Turkey – Travel
General Information
Turkey is a transcontinental country bridging Southeastern Europe and Western Asia.
Turkey , officially the Republic of Türkiye is a country located mainly on Anatolia in Western Asia, with a portion on the Balkans in Southeast Europe.
Turkey is one of the world’s top ten destination countries, with the highest percentage of foreign visitors arriving from Europe. In 2019, Turkey ranked sixth in the world in terms of the number of international tourist arrivals. Turkey has 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and 84 World Heritage Sites in tentative list. Turkey is home to 519 Blue Flag beaches, which makes it in the third place in the world.
İstanbul
The god and human, nature and art are together in there, they have created such a perfect place that it is valuable to see.” Lamartine’s famous poetic line reveals his love for İstanbul, describing the embracing of two continents, with one arm reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe.
İstanbul, once known as the capital of capital cities, has many unique features. It is the only city in the world to straddle two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two consecutive empires – Christian and Islamic. Once was capital of the Ottoman Empire, İstanbul still remains the commercial, historical and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to embrace its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and secular, Asia and Europe, mystical and earthly all co-exist here.
Variety in İstanbul is really charming the visitors. It is serving infinite nuances with its museums, churches, palaces, mosques, bazaar places and natural beauties. When you lean against backside at the coast of the strait, you feel İstanbul as “center of the world” and understand why people select this extraordinary place centuries before with watching the reflection of the red at sun set from the houses at the coast.
Antalya
Because of the archaeological and natural riches of the area, Antalya is also known as the Turkish Riviera. The sun, sea, nature and history combine to form a very popular resort, highlighted by some of the cleanest beaches in the Mediterranean. The 630km shoreline of the province is liberally scattered with ancient cities, harbours, memorial tombs and beaches, secluded coves and lush forests, many of which are easily accessible from the city. With its palm-lined boulevard, internationally-acclaimed marina, and old castle with traditional architecture, all set amidst a modern city, Antalya is a major tourist centre in Turkey.
Pergamum King Attalos II ordered his soilders to discover the retreat of heaven on earth.Upon this command, the soilders had wondered around it till they came to the place of Antalya and exclaimed ” This is heaven”. Then founded city “Attaleia” today enables you to feel like you are in heaven. Stretching out along the coastline of Antalya, Alanya, Manavgat-Side, Kemer, Kaş, Finike, Serik, Demre and many other destinations expect you for a holiday never to be forgotten.
Aegean Coasts
If someone was claim that the most scenic vistas in Anatolia can be found on the coasts of the Aegean, he could not be accused of exaggerating. In the words of Heredotus, the Aegean coasts “have the most beautiful sky and the best climate in the world.” The bays and peninsulas, coves and golden beaches stretch the length of these beautiful shores. In this region where the countless events of mythology took place, at almost every turn, you will encounter the theaters, temples and agoras of ancient cities:Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Selçuk, Bergama, Foça, Çeşme, Pamukkale…
Cappadocia
Cappadocian Region displays a beautiful combination of nature and history. The geographic movements had formed the “peri bacaları”(Fair chimneys) and during the historical development process, mankind had settled and inhabited these natural wonders, fairy chimneys and carved houses and churches inside these formations and adorned these settlements with frescos, carrying the traces of the thousands of years of their civilizations. The current Cappadocian Region is an area covering Nevşehir, Aksaray, Niğde, Kayseri and as for the more narrow rocky Cappadocian Region, Üçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos, Göreme, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı, Ihlara and its environs will be included.
Selçuk
It is in the south of Izmir on the south Aegean, Selcuk has been transformed since the 1990s into a major tourist destination, mainly as a base to visit the famous ruins of Ephesus a few kilometres away. The ancient classical city is one of the best preserved in the eastern Mediterranean and is a great example of Roman architecture.
Selcuk has many historical remains of early Christianity, including a house which many believe to have been visited by the Virgin Mary, and Ayasoluk Hill where St John write his Gospel. There are many small hotels and guest-houses, restaurants and shops which makes the town a good base to explore the area.
More information
