I'm going to Istanbul over Thanksgiving (while everyone else is eating turkey I'll be in Turkey - so there!) and I have a week between my arrival and departure. I'd like to spend a night or two somewhere other than Istanbul while I'm there. So far the suggestions I've gotten are Ankara and Izmir. Ankara has cultural attractions and offers proximity to Cappadocia, I know, but the 6-hour journey from Istanbul seems a bit much given the one-week time frame, as it would mean spending the better part of each of two days traveling back and forth.

I know some folks on this forum would find time to visit 10 different cities during a one-week trip to Turkey , but I'd like to avoid stretching myself too thin itinerary-wise for this trip. So... any suggestions? Anything within 150 km of Istanbul that shouldn't be missed? A little voice inside me tells me I'd like to go to Ephesus, but no one I know who has been to Turkey has gone there. Can anyone here offer an opinion?

Thanks for any information you can provide.