Things to See in Turkey

Hidden away in hill country, Safranbolu boasts a glorious collection of old Ottoman houses so beautifully preserved that it qualifies as a Unesco World Heritage site, on a par with Florence. It's a place to slow down and enjoy ambling along narrow cobbled lanes, observing traditional trades and crafts practised just as they were in Ottoman times.

A highlight of any trip to eastern Turkey, the twin peaks of Mt Ararat have figured in legends since time began, most notably as the supposed resting place of Noah's Ark. For many years permission to climb Ararat was refused because of security concerns, but this fantastic summit is back on the trekking map, albeit with restrictions.

Emperor Justinian (527-65) had the Aya Sofya (known as Haghia Sofia in Greek and also called Church of the Divine Wisdom) built as part of his effort to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire. Recognised until 1453 as the greatest church in Christendom, Mehmet the Conqueror had it converted into a mosque until 1935, when Atatürk proclaimed it a museum.

The ruins of ancient Troy may not be as breathtaking as those of Ephesus, but for anyone who has ever read Homer's Iliad or who has heard the tales of the Trojan Wars, they have a romance few places on earth can hope to match. Excavations have revealed nine ancient cities on the site, with Troy VI or VII believed to be the setting for the Iliad.

Many Cappadocian valleys boast collections of strange volcanic cones, but the ones near Aktepe in northern Cappadocia, known as the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys, are the best-formed and most thickly clustered. While geologists might congregate to appreciate the effects of differential erosion, everyone else just likes their other-worldly appeal.

Still proudly displaying its 1997 Best European Museum award, this is the perfect introduction to the complex weave of Turkey's chequered past. It's home to artefacts discovered in most excavations throughout the country, taken from nine different civilisations. Even the museum itself is an artefact, housed in a beautifully restored 15th-century bazaar.

Calcium's not just good for bones - the spa town of Pamukkale has built a centuries-long reputation on the stuff. The unique formations of travertine shelves, pools and stalactites, hugging the ridge above town like a white scar, were created by the area's warm mineral water, which cools as it cascades over the cliff edge and deposits its calcium.

Ancient Ephesus was a great trading city and a centre for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess. Under the influence of the Ionians, Cybele became Artemis, the virgin goddess of the hunt and the moon, and a fabulous temple was built in her honour. When the Romans took over, Artemis became Diana and Ephesus became the Roman provincial capital.

LAMBDA is dedicated to reducing homophobia, inequality, hate crimes, and discrimination by encouraging self-acceptance, cooperation, and non-violence throughout the world.

Four and eight-week courses are available at six different levels. You can attend for three days or a week or every day.

This outfit runs volunteer work camps within Turkey, mainly during the summer months.