Turkey
Köprülü Canyon
White water through a canyon spanned by a Roman bridge, a ruined city perched above.
The raft slips into the rapid and the Roman bridge arches overhead, seventeen centuries of dressed stone spanning a canyon the river is still carving. Water runs bright against the walls of Köprülü Canyon, and somewhere above on the mountain road, the ruins of an ancient city watch from the treeline.
Köprülü Canyon National Park protects a 14-kilometre gorge cut by the Köprüçay River in the Mediterranean hinterland. The Roman bridge spanning the canyon was built in the 2nd century AD and still carries foot traffic. Rafting through the gorge is famously gentle, lively riffles rather than white-knuckle water, which makes it one of Turkey's most accessible adventure days. Above the canyon, the ancient city of Selge sits 22 kilometres up a mountain road: ruins and rapids in the same afternoon. Brown bears roam the park, while the Anatolian leopard survives here only in old records.
Solo
Hike up to Selge's ruins in the morning, raft the canyon in the afternoon. The combination of ancient history and white water is hard to find anywhere else.
Friends
A group rafting run through the canyon followed by grilled trout and çay at a riverside restaurant under the Roman bridge. Nobody comes off the water quiet.
Family
Calmer sections of the river suit family rafting, and the mix of Roman ruins, canyon scenery and river swimming keeps all ages engaged.
Couple
Share the splash of the rapids, then wind down with trout grilled over vine-wood coals as the gorge turns golden.
- The Roman bridge over the canyon dates from the 2nd century AD yet still carries foot traffic.
- Family-friendly rafting runs the 14-kilometre canyon: lively riffles rather than white-knuckle water.
- The ancient city of Selge sits 22 kilometres up a mountain road above the canyon.
- Brown bears roam the national park; the Anatolian leopard survives here only in old records.
Toros böreği, lavash layered with çökelek cheese, parsley and cumin, baked golden.
Öküz helvası, molasses halva moulded round a pool of hot butter for dipping.
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