Travel in Turkey is not just about big cities. The country has 29 towns in a group called Cittaslow. This group started in Italy in 1999. Today, it includes 310 towns around the world. It celebrates quieter places and helps keep their local culture alive.
Seferihisar was Turkey’s first town in the group. Farming is still an important way to earn money there. Visitors can see orange-like fruit called tangerines, grapes, olives and vegetables growing nearby. The remains of the ancient city of Teos are a few kilometres away. Another town, Akyaka, has houses with wooden shutters and balconies. The area near the Azmak River has protection for nature. Visitors can take boat trips or watch birds there.
There are also towns beside lakes. Eğirdir stands beside Turkey’s fourth-largest lake. Apple trees grow around the water, and visitors can take boat trips or try paddleboarding. Local restaurants serve fish from the lake. Ahlat stands beside Lake Van, the country’s largest lake. Visitors can explore very old caves and a cemetery with thousands of stones. These are engraved tombstones.
