This is a sizable chunk of land, say about half a million square kilometres, encompassing Ankara and Cappadocia with a whole host of less visited towns and regions. Much of Anatolia offers a landscape that could be described as forbidding with an extreme climate and thousands of square miles of fairly featureless steppes (which can themselves be an attraction if you like that sort of thing). There are more than a few points of interest that you can take in, especially if you have some time and your own transport. Ankara is your probable point of arrival for exploring this region and you can pick up a car there (as long as you don't require too much in the way of air-conditioning) for under $30 a day.

Ever heard of Uriah the Hittite? Well, he was about the only reference (biblical) to the Hittite civilisation - after whom this www. was named - until people started digging things up in central Anatolia in the 1830's. You can now find extensive evidence of the once might empire of the Hittites. I don't want to go on about them too much but they did leave quite an interesting legacy in the form of thousands of inscribed tablets detailing their history and which were dug up in 1834 at Hattusas (now Bogazkale) to the East of Ankara. Not all fallen civilisations have been as considerate. Hittite ruins aren't really comparable with the Hellenic or Roman sites to be seen further south but what they do convey is a fairly impressive sense of scale. It would take several hours to explore Hattusas on foot, and even the smaller sites that can be visited do give an impression of solidity. If you make it to Ankara there is some fine Hittite statuary in the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations.

If you don't make it as far inland as Hattusas and Alacahoyuk then you're unlikely to make it to Amasya. If you do you'll find a pleasant little town, nestling in a river valley and overlooked by some fairly impressive Pontic rock tombs. Not worth the drive up from the Mediterranean but if you're in the area go and have a look.

Konya is certainly worth a visit. It is probably the true home of Islam in modern Turkey and while you may have heard of it in connection with the now marginalised Mevlani dervishes (the famous whirlers) it hides some true architectural gems amongst its busy streets. The Mevlana Tekke is probably chief amongst these but many other lovely buildings date from the 12th and 13th centuries when Konya served as capital for the empire of the Selcuk Turks. If you're heading up to Konya then don't miss the Byzantine monastery at Alahan - 24km northwest of Mut and at the top of a windy mountain road. An incredible location and a very nice place.

More Selcuk buildings await you at Sivas which, coincidentally, is in the middle of nowhere, well in terms of tourist trails anyway. East, east of Ankara and reachable if you have the time it might make a stop over for the traveler on the way to Trabzon.