Overview
The city overall is rundown and has grown in that typical unplanned, aesthetically unfortunate Turkish small-town way. That said, some houses in the city center have been nicely preserved, and there are others under restoration, so it should look even better in the coming years. Still, if this were an Italian city, the whole thing would be pristine, the Red Basilica fully restored, and it would be an insanely popular destination drawing 10 million tourists a year. When you consider Turkey's historical attitude toward preservation, you just count your blessings.
The city itself is remarkably clean, almost no litter anywhere. We even saw a man spot bread crumbs on the ground, go fetch a broom, and come back to sweep them up. The locals seem genuinely conscious about keeping things tidy.
What to See
The Red Basilica in the city is absolutely worth seeing. Even though part of it is in ruins, what remains is still quite stunning. It was apparently a temple for Egyptian gods, all the way out here, which really makes you wonder. Part of it is currently used as a mosque, but it blends in seamlessly.
Food & Drink
The locally praised cigirtma and Bergama kofte didn't really blow us away. Pretty standard eggplant dish and meatballs. However, I'd definitely recommend stopping by Salepcioglu for their helva, very tasty and fresh.