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Biga is Deep Turkey at its sleepiest - a pleasant middle-class town that seems to offer no reason for the tourist to stop and take heed. Alexander the Great was in fact here; Epicurus, the philosopher of pleasure, invented the idea of hedonism in next door Lampsacus. In addition, Biga makes a convenient overnight stop for the early morning ferry to Istanbul on the way back from the North Aegean.

But the main reason why we would put Biga on the itinerary is this wonderful hotel that Mr and Mrs Gürkaynak, both university professors, have created with rare charm and sensitivity. Its centrepiece is a historic wooden mansion from the turn of the 20th century. Annexed to it are two modern wings that are hardly less pleasant in their set-up. The friendly, low-key atmosphere is a relief from the pressures of the tourist coast.

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