Undiscovered ancient Phrygia

Tourists are so rare in Phrygia that you will have most of its "wondrous" historic sites to yourself, says Jeremy Seal in the Sunday Times. The ancient "land of the Gordian Knot" lies deep in the interior of western Turkey, a "wild" region with a "weird" volcanic landscape reminiscent of Cappadocia. Numerous settlements are carved out of its rocks, none more spectacular than the 100ft-high Castle of Avdalaz, a labyrinth of "staircases, belvederes and niched chapels".

The regional capital, Afyonkarahisar, with its Ottoman old town, is as "authentically interesting" as any city in western Turkey. But perhaps the "greatest revelation" in Phrygia is the ancient spa city of Hierapolis, where you can still bathe in warm waters amid fallen fluted columns.

Anatolian Sky (0845 365 1011) has trips to Turkey, with nine nights from £1,299pp incl. flights.