Check your Midnight Express stereotypes at the door - this is a rapidly modernizing country with one foot in Europe and one in the Middle East. It’s not all oriental splendor, mystery, intrigue and whirling dervishes but it is a spicy maelstrom of history.
The Turkish people have an unrivalled reputation for hospitality, the cuisine is to die for, the coastline is a dream, and many Turkish cities are dotted with spectacular mosques and castles. And while costs are rising, Turkey remains one of the Mediterranean’s bargain-basement destinations.
-
Istanbul
Istanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents which Fatih Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror changed in his era. It stands on the shores of the uniquely beautiful Bosphorus where the waters of the Black Sea combine with those of the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. Istanbul is a province designed to be the capital and it has been the capital of three empires, which used to dominate the world. Today the province houses the precious remains of these civilizations and stands with all its glamour and mysticism as a harmonious link between East and West, past and present, antique and modern.
Main Attractions
- The Bosphorus
- Princess Islands
- Eyup and the Golden Horn
- Galata and the Galata Bridge
- Taksim and Beyoglu
- Uskudar
- Haydarpasa Train Station
- Hagia Sophia
- Topkapi Mosque
- Basilica Cistern
- Museum of Modern Art
- Ortakoy
-
Antalya
The Antalya region of Turkey could well be the most deserving choice for your summer vacation travel plans. Treat yourself with a vacation in the lands of unparalleled beauty, historical charm and cultural richness. It dates back to Greek and Roman times and has a few sights to prove it.
Main Attractions
- Hadrian's Gate
- The Antalya Museum
- The Kesik Minaret of the Byzantine Era
- The Yivli Minaret of the Seljuks
- Murat Pasa Mosque
-
Bodrum
Bodrum was the city of Halikarnassos in ancient times, an important port in the centre of the old world, home to one of the wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum. Modern Bodrum is to Turkey, what Cannes is to the South of France. It is everything and anything you want it to be, historic, interesting, relaxing, lively and within 10 minutes of unspoiled countryside.
Main Attractions
- Bodrum Castle
- Museum of Underwater Archeology
- The Amphitheatre
- Euromos
- Labranda
- Pamukkale
- Mylassa
- Lassos Antique Cities
- Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
- Milas Carpet Village
-
Ankara
The city of Ankara lies in the centre of Anatolia on the eastern edge of the great, high Anatolia Plateau, at an altitude of 850 metres. It is the centre of the province of the same name, which is a predominantly fertile wheat steppe-land with forested areas in its northeast region. It is bordered by the provinces of Cankiri and Bolu to the north, Eskisehir to the west, Konya and Aksaray to the south, and Kirikkale and Kirsehir to the east.
Main Attractions
- Antikabir (Ataturk Mausoleum)
- The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
- The Ethnographical Museum
- The Ankara Citadel
- The Temple of Augustus
- The Roman Bath
- The Column of Julian
- Haci Bayram Mosque
- Rahmi Koc Industrial Museum
