TURKEY

An ancient city, Laodicea was built by King Antiochus II in honor of his wife Laodice around 260 BC. That makes it almost 2,300 years old.

Referred to as the “Underground Pamukkale”, Kaklik Cave is a lesser known destination that boasts the same travertine structures as its more famous neighbor, except they’re smaller and found inside a cave.

Once the third largest city in Roman Asia Minor and its most prominent seaport, much of Ephesus may lie in ruin today but the structures that are intact — like the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre — will leave you in awe.

With no body of water in sight and little more than a pile of rocks to inspire fantasy, it was hard to imagine it as the thriving seaport it once was. Which is why I think a visit to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk is a must.

Like any visitor to Ephesus, the Selçuk leg of our Turkey trip was all about ancient history. Centuries of it in fact — from classical Greece to the Roman empire to the advancement of early Christianity and the Byzantine and Turkish eras.

Meaning “Mother Mary’s House” in Turkish, Meryem Ana Evi is said to be the last house where the Virgin Mother lived before Her Assumption (Catholic) or Dormition (Orthodox).

What a gem this boutique hotel in the heart of Selçuk turned out to be. Just a stone’s throw away from Isa Bey Mosque and St. John’s Basilica, it has everything we look for in a hotel.

Despite its influx of visitors, Şirince retains its isolated feel. Yes, merchants and restaurants catering to tourists do line the streets, but they operate within once-occupied homes and spaces that don’t detract from the town’s rural charm.