Cappadocia & Central Anatolia - Discover Turkey: Experience the Best of Turkey - page 558

Boğazkale, Hattuşa & Yazılıkaya
Mountainous Hattuşa (adult/student " 5/free, also valid for Yazılıkaya; 9am-5pm) was the capital of the
Hittite kingdom. At its apex this was a busy and impressive city with defensive walls over 6km in length, some of
the thickest in the ancient world. Today, the site is strewn with ruined temples, forts and gates. The circuit is a hilly
5km loop; wear sturdy shoes and bring water, a hat and sunblock.
Yazılıkaya (Yazılıkaya Yolu Üzeri; admission included in Hattuşa ticket ) means 'Inscribed Rock', and
that's what you'll find in these two outdoor rock galleries, 3km from Hattuşa. Together they form the largest known
Hittite rock sanctuary.
Touts have begun posing as 'compulsory guides' at both sites; ignore them, as this is a con. Ideally, tour the ruins
early in the morning before the 21st century intrudes in the form of coaches and souvenir sellers.
Hattuşas Taxi ( 0535 389 1089; www.hattusastaxi.com ) runs a full-day tour including Hattuşa and
Yazılıkaya and the ruins at Alacahöyük ( " 70 per person).
The best base is Boğazkale, a village 200km east of Ankara. It has some shops, a bank with an ATM and
Boğazkale Museum (free audioguides available;

8am-5pm Tue-Sun) , displaying Hittite artefacts includ-

ing two sphinx statues.
Aşıkoğlu Hotel & Pension ( 452 2004; www.hattusas.com ; Sungurlu Asfalt Caddesi; pension s/d
" 20/40, hotel s/d/tr " 60/100/120; ) , 1km from the Hattuşa ticket kiosk, has simple, spick-and-span rooms, a
terrace and restaurant (mains " 5 to " 20). The pension rooms are small and basic, but you can use the hotel facilities.
To reach Boğazkale by public transport, you'll need to go via Sungurlu. Many buses from Ankara to Sungurlu
( " 12, three hours, hourly) are run by Mis Amasya (counter 23 at Ankara's otogar). Aşıkoğlu can organise taxi trans-
fers from Sungurlu otogar ( " 20) and Yozgat (convenient from Cappadocia; " 40).

Safranbolu
0370 / POP 41,954
Turkey's most thoroughly preserved Ottoman town is so gloriously dinky, it's as if it slid
off the lid of a chocolate box. Safranbolu's Çarşı (old town) is a vision of red-tiled roofs
and meandering alleys full of candy stores and cobblers. People flock here to recapture the
heady scent of yesteryear within the muddle of timber-framed mansions now converted
into quirky boutique hotels - all creaky wooden floors, exuberantly carved ceilings and
traditional cupboard-bathrooms. A day at the hamam, browsing the market, and revelling
in the cobblestone quaintness is about as strenuous as it gets.