Introducing Çıralı

Çıralı (cher-ah-luh) is a relaxed, family-friendly hamlet of upscale pensions and hotels leading down to and along a beach lined with a dozen restaurants. It's a quieter alternative to the backpackers' haunt down the beach at Olympos. And it's close to the magical and mystical Chimaera.

Known in Turkish as Yanartaş or 'Burning Rock', the Chimaera is a cluster of flames that blaze spontaneously from crevices on the rocky slopes of Mt Olympos. At night it looks like hell itself has come to pay a visit, and it's not difficult to see why ancient peoples attributed these extraordinary flames to the breath of a monster – part lion, part goat and part snake – which had terrorised Lycia. The mythical hero Bellerophon supposedly killed the Chimaera by mounting the winged horse Pegasus and pouring molten lead into the monster's mouth.

Today gas still seeps from the earth and bursts into flame upon contact with the air. The exact composition of the gas is unknown, though it is thought to contain methane. Although a flame can be extinguished by covering it, it will reignite close by into a new and separate flame. At night the 20 or 30 flames in the main area are clearly visible at sea.

The best time to visit is after dinner. From Çıralı, follow the road along the hillside marked for the Chimaera until you reach a valley and walk up to a car park. From there it's another 20- to 30-minute climb up a stepped path to the site; bring or rent a torch. It's a 7km walk from Olympos, but most camps also organise transport every night after dinner.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/cirali#ixzz3rwDgwFKS

Introducing Turgutreis

Once a sponge-diving centre, Turgurtreis has turned its sights on tourism, particularly longer-term villa and apartment rentals, and it offers 5km of sandy beaches, a dozen tiny islets and some logistical advantages. As the peninsula's largest town after Bodrum, Turgutreis has more services, shops, ferry and dolmuş links than its neighbours – and more concrete; the Saturday market resembles dusty middle Anatolia more than an Aegean retreat. Indeed, the waterfront statue of a pregnant woman holding an olive branch is meant to represent the health, peacefulness and diversity of Anatolia. It is one of the peninsula's more workaday places, and for short stays the prettier neighbouring villages are a better option.

In 1972 the village, then called Karatoprak, was renamed after Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis, who was born here in 1485 and led many maritime battles before dying in the 1565 siege of Malta.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/turgutreis#ixzz3rZtpRloa

Introducing Giresun to Trabzon

Heading east to Trabzon from Giresun (150km), the highway does not have the prettiest vistas on the Black Sea coast. Nonetheless, the road passes through several small towns, including attractive Tirebolu (after 45km), with a compact harbour and two castles (St Jean Kalesi and Bedrama Kalesi). The Çaykur tea-processing plant signals your arrival in Turkey's çay country.

Görele, 18km from Tirebolu, is famous for big, round loaves of bread. In Akçakale, about 50km further on, are the ruins of a 13th-century Byzantine castle on a little peninsula. Akçaabat, 10km before Trabzon, is famous for meatballs; to try them, the Korfez and Cemilusta restaurants are conveniently located on the coast road, but small eateries in the centre serve more authentic, handmade Akçaabat köfte.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/giresun-to-trabzon#ixzz3rZsWShqs