There are several Turkish cities outside of Istanbul, Izmir, and Antalya (the most popular destinations) you can visit to experience the variety of landscapes and cultures within Turkey. Istanbul is a bustling eclectic city that is seemingly endless; a trait you’ll find across Turkey if you’re willing to leave the west coast and explore some of these smaller cities.

1. Konya

Located south of Ankara in central Turkey, Konya is known for its religious sites like the Mevlana Museum. The final home of the Sufi mystic Rumi, the museum is dedicated to his teachings, art, and poetry. There are also live whirling dervish performances during parts of the year. Drive about 15-20 minutes south and follow the rusted signs pointing you to Catalhoyuk, the world’s oldest Neolithic site (approximately 7,500 years old). Hardly anyone goes there aside from researchers and you can usually get a personally guided tour for free. If you can, take advantage of seeing this site, due to irrigation in the area it’s endangered.

2. Sinop

On the north Black Sea coast, Sinop is a beautiful and small city with a lot to offer. During the warmer months you can enjoy a meal by the coast or go camping at grounds outside of town. (The Black Sea water is generally too cold for comfort, even during the summer.) Check out the Sinop Fortress constructed in the 7th century by the Greeks, and from there you can make your way to the Balatlar Church, a Byzantine Church converted from a Roman temple.

3. Van

Situated against the 3,800 square kilometer Lake Van, the city is renowned for the landscapes surrounding it. The city also has a culinary culture to itself (with an emphasis on breakfast and desert). In and around Van there is plenty to see and do, especially if you’re interested in archeology. Inside one of the ancient fortresses in Van are the inscriptions and artifacts from the Iron Age kingdom of Urartu. You’ll may also see your a Van cat or two running around. The breed, has white fur and different colors in each eye.

4. Diyarbakir

Built upon a Roman city along the Tigris River, Diyarbair is a historic city in the southeastern corner of Turkey. Diyarbakir hasn’t always been the easiest city to travel around but is now much more accessible. There are various mosques with a variety of designs, a Syriac Orthodox Church over 1,000 years old, and the famous black basalt walls encircling the city.

5. Gaziantep

Gaziantep, located to the west of Diyarbakir, makes a nice third stop on a road or bus trip in the east of Turkey from Van, Diyarbakir, to Gaziantep (with sites in between). There is a lot to do in the area around town to occupy your eyes, feet, and mind but it’s your taste buds you should really treat here. Gaziantep is Turkey’s pistachio growing capital. If you don’t like pistachios straight up, enjoy them in some baklava.

Much More To See

You’ll be able to get between all of these places for very low prices on the well developed Turkish bus system if you’ve got the time. Most buses have free wi-fi, food service, and are generally comfortable ride. There are also domestic flights from Istanbul to the larger cities in the east and north you can consider taking for an excursion of several days.

There are many cities I’ve left out which you could see along the way such as Trabzon, Adana, or hidden Ankara. There is a major change in culture, geography, and climate as you move through the various regions in Turkey, in particular as you head from west to east. Many travelers often stick to the west coast and neglect these other cities you could plan an entire trip around.

[photos by: Jungle_Boy, caucas, Ozan Ozan, CharlesFred, Babazar]

Erica Johansson who writes one of my favorite travel blogs, Travel Blissful, recently nominated me in Tripbase’s travel secret blog tag. The goal of the project is for travel bloggers to list 3 of their travel secrets. Erica posted her 3 best kept travel secrets and below are my 3 travel secrets of frequent travelers.

1. We Keep Our Real Travel Secrets To Ourselves

You can be certain that many travelers keep some of their favorite destinations within destinations to themselves. As Cate commented recently it’s good to keep some destinations under the radar. Frequent travelers also don’t typically like to admit their mistakes or mishaps on the road.

2. Places That Aren’t Secret (Locally) Make Great Destinations

Most of the great secret destinations you read about by travelers and writers aren’t secret to the locals. In fact, if the locals are flocking there, it’s usually a good sign. Generally most of the secret destinations for frequent travelers are near home – an area of exploration many frequent travelers neglect.

3. There Are No Secrets

Everybody knows a little about something and in the world of travel there are no secrets. That’s part of what makes reading about travel so much fun, there is always something new to learn and a little of something to add of your own.

What Are Your Secrets?

Although part of Tripbase’s project was to ‘tag’ 5 other travel bloggers, I’ll leave it to you if you want to take this on with your own 3 travel secrets. Everyone else can post your secrets in the comments below, anonymously if you’d like though that wouldn’t be much fun.

[photos by: (cup)cake_eater, Aguapfel, ilsignoirinocravan]

Boldly go where many geeks (including myself) have gone before at one of countless Star Trek conventions around the world. Today is the release of the latest Star Trek movie on DVD and if it’s got your hooked you might consider stopping by one of the major conventions along your travel route.

A Star Trek convention is an experience many travelers will marvel at (for better or for worse) and if you’ve never been this is your beginner’s guide to Star Trek conventions.

Where To Find Them

There are several major Star Trek-only conventions and some that are parts of larger general science fictions ones like Comic Con. Held all over the world there are a few official resources you can check that will list the major conventions.

• StarTrek.com Official Site – You can get a good list of Star Trek and science fiction conventions at the official site, which also includes the biggest Star Trek convention in the world. It’s held in Las Vegas annually every summer.
• Creation Entertainment – Organizers of large Star Trek conventions, and the next on is at the end of January. At the convention will be several Trek actors, including William Shatner and Patrick Stewart.
• Containment – A list of smaller conventions, mostly around the US.
• Fed-Con – Europe’s largest Star Trek convention will be held in Bonn, Germany at the end of April 2010. While strongly Trek-oriented there will also be cast and activities for other shows including Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Torchwood.

These are just some good places to start but if you’re looking for a convention in Bangkok or Cairo, there probably is one. You shouldn’t have to Google around too long before finding it.

Tickets

Convention prices vary but the bigger the convention the bigger the price tag. Tickets range anywhere from $25-400 for a weekend. If you’re headed to the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas or going to Comic Con it’s a good idea to get tickets as far in advance as you can. You’ll generally save 20-40% on the price of tickets this way.

Those of you headed to smaller venues can call the day of to see how busy things are. Conventions that aren’t sold out as they’re going on will usually cut you a very good price break at the door. The less enthusiastic you look to get in, the better your chances will be of getting a good price. (I’m not sure why but I’ve found that to be quite common.)

What’s Inside

You’ll find people dressed up as Klingons, members of Star Fleet, or perhaps even the occasional Borg. Around you there will be discussions of warp drives and which Star Trek’s top intergalactic destinations. Conventions are colorful, active events that will bring out your fantasy, science fiction, or ren faire nerd in you. There are lots of (overpriced) merchandise for sale, actors from various shows, and discussion panels.

Conventions have really gained stream and evolved to cater to wider audiences within the past 6-8 years. (For example, Comic Con is now a mega-event with growing audiences each year.) More and more Star Trek conventions are becoming general science fiction conventions so you’re likely to find something you enjoy even if you’re not a Trekie (or Trekker).

Star Trek: The Experience

Moved from the Las Vegas Hilton, Star Trek: The Experience themed attraction will be opening in Las Vegas Neonopolis Mall sometime in 2010. One of the main attractions of the original was a “live” transporter pad that beamed you from one part of the USS Enterprise to the other. It’s not a Star Trek convention but a good alternative if you’re looking to be in Las Vegas sometime later next year.

Why A Convention?

You can add a new dimension to any trip by visiting some of the more unorthodox events that might be in town and a Star Trek convention is one of them. It’s certainly an experience you’ll find difficult to forget. (The first person you see dressed as a Vulcan or hear rapping in Klingon is hard to erase from memory.)

A Star Trek convention is also where you’ll see lots of people who were inspired by the concept of Star Trek to travel and explore planet Earth and the cultures who call it home. Even if you decide on not hitting up your local sci-fi convention, they can be a good way to get a discount at nearby hotels.

[photos by: PaoloSerena, San Diego Shooter, cranberries]