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The options for things to see and do beyond Istanbul are limitless. Travel to Bursa, Gallipoli and Troy is planned for the whole group.  Other places are yet to be decided.

If everyone has the same time available and wants to see pretty much the same things, we can travel en masse with the minibus.  Otherwise we can split into smaller groups travelling by private taxi or public buses and train to different parts of the country.   

Below are some suggestions for places to go:

Pergamon
The main attraction at Pergamon (Bergama) in the acropolis of the ruler Eumenes II dating from around 250BC.  The Red Basilica in Bergama is one of the seven churches of Asia Minor mentioned by St John in the Book of Revelation.

Ephesus
Ephesus was in existence at least 3000 years ago.  Before the Christian era, it was the centre of the cult of Artemis.  Magnificent Roman buildings are still in evidence, such as the Library of Celsus and the Temple of Hadrian, which date from the 2nd century AD when Ephesus was Rome's "Capital of Asia".

Didyma
The oracle sanctuary of Apollo is an Ionian site used in the 8th century BC.  The remains seen here today mostlt date from the time of Alexander the Great.  Many of the statues from the Sacred Way are now in the British Museum.

Bodrum
Bodrum is a resort town of low-rise white-washed houses and subtropical gardens.  It's the most tasteful of the Aegean resorts frequented by foreigners.  People have lived here least since the 11th century BC.

Pamukkale
Pamukkale means "Cotton Castle".  It is a geological phenomenon created by chalk deposited by a hot spring which has been bubbling nearby for millenia.  The result is a large area of terraces which resemble shell-shaped bathtubs.  Visitors can enjoy a warm outdoor bath.

Lycian tombs
The southern coast of Turkey is very scenic owing to its many limestone canyons, coastal cliffs and Lycian tombs carved into rock faces.

Konya
As the centre of the Mevlevi sect (the Whirling Dervishes), Konya is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims.  Tilework, woodcarving, masonry and carpets remain from the 11-13th centuries when Konya was the Suljuk capital.

Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a large area of lunar landscapes created by unusual rock formations .  There are underground cities, rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings from the 10th to 13th centuries and caravansarais.