Walkers can discover unspoilt scenery, historic sites and remote villages along the Lycian Way and St Paul Trail, Turkey's first long distance footpaths.
Cappadocia in central Turkey is best explored on foot with walking in spectacular surroundings, such as the Ihlara Canyon.
More serious treks can be found in the Aladaglari Mountains, south of Nigde. A compact range of limestone peaks rising to the 3756 metre summit of Demir Kazik, there are several excellent routes including the week-long Trans-Aladaglari trek. Conditions are best early summer when the meadows are filled with flowers. Later in the season finding water can be a problem. The Ala Dag: Climbs and Treks in Turkey's Crimson Mountains (Cicerone Press, 1993) is an excellent guide to the area.
The Kackar Mountains of north-east Turkey, also known as the Little Caucasus, offer multi-day treks through stunning Alpine terrain reminiscent of Switzerland, although conditions can be very wet on the seaward side of the range. In early summer the Alpine meadows are carpeted with flowers, and the yayla - high mountain villages occupied for only part of the year - are full of life. The weather is often more settled in September.
The limestone faces of the Taurus Mountains around Antalya offer excellent rock climbing, as do the peaks and big walls of the Aladaglari Mountains, accessible from Nigde.
Further east, Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi in Turkish) is an extinct volcano and, at 5,137 metres, Turkey's highest peak. The mountain is open to foreign climbers, although a permit and an official guide are required for the ascent.
The Mountains of Turkey (Cicerone Press, 1994) by Karl Smith is the best guide to trekking and climbing in the country, although it's out-of-date in places.