Malta (3600 BC);
• the first neolithic settlers arrive in the island of Thira (Santorini), Greece (4000 BC).

And while the wheel had already been invented, and the Mesopotamian civilization was flourishing along the Nile, the Neolithic remains in Ireland are part of a handful of still-intact sites scattered across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia that can still be explored today.

Dark clouds moving in? We must be in Ireland!

Cutting and moving these stones would have been back breaking work

However as impressively old as these Neolithic sites are, in the end they couldn’t stand up to the Cliffs of Moher – which also happen to contain evidence of 300 million year-old river channels cutting through their rocky foundations, making the cliffs 60,000 times older than the Neolithic tombs and eleven and a half million times older than myself (also known as too old for this method to provide any form of context).

While Ireland is brimming with charming towns painted in rich hues and lush rolling hills crisscrossed by endless miles of short stone walls, a visit to Ireland feels incomplete until you’ve taken in the stunning Cliffs of Moher.

The Cliffs in all their glory – from sea to sky!

Quintessentially Irish, the rugged rock cliffs rise in a dramatic fashion from the deep blue water below, while and the crashing waves send wisps of mist up and over the cliff face and into the faces of the unsuspecting visitors above. Complete with a charming castle, officially called O’Brien’s Tower and built in 1835 to impress female visitors, and stunning vistas, the Cliffs of Moher are picturesque and incredibly romantic, especially at sunset.

In the harsh sunlight the Cliffs appear to stretch on forever

O’Brien’s Tower, impressing the fairer sex since 1835

The Cliffs of Moher at sunset are the epitome of romantic – minus the rain and bone chilling wind

We spent nearly two and a half hours wandering along the cliffs – marveling at the power of the waves crashing and the wind gusting. Even at the top, nearly 200 meters above the crashing waters below we could feel the sea mist against our face and smell the salty sea below.

If you haven’t had the privileged of visiting the cliffs in person, you may have marveled at their beauty without even knowing it as they have made appearances in several blockbuster films – most notably The Princess Bride and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. However, even if you’ve snuggled in with a bowl of popcorn to enjoy one of these movies, we’d still highly recommend a visit to the cliffs to take in their majesty in person.

Logistics: Although far from the regular tour-bus type, after finding some success with something similar in Gozo, Malta, and realizing there was little way for us to reach Ireland’s more secluded sites without renting a car (and driving on the wrong left side of the road), we decided to hop aboard and explore both the Giant’s Causeway (from Belfast) and the Cliffs of Moher a few days later (from Galway).

The post A History Lesson at the Cliffs of Moher appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The ferry between Malta and Gozo

Unfortunately the day we chose for our daytrip to Gozo was gloomy and cold, a striking contrast to the brilliant balmy temperatures of the three days previous. With the poor weather overhead and fatigue setting in we decided to try something new and jump aboard a hop-on, hop-off bus to tour the island – an abrupt departure from our usual travel style.

Xewkija Rotunda Church dominates the skyline of Gozo

Prior to Gozo, I didn’t really get bus tours – hop on/off tours in particular. It seems that every city we’ve visited, large or small, has been overtaken by the obnoxious red double-decker buses, filled with people awkwardly straining to snap photographs or looking completely bored. Worse still, these stupid buses always seem to find a way into my photographs, usually smack dab in front of the site or monument I’m trying to capture. With these thoughts in mind, I had my trepidations about hopping aboard something I had developed such a distaste for.

So why did we even entertain the idea?

As it turns out, we are always up for a new experience, and after looking up the Gozo bus schedule (it was a Sunday, which meant reduced winter frequencies) we decided the hop on/off bus would be a great way to save time, and would ultimately be an easier transportation system for our overworked brains to sort out. However what sealed the deal was the reduced off-season price we were offered which worked out to half of the regular rate. We knew we wouldn’t find a better chance to try the hop on/off system.

The National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’Pinu – a Maltese pilgrimage site

For such a small island, only 67 square kilometers, Gozo still has a long list of sites to take in, including one of the oldest temples in the entire world – even older than the Pyramids or Stonehenge. In the summertime, Gozo is a popular daytrip destination for people visiting or living in Malta, in the off-season it’s much quieter, and on a Sunday in January it’s basically a ghost-town. This suited us just fine!

Our first stop of the day was the capital city of Victoria – also called Rabat – which can be somewhat confusing as Rabat is also the name of the former capital city of mainland Malta. For a capital, the city is quite small with little to see aside from the enormous Citadella and Cathedral of Assumption. The Citadella is more like a fortified town, and offers amazing views over the city and much of the island. After exploring the walls and alleyways of the Citadella (mass was currently underway inside) it was time to hop back aboard the bus – and just in time too as the rain picked up.

The view over Rabat (Victoria) from the Citadella

After Victoria, we made our way to the Azure Window, a spectacular naturally occurring rock formation that has been used in filming the HBO series Game of Thrones. This amazing natural arch set in Dwerja Bay measures nearly 75 feet tall and is absolutely breathtaking. However, each year it disintegrates more and more, and it will one day collapse – so get there to see it soon! Despite its popularity, the “window” is not the only attraction in the area – the nearby inland sea and blue hole are popular diving sites – it is pretty impressive and would likely only be more so on a sunny day. Travis also had fun examining and taking photos of a rare medicinal plant that only grows on the nearby “fungus rock”. It was said that the Knights Hospitaller guarded this plant so fiercely that anyone caught stealing it was subject to execution!

The world famous Azure Window

Dwerja Bay and the Fungus Rock

Before wrapping up our tour of Gozo we made one final stop and stepped back in time at the UNESCO Heritage site of Ggantija. Officially referred to as a Neolithic Megalithic temple complex, Ggantija’s temples date back to 3600-2500BC and are the earliest of a series of megalithic temples in Malta; At more than 5,500 years old, they are not only older than the pyramids of Egypt but also currently the world’s second oldest man-made religious structures (after  Gobekli Tepe in Turkey).

Ggantija’s 20 foot high outer walls – built more than 5500 years ago!

Although some of the temple complex has collapsed, a large part of it still remains intact, and it is mind boggling to think of these huge stones being pushed, pulled, and forced into place. The side-by-side temples forma clover shape, and at their highest the temples measure in at nearly 20 feet. Even more impressive might be the large perfectly circular holes that were cut through four of the large stone slabs to hold wooden beams. By hand. Over 5,000 years ago.

The structure is strengthened by scaffolding as they determine the best way to stabilize the temples

My personal favorite part of exploring Ggantija was trying to make out the graffiti names and initials carved into the stones. Apparently, during the 1800’s it was “hip” and “cool” for tourists (yes, there were tourists here in the 1800s) to leave their mark at the sites they visited, in this case by carving into the ancient stones. Although no one would ever consider doing something so damaging today, it’s actually pretty interesting today to be able to see this historical record of early visitors to the site.

“Graffiti” from the first tourists

After packing a lot of sightseeing into one day, we were ready to board the ferry back to Malta. Tired and worn out, we were also really impressed with the quality of attractions on offer in Gozo. For my money, a trip to Malta isn’t complete without a visit to Gozo. At the very least it will offer a change of pace from the big island.

The Gozitan countryside is stunning

Churches, shrines, and religious statues dominate every corner of the island

Logistics:  You can reach the Malta ferry terminal (Cirkewwa) via bus 41/42 from Valletta or bus 222 from Sliema. The ferry costs 4.65 Euro return (which you pay before getting on your return trip in Gozo). A day pass on the public bus in Gozo costs 2.60 Euro. The sightseeing bus we took cost us 15 Euro total (this is half the price that it normally goes for – due in part to our humming and hawing and in part to it being a gloomy day with about 15 independent tourists on our entire ferry!).

One of the best features of the hop on/off buses is their open-air, double-decker design which allows visitors a unique perspective of the surrounding city. Ironically, due to the poor weather during our visit to Gozo, this was one feature we weren’t able to take full advantage of. However, being stubborn to the core, we braved the elements atop the bus whenever possible and faked enjoyment while raindrops pelted our faces. While I’m still not completely sold on hop on/off tours, for difficult to navigate cities or those with poor public transit it may serve a purpose. However there are definitely better, more in-depth, and cheaper ways to explore a destination. 

Have you ever gone on one of these tours? Did you like it? Hate it? Let us know about times you did something out of character on your travels in the comments!

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The fact that Sicily is home to Greek ruins really shouldn’t be a surprise – after all the Island was once a critical and important component of the Greek Empire at its height. However, what may be surprising is the quantity and quality of these ruins – many of which stand today in the Sicilian countryside – uncovered, unprotected, and dwarfing even the tallest of Olive trees.

The site with the Temple of Concordia in the background

Of these ruins, the most important and impressive of these sites is unquestionably the series of temples found outside the modern day city of Agrigento. Collectively referred to as the Valley of the Temples (or Valle dei Templi in Italian) this grouping of incredibly well-preserved ruins is all that remains of the ancient city of Akragas and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As one of the most important cities in Magna Graecia (the region of Greece found on the coastal areas of modern-day Italy), Akragas was a rich and prosperous city – a fact evident today in the stunning temples that adorn the modern-day archaeological site.

A smooth 2 hour train ride from Palermo drops you off in the modern, bustling city of Agrigento, where city buses make the 4 km journey to the site regularly. We only caught glimpses of the temples as our bus weaved through the thick traffic that seems to plague the city at all hours, but it was enough to know that we’d made a good choice.

The “Temple of Castor and Pollux” sits almost completely in ruins

Upon entering the site, we were greeted by the majestic Temple of Concordia – one of the best preserved Greek temples in the world. With the majority of its columns still intact, visitors can also observe a series of arches that were later added to convert the temple to a Christian church.

The Temple of Concordia with a modern sculpture in the foreground

During our visit in early January, the site was nearly deserted – we were among a handful of other visitors, many of which seemed to spend their time solely in and around the Temple of Concordia. However there is so much more to see than this one, very impressive, temple. In fact, there are at least four partially remaining temples and even more laying in complete ruin. We particularly enjoyed wandering through the ruins of the Temple of Juno, humming the theme song from Indiana Jones with no one around. The lack of people also allowed for some great photo opportunities.

The partially intact Temple of Juno

For anyone visiting Sicily, the Valley of the Temples is a must see and a great daytrip from Palermo, or any of the other neighboring cities. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the Valley of the Temples is the fact that almost all of the surrounding city of Akragas remains unexcavated. Who knows what might await an archaeologist’s lucky spade?

Another view of the site

Have you ever visited Agrigento, or any of Italy’s other amazing archaeological sites? Which one is YOUR favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Logisitcs: Agrigento is reachable from Palermo by both bus and train (2hrs), and from many other cities via bus. The Valley of the Temples is about 4km out of town – probably too far for all but an early morning walk – but easy via bus. To get to the bus station from the train station, exit the front doors and take a left, walking up about three blocks until you reach Piazzale Rosselli – you can’t miss it. A kiosk at one end sells tickets and can help you with which bus to take (#1, #2, or #3 will get you there). Entrance to the site is 10 Euro (or 13.50 if you want to go to the Archaeological Museum as well). More info on the site can be found here.

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However, after a string of over four consecutive months on the road now, and our nearly constant ravings about the places we had been and the things we had seen, our travels were beginning to blend together and our initial excitement for travel (and therefore Ephesus) was waning. As we’ve mentioned before, Turkey always felt like the main bulk of our trip when we were planning. But now, with our time in Turkey about to wrap up, we felt lost – unsure about the future and wanting desperately to relive the past. Fortunately, any concerns that we may have had about Ephesus and its ability to stand up to our other incredible experiences in Turkey were completely unfounded. Ephesus was not only more interesting and impressive than we initially imagined, but it also provided a much needed spark to get us back on the (travel) horse.

A small part of the site, with the Library of Celsus in the background

The most recognizable structure in Ephesus is the Library of Celsus which dates to 125 AD and acts as the main tourist draw, enticing an average of 1.5 million visitors to the site each year. “Commanding” is the best way to describe the impressive facade of the Library, which has been carefully reconstructed from the original pieces. However even more impressive is the fact that the facade stands in its original location, exposed to the elements, yet with so much fine detail and decoration still present. We’ve only seen two other Turkish-Roman ruins of this magnitude – the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus – and they both reside in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin (and have been preserved there for over a hundred years).

The star of Ephesus – the Library of Celsus

Just some of the amazing detail in the structure!

While the Library of Celsus is the face of Ephesus, the site itself has so much more to offer visitors, including the ruins of two theaters and the Temple of Hadrian. Although large sections of the site have yet to be uncovered (only an estimated 15% of the site has been excavated), it’s still possible for visitors to get a sense for how large and important this city would have once been. Even more, the ruins speak to the grandeur and splendor of the city in its former life; a grandeur that included mosaic covered streets, something that has not been seen elsewhere, as well as numerous temples, fountains, and monuments erected in honor of the city’s elite or to commemorate important Imperial visits.

One of the many colonnaded streets at Ephesus

With so much to see, it may come as a surprise that our favorite area of the day was one very few people make time to visit, the Terrace Houses – a small section of ruins that lay hidden under a protective structure in the shadow of the Library of Celsus. Although we didn’t know much about the Terrace Houses before our visit, I happened to remember reading about them weeks earlier on one of the travel blogs we follow, and we decided to check them out. As it turned out, this was the best decision we made all day.

The frescoes and mosaics represented in the Terrace Houses

Originally the homes of the wealthiest and most powerful residents in Ephesus, the Terrace Houses all had their own heating systems and interior baths, a luxury well ahead of their time. However, in addition to these practical elements, the houses were also lavishly decorated with exquisite frescoed walls and mosaic floors. Today, these ruins are being painstakingly restored by archaeologists in what is likely the world’s most complex puzzle. Fortunately for visitors, the site is covered and, with the use of glass-floored walkways, the Terrace Houses can be fully explored.

The detail preserved is amazing

Although extremely impressive, the Terrace Houses were very quiet during our visit – even if the rest of Ephesus was not (I cringe to think about the crowds during the peak summer season). Perhaps the additional 15 Lira entrance fee discourages people from visiting the Terrace Houses, or maybe it’s the fact that the majority of visitors to Ephesus see the site as part of one of the large bus tours that skip this area completely. It was estimated that of the 1.5 million annual visitors to Ephesus, only about 90,000 people find their way into the Terrace Houses (a meager 6%!). This is a real shame. Although Ephesus is known best for the Library of Celsus, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this shift in the future as more and more visitors take note of the incredible Terrace Houses. Unfortunately, with this increased awareness, it’s likely that large tour operators will also begin adding this area to their routes, making the Terrace Houses as busy and crowded as the rest of the site.

The main areas of the site were still surprisingly busy for December

But others were empty…perfect for exploring!

Uncertain if Ephesus would stand up to our incredibly high standards of worthwhile Turkish attractions, we were bowled over by the level of reconstruction and preservation of the ruins. Although Turkey is home to plenty of attention-worthy sites, Ephesus is not to be missed for lovers of history – or those wishing to take a “selfie” on their cellphone in-front of the breathtaking Library of Celsus.

The cats of Ephesus love to pose in front of the library…for a fee of a head rub!

Logistics: Ephesus can be visited as an independent or guided daytrip from Izmir or Kusadasi, however we recommend staying in the surrounding town of Selcuk. From the Selcuk bus station, the site can be reached on foot in about 25 – 30 minutes (there is clear signage and the path is flat and easy to navigate). The site is explored by foot and is open daily from 08:00 – 17:30 (later in the summer). Admission is 25 TL, an additional 15 TL for the Terrace Houses.

While there are some small shops selling souvenirs and snacks on site, we recommend bringing water, especially if visiting in the summer, as well as a snack. Allow a couple hours to fully explore the site and take photos. For a sit down meal, head to Selcuk for delicious doner kebap or turkish pancakes!

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Pamukkale from the city…not as impressive as when you’re up there!

Unfortunately, deciding to visit in December, our timing was a bit off – or on, depending how you look at it. As it was the off-season, we didn’t have to battle large groups of visitors. In fact, at one point were were two of only four total people on the travertines. However, because of the unique process that occurs during the creation of the travertines (the sediments in the water etc…) visitors are prohibited from walking on the travertines and in the pools with shoes on. Even clean sandals aren’t allowed. As a result, we found ourselves rolling up our jeans and removing our warm shoes and socks at the base of the hillside in December. It was very, very cold, an attribute evident by the redness of our poor frozen toes.

Cold or warm? Who knows!

Although the rushing water starts off very warm, the hotsprings that supply the travertines with water range in temperature from 35 to 100 degrees celcius, it cools quite rapidly as it flows downhill – especially in December.  In some areas, where the water pools and sits for a while, it becomes very cold and even freezes – something we learned the hard way. It’s a fun game to guess where the nice warm water will be, and we had a great time watching each other test out possible routes.

Fortunately, while our feet were freezing at some points in the climb, the travertine itself is quite gentle to walk on, and not nearly as slippery as it looks. As we made our way up the hillside, the water feeding the pools became warmer and warmer, until we reached the top where the pools were warm enough to swim in (although we only saw one person partaking in a dip on this particular day). Steam rose off the water as we warmed our grateful feet and legs in the bright blue water. But our visit to the site wasn’t done yet.

Some of the myriad of colours seen in the old pools

The colour of the pools is unreal

A group of people enjoying the hot pools at the top

Perhaps the one thing that makes Pamukkale unrivaled by similar sites around the world are the acres of Roman ruins that cover the hillside surrounding it. Although the travertines would be enough to entice visitors from around the world on their own, it doesn’t hurt that the Roman city of Hierapolis once stood in all its grandeur right at the top.

Old Walls surrounding the ancient city

An ancient street

Hierapolis was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, receiving frequent Imperial visits which only helped to raise its stature and importance. Dating back to the 2nd Century AD, Hierapolis was initially a spa town, but it later became a major medical centre as it was believed that the underground thermal springs had incredible healing properties. Home to 100,000 people at its height, the city was also a major centre for arts and philosophy, and stayed so under the Byzantines until its destruction by the Persian army in the 7th century AD. The city survived in some part until the 12th and 13th centuries, when the damage caused by sackings and earthquakes rendered the city unlivable and it was abandoned and forgotten until its rediscovery in 1887.

The ancient theater – built for a visit by Emperor Hadrian

Today, visitors can still walk through the crumbled remains of this once great city. With a large theater still fairly intact, as well as impressive bath houses and a necropolis, it’s possible to get a feeling for just how large the city would have been. Unfortunately during our visit, the blue sky and sunshine of just 24 hours earlier was replaced with angry grey clouds and fat raindrops, making wandering around the ruins a little less comfortable. Nonetheless, we still made an effort to do the site justice, wandering through fields strewn with ruins and taking shelter under the odd tree.

The site is enormous!

Making our way back to the travertine pools, it was time to wander back down the travertine hillside in our bare feet. As we again exposed our feet to the cold, we noticed that the hillside was empty, it seemed that no one else was as crazy as us. And then it started snowing. slowly at first, but then a little harder. Large, perfect snowflakes floated down all around us, making our experience all the more magical. We took turns posing for pictures and catching snowflakes on our tongues, but eventually it was time to make the cold journey back down the hill.

Another couple braving the snow…but just for a few minutes before heading back to the top

When we finally reached the bottom, our feet were once again freezing. Even putting our socks and shoes back did little to help. We met a young Chinese man at the bottom psyching himself up to make the trek to the top, and we dutifully passed on our advice on where to walk to avoid too painful an ascent. Feeling ecstatic with how our day went we gingerly made our way back to our toasty room and under the covers to warm up.

The city and the pond at the bottom

Walking up Pamukkale was one of the most fun and enjoyable moments of our trip. With the silty sand squishing between our frozen toes, and our eyes trying to take in every spectacular view, we didn’t feel like tourists visiting a world famous attraction but instead like kids heading outside after the first snowfall of the year. It was SO much fun!

Logistics: The city of Pamukkale is about 20 minutes by Dolmus from Denizli, which can be easily reached by bus from a number of cities throughout Turkey. The majority of the buses belong to the Pamukkale Bus Company, and our ride from Antalya cost about $15 per person. The bus was very comfortable (as is the norm in Turkey) and included drinks and personal TV screens. The dolmus from Denizli costs about $2 per person and drops you off somewhere in the small town. I’m sure someone will try to scoop you up in their car and “help” you get to your hotel. They will probably try to get you to buy something or take their tour, but they seemed to be pretty harmless. Entrance to the Travertines and Hierapolis costs 20TL per person.

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Be still my beating heart! A little friend we met along the way.

We were extremely excited about getting out and doing some hiking, and although the weather didn’t always feel like cooperating (such are the perils of traveling in the off-season), we still managed to spend three of our five days trekking gracefully and not-so-gracefully through this unique terrain.

Goreme Open Air Museum

While not technically a hiking area, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the Goreme Open Air Museum. At it’s core, the museum is simply a fenced off portion featuring the best preserved of the 11th to 13th century cave churches. Many of the churches still feature stunning frescoes and exquisitely preserved wall carvings inside.

One of the cave churches showing the carvings around the entrance

The colourful frescoes inside

We had heard a few negative reviews about the site – mainly having to do with the small area, lack of toilets, and the fairly steep entry fee (15 TL). As we were there on a weekday in the off-season, many of these were non-issues for us. There was one tour bus in the parking and probably only 50 people in the whole site.

Another one of the cave churches

Red and Rose Valley

Probably our favorite hiking trail winds its way through the appropriately named Red and Rose Valleys. Containing countless ancient cave homes for the intrepid adventurer to explore, and set in a valley with colours reminiscent of the US Southwest, this region is a hiker’s dream.

The amazing rock formations in the valley

Cave homes to explore

We spent almost an entire day exploring this area. There are some general paths marked by a combination of trail markers and spray paint, but our enjoyment came from the freedom to explore wherever looked interesting to us. Plus, we made a canine friend in Goreme that decided we were worthy companions and joined us for our entire trip!

The view towards Uchisar Castle from Red Valley

The Red and Rose Valley hike traditionally starts near the Open Air Museum and ends at the nearby city of Cavusin. However, on our particular afternoon, some of the most ominous rain clouds we’ve ever seen started to thunder their way down the valley towards us and we decided to stop about 1km short of Cavusin and follow the main highway back to Goreme, just barely avoiding the impending storm by a few minutes!

The origin of the names, Red and Rose Valley, comes from the amazing colour of the cliffs

Love Valley

Oh Love Valley, the place where inappropriate travel photos come to life. Best known for its, um, “phallic” shaped columns – this is one of the most unique places to hike in the world. That is, if you don’t almost kill yourselves trying to get there (more on that in a later post, but let’s just say you should stick to the roads and paths and not take a shortcut over the ridges).

Love Valley – you can probably guess where the name came from!

Located just a short walk from Goreme, Love Valley is just one in a series of wonderful hiking valleys. Other than the hot air balloon pictures, this valley is probably the most common sight in a Google image search for Cappadocia.

The phallic columns of Love Valley

We spent about half a day exploring Love Valley and the surrounding area – taking funny photos and giggling all the while. It is definitely a place that will bring out your inner child. The hiking in this series of valleys is straightforward and very easy going.

Love valley makes for an easy and interesting hike

Funny pictures are an inevitability!

Around Goreme

If you don’t fancy committing to a longer day, or you aren’t sure the weather is going to hold for long enough, there are some absolutely amazing hikes to do simply by walking to the edges of Goreme. Hiking in the hills, or in one of the nearby valleys (Pigeon, Zemi, etc), can provide you with memories you will never forget. Plus, you can just wander back to town for a tea or some gozleme (aka Turkish Pancakes) whenever you want!

A rainbow just outside Goreme

 No matter how long you are in the region, hiking is one of the things you should make time to do. The landscapes in Cappadocia are truly one-of-a-kind and the hiking is generally straightforward and not very strenuous. As with most hiking, we would not recommend going it alone (especially if you are a female), and always ask your hosts about the areas you are heading to before taking off – many have wonderful insights and are extremely helpful. We also recommend not straying too far from hiking trails and be aware of stray dogs (the vast majority are friendly, but you can never be too sure!). 

Logistics: Hiking is one of the best FREE things to do in Cappadocia. The only place with an entrance fee is the Goreme Open Air Museum (15TL per person). Sometimes the best way to get to a hiking region may be taking a dolmus (i.e. dolmus up and hike back). Just ask your hosts or at the bus station and someone will point you in the right direction!

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The Basilica Cistern

Built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, the Basilica Cistern is just one of the hundreds of Cisterns located deep below the streets of Istanbul. Measuring over 100,000 square feet in size, this cathedral-sized cistern provided water for the structures on the “First Hill” (the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, etc.) of Constantinople and then Istanbul.

The huge columns of the Basilica Cistern

But this is no ordinary holding tank.  With Corinthian and Ionic marble and granite columns (which seem to have been brought from all corners of the Roman Empire) and beautiful firebrick arches along the ceiling, the structure is an amazing place to behold.  Curiously, two of the columns contain huge sculptures of Medusa (even more curiously they are aligned upside-down and sideways). Today, elegant red lighting and huge fish swimming in the 3 foot deep water just add to the mysterious feeling of the building.

We really enjoyed exploring the Basilica Cistern thanks to it’s calm atmosphere. With large suspended walkways, visitors can move around at their own pace and have lots of room (although I’m not sure how busy it may be during peak tourist season). While the site itself is tucked underground, away from the noise of the busy streets ahead. If a few moments of seclusion aren’t your thing, there are also fish that live in the few feet of water covering the cistern’s floor.

Walking paths weave through the Cistern

Reflections in the water on the cistern’s floor just add to the experience

Logistics: The Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici in Turkish) is located just 500 meters from the Hagia Sophia. It is open every day and costs 10TL. If you’re a photographer, it also presents the unique opportunity to set up a tripod, something that’s not always allowed in major attractions (or that’s what we’ve experienced anyways).

The Topkapi Palace

For over 400 years, this stunning palace was the home of the Ottoman Sultans, and today it stands as one of Istanbul’s most amazing sights. After it’s initial construction in 1459, the palace was continuously expanded and renovated for centuries, and survived both an earthquake in 1509 and a fire in 1655. At it’s peak, the palace contained a hospital, bakeries, mosques, and a mint. As a structure, it more closely resembles the Alhambra of Granada, with its complex of smaller buildings intermixed with gardens and ponds, than more traditional “palaces” like Versailles or Schonbrunn. Topkapi felt like a place of relaxation rather than a display of overt opulence.

The Topkapi Palace is decorated with beautiful stone and tile-work

The exteriors are just as lovely as the interiors

Following the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, the palace was transformed in a museum. Today, the palace complex is comprised of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings, many of which are open for viewing. The museum’s collection on display includes many Ottoman treasures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts, robes, weapons, and jewelry. Perhaps the most stunning part of the palace is the handmade colourful tiles that cover most of the structures found there.

A luxurious reading room, one of Calli’s favorite spots in the Palace

High arches and gilded details of the Palace

During our week in Istanbul, the Topkapi Palace was the busiest tourist attraction we visited – likely due to the gorgeous sunny weather on that particular Saturday. While the architecture and decor is beautiful both inside and out of the palace, the large gardens make this site particularly special. It’s worth waiting for a nice day to visit (if you can) simply to spend some extra time perched on a bench overlooking the city below.

Logistics: The palace is located “behind” the Hagia Sophia – you can’t miss it. Entrance is 25 TL (plus 15 TL if you want to visit the Harem), and it is closed Tuesdays.

Gulhane Park

Formerly the outer gardens of the Topkapi Palace, this beautiful green space is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Sultanahmet. There’s not much to do here but relax on a bench and enjoy the cool shade of the trees.

The park borders Topkapi Palace

Suleymaniye Mosque

Larger and older than the Blue Mosque, this is one of the most dominating features of the Sultanahmet skyline. Built in the 16th century, the mosque has a beautiful courtyard and cemetery. Given its proximity to the Grand Bazaar, it receives surprisingly few visitors.

The massive Suleymaniye Mosque at dusk

Eminonu

The main port of Sultanahmet, Eminonu is one of the busiest centres of the city and provides a great opportunity for people watching. In addition to watching people fish, shop, and rush  to board the frequent ferries, visitors can explore the nearby Egyptian Bazaar and Yeni Mosque. Or maybe visit the interesting stores selling everything from belt buckles to cabinet knobs around the Rustem Pasha Mosque (one of the prettiest in the city). One of our favorite things to do in this area was simply walk across the Galata Bridge to Karakoy. Made of two levels, this bridge has numerous seafood restaurants on it’s lower level where patrons can enjoy the catch of the day and countless fisherman spend the day hauling whatever they can catch from the top deck.

The Yeni Mosque at Eminonu from the Galata Bridge

Fishermen take advantage of the annual Black Sea Anchovy run

If the last few posts about sightseeing and shopping in Sultanahmet hasn’t filled up your itinerary yet, be sure to stay tuned for our tips on what to see in some of Istanbul’s unique neighbourhoods.

The post Sultanahmet – The Best of the Rest appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

After a one and a half hour bus ride through the Pannonian Plain, a region of farmland reminiscent of the Canadian Prairies, we arrived in Novi Sad. A quick walk down the main street took us to the large old town full of wonderfully colourful buildings and large churches. While Belgrade is a very appealing city in its own right, Novi Sad has a completely different feel. Wide tree-lined streets and low, colourful buildings dominate the old town, and make Novi Sad feel much smaller than it is.

Across the Danube from the old town is Petrovaradin Fortress and the lower town it once protected. Set up on a hill on the bank of the Danube (very reminiscent of Belgrade fortress), Petrovaradin dominates the Novi Sad cityscape and is a great place to spend an afternoon. As one of the largest fortresses in all of Europe, Petrovaradin takes a good hour or two to explore. Many of the buildings remain intact and the views are absolutely spectacular.

A wander through the crumbling lower town below the fortress is like a window to the past. The buildings, while not as well-preserved as the old town (actually, some are pretty much falling apart), the buildings are still stunningly beautiful under the peeling paint and crumbling tiles.

Far from the hustle and bustle pace of Belgrade, Novi sad is a more than worthy daytrip and provides a great way to get a different view of Serbian culture and history

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The view from our window

When traveling through Europe, especially when traveling slowly and over short distances like we have been on this trip, it can become difficult to distinguish city from city. Memories of buildings and museums start to blend together, and your outlook on travel can become jaded. This was not going to be a problem in Sarajevo.

Just one of the countless narrow streets of Baščaršija

Sarajevo is an all out assault on the senses from morning until night. Dodging traffic, sampling Bosnian Cevapi and Burek, hunting for treasures in antique markets, and photographing bombed out buildings – everything in Sarajevo seemed to be an adventure of epic proportions.

A selection of Cezve (traditional coffee pots) for sale in the bazaar

We began our visit in the same way we do in most cities – with a free walking tour. Our guide, the charismatic Neno (not Nemo, that is a fish), grew up during the war and mixed tales of his life during these trying times with interesting historical anecdotes. Some of the highlights included visiting the Markale Market (the sight of the biggest single attack during the siege), walking over the Latin Bridge (and the corner where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot – he wasn’t shot on the bridge!), meandering through Baščaršija (the old 15th century Turkish Bazaar), and witnessing hundred of Muslim men and women make their way to the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque to pray after the call to prayer.

The Markale Market

The Latin Bridge – Franz Ferdinand was shot at the corner of the Museum

In addition to our walking tour, we also took a tour out to the Tunnel Museum at the Sarajevo Airport. At over 800m long, the tunnel, which began in an ordinary house and burrows its way under the International Airport, was the only connection the people of Sarajevo had with the outside world. As the city was completely surrounded by Serbian forces, the Tunnel of Hope was the only way to get food, weapons, medicine, and anything else the people needed in the city during the nearly 4-year siege.

The house where the Tunnel of Hope began

Travis in the Tunnel…you have to crouch slightly for it’s entire length

Perhaps one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking experiences we had was or visit to Gallery 11/07/95. Set up as a tribute to the genocide that happened in the small town of Srebrenica, the gallery displays black-and-white photos and a video of the people who suffered and survived the largest mass killing since WWII (where over 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were systematically executed over 3 days). Our experience was made all the much more meaningful by us accepting one of the employee’s offer to guide us around. The photos were thought-provoking and heartbreaking – definitely a worthwhile experience.

The beautiful Gallery 11/07/95 (via)

Sarajevo provided an eye-opening experience for us. Having grown up in a place where the thought of war and suffering is so foreign as to seem impossible, it was extremely moving experience to be in a place where the tangible evidence of a war that ended less than 20 years ago still remains. Bullet-holes and destroyed buildings are as common as the white headstones that blanket the hills honouring the fallen heroes.

One of the cemeteries to the defenders of Sarajevo

And yet the people of Sarajevo keep persevering. Everyone we met greeted us with a warm smile – pointing us in the right direction when we were lost, giving us free strudels for breakfast, and going out of their way to make our visit to Sarajevo the best if could be.

Have you ever been to Sarajevo? What did you think about the city?

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The remains of the Motte-and-bailey castle defences.

The ridge running around is covered in chalk

What remains of Old Sarum today is a castle motte, complete with part of the original stone walls and the remnants of the massive ditch surrounding the site.The foundations of many of the walls of the fort and castle, as well as the cathedral outside the castle walls, are still intact today and visitors are free to walk amongst the ruins.

The remains of the iron age fort and subsequent castle

After a short hike to the top, we were impressed by the seeming impenetrability of the fort. Even as it lay in ruins, nearly two thousand years since it was last inhabited, the enormous banks and ditches that surround the fort stand as evidence of it’s once strategic military presence. The River Avon flows just a few hundred feet away, and the spire of Salisbury Cathedral can be seen in the distance.

The remains of the old Cathedral at Old Sarum

We spent a good hour exploring the site and admiring the fantastic views. There were a good number of people going for walks along the Avon and playing football in the park nearby.As it looked like a nice day, we decided to take the popular walk from Old Sarum back to Salisbury…poor choice. The British winter crept up on us about halfway through the 30 minute walk and we were swept up in a torrential rainstorm not unlike the one we experienced in Kotor. Despite this minor wet setback, we ended up having a fabulous time visiting both Stonehenge and Old Sarum, and would definitely recommend a visit if you have the time.

The view to town with Salisbury Cathedral – look at that inviting sky!

 

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