Sardis, the City Where Coinage Was Invented

The world's first coins were struck here. Sardis, capital of Lydia and associated with the wealth of King Croesus, has yielded gold refining workshops to archaeologists. Today it is visited in two separate areas near Salihli, two hours from İzmir.

Getting there: buses and trains run from İzmir to Salihli in about two hours, and a minibus covers the eight kilometres on to Sart. Driving is easiest, since the two excavation areas are a kilometre apart.

The day: go first to the temple of Artemis. Some of the columns still stand, and a small Byzantine church sits in the same enclosure; the overlay of two periods is striking. Then move to the gymnasium and synagogue beside the main road. The restored marble court conveys the display of the Roman period, and the synagogue next to it is among the largest known from the ancient world, with its mosaic floors preserved. The remains of the gold refineries are in the same area. In the afternoon visit Bintepeler, where the Lydian royal burial mounds spread across the plain and look from a distance like artificial hills.

Eating: Salihli is known for its meatballs and wood oven pide, and grapes and cherries are sold by the roadside in season. Eat lunch in town, as options in Sart are limited.

Tips: there is no shade, so visit early or late in summer, and the track to Bintepeler is hard going after rain.