İzmir, Türkiye at $686 RT

If İstanbul is the star of the show here in Türkiye, İzmir is more like a beloved cult classic.

It may never be the most popular spot, but everyone who's strolled along the edge of the Aegean in İzmir knows it's well worth a visit. And now you're in on the secret too.

Once you've had your fill of bustling bazaars and ancient ruins, we highly recommend taking the train out to nearby Pamukkale so you can have a soak in the otherworldly thermal pools and a second helping of (you guessed it!) those sweet ancient ruins.

There's a reason why cult classics have the most devoted fans :-)