Turkey may surprise you with its exuberant and lively lifestyle. The Turkish people have an unrivalled reputation for hospitality, exotic cuisine, and a stunning coastline. Across the country, Turkish cities are home to spectacular mosques and castles, interspersed with exotic bazaars that date back centuries. Reminders of the powerful empires that once ruled the day can be found almost everywhere in this stunning country.
While savvy travelers know costs in Europe are rising, Turkey remains one of the Mediterranean’s best bargains.
In recent years, Turkey has become a major tourist destination. Rapid development of both summer and winter resorts is encouraging people from around the world to enjoy the country’s history, culture, and natural beauty. Whether swimming in the Mediterranean, discovering archeological wonders, or scouring bazaars for the perfect kilim, Turkey has something to offer everyone.
Founded in 3000 B.C, Ankara is believed to have been the site of a Hittite city. Ankara was occupied by the Lydians and Persians before it became part of the Roman Empire in 24 B.C. Ankara houses the country’s two most outstanding monuments: the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Ataturk Mausoleum. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations displays a rich collection of archaeological remains from 7000 B.C. to the Roman period. The Mausoleum of Ataturk (founder of Modern Turkey) exhibits a fusion of ancient and contemporary architecture. Today, with over four million inhabitants, Ankara is the modern capital city of Turkey and the site of attractive parks and forest areas.
Located on the southwest of Turkey, this white colored Mediterranean town was the ancient Dorian city of Halicarnassos where one of the seven wonders of the antiquity, Mausoleum of King Mausoleus was built as early as 4th century B.C. Having served as the capital of the Caria region, Bodrum was an important harbor town that was captured by the Crusaders by 12th century A.D. The narrow streets running through the white painted two-story houses of Bodrum are crowned by St. Peter's Castle which is the best preserved Crusaders' castle surviving. The towers of St. Peter represented the nationalities of its various inhabitants.
Bodrum houses one of the world's most spectacular underwater museums in its courtyard where medieval towers, honoring nations of the knights, offer a wide collection of armories, swords, and banners of the Crusaders. Walking through the town one can appreciate the limited remains of the Mausoleum which was used by the Knights of St. John as a building material for the castle. You may want to refresh at the bays around Bodrum which offer the opportunity to dip in the crystal clean, turquoise colored waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the ancient Persian language, the name Cappadocia means "the land of beautiful horses”. Located in the midlands of Turkey, the landscape of the Cappadocia region was born about 30 million years ago as the result of erosion by water, wind and changes in temperatures. Pinnacles and conic rock formations had been occupied by mankind who carved their dwelling for 5 millennia in these volcanic ash-formed rocks. Volcanic deposits have also made this region very fertile. The famous “Fairy Chimneys” represent extraordinary formations which the early inhabitants of Capoddocia believed were chimneys of fairies that lived underground. Throughout history, Cappadocia attracted numerous cultures including Hittites, Greeks, and Persians who left abundant imprints and vestiges of their civilizations.
Cappadocia houses an important concentration of rock-cut chapels and monasteries dating from the 9th century onwards. The Goreme valley holds over 30 superb rock-carved churches, dwelling and beautiful scenic valleys exhibiting sumptuous frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The Cappadocia region later became a center of monastic education under the leadership of St. Basilius of Constantinople by 4th century B.C. The Goreme Valley has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Workshops and galleries exhibiting work of local artists will certainly deepen your understanding and appreciation of this region.
Founded by the early colonists in the 11th century B.C., Ephesus was taken over by the Romans in 133 B.C. who named the city as the capital of the Province of Asia Minor. Ephesus became the primary port under the Roman Empire. Today, Ephesus represents of the greatest ruined cities in the western world. St. Paul had spent two years preaching the word of God in Ephesus and had to leave the city as the result of an uprising that was led by a silversmith who gathered at its theater thousands of people shouting for hours "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians"(Acts 19).
Referring to its Biblical History, Jesus asked St. John the Evangelist to look after his mother the Virgin Mary who spent the last days of her life with St. John in Ephesus. Other monuments not to be missed include the great Theater, the Temple of Hadrian and the Gates of Hercules.
stanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents. It stands on the shores of the Istanbul Bogazi (Bosphorus) where the waters of the Black Sea mingle with those of the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. On this splendid site Istanbul oversees the ancient remains of the empires of which she has been capital; a unique link between East and West, past and present. Istanbul has infinite variety: museums, ancient churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and the Bosphorus. However long you stay, just a few days or longer, your time will be wonderfully filled in this unforgettable city.
Izmir is the pearl of the Aegean, Turkey's third largest city and second most important port. Izmir is the center of tourism in the region. This modern city still retains traces of its ancient Ottoman and Levantine past.
The highlight of any trip to northeastern Turkey (Anatolia) is to see Mt. Ararat, which has figured in legends since time began, notably as a possible resting place for Noah's Ark. Climbing the mountain is fairly difficult, but with a permit and a guide you are in for a fantastic experience.
The Anatolia region is drained by two main rivers: the Euphrates (Firat) and Tigris (Dicle), which supply the southeastern region with irrigation water and hydro-electric power. Southeastern Anatolia has a very rich history and cultural heritage which began around 7000 BC in the New Stone Age. Between 2000 BC and 1500 BC the Hurris came to power followed by the Hittites sometime around 1200 BC. The land surrounding the Firat and the Dicle rivers is where Abraham lived. Some believe that Abraham was born in what is now called Sanliurfa and later moved south to Harran, the site of an important Mesopotamian historic and cultural center. In Harran, the ruins of one of the largest and oldest Islamic universities can be discovered.
With its mythological stories and heroes, Troy still lives in the contemporary western culture. The prosperous trading city of King Priamos was founded as early as 3000 B.C. on the strait of Dardanelles right on the shores of a natural bay. Troy represents one of the most important settlements of the Bronze Age, where recent thorough excavations have yielded marvelous treasures of a history that runs from around 4000 BC until about 300 AD. Its most impressive attraction includes the large mythical wooden Trojan Horse, a replica used by the Greeks to deceive and ultimately defeat the Trojans.
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey. It is surrounded by volcanic formations on the northern and western sides. Because the water in the lake has no outflow, Lake Van has bitter, salty, carbonated water. The shoreline undulates, forming many bays and capes. There are four small picturesque islands at the northern end of the lake.
Turkey is home to centuries of cultures and civilizations. A bridge between Asia and Europe, Turkey is one of the great cradles of civilization-a proud country whose cultural and historic treasures will delight and inspire even seasoned travelers. The history of Turkey is the history of Anatolia before the coming of the Turks and of amazing civilizations-Hittite, Thracian, Hellenistic, and Byzantine-of which the Turkish nation is heir, either by assimilation or example. It is the history of the Turkish peoples, including the Seljuks, who brought Islam and the Turkish language to Anatolia. It is the history of the Ottoman Empire, a vast cosmopolitan Islamic state that developed from a small Turkish emirate in Anatolia and that for centuries was a world power.
The term Turkey, although sometimes used to signify the Ottoman Empire, was not assigned to a specific political entity or geographic area until the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923. The conquering Turks called Asia Minor, the large peninsular territory they had wrested from the Byzantine Empire, by its Greek name, Anatolé (sunrise; figuratively, the East), or Anatolia. The term Anatolia is also used when events described affected both that region and Turkish Thrace ("Turkey-in-Europe") because of the two areas’ closely linked political, social, and cultural ties.
Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history. Upon the end of World War I, Mustafa Kemal (called “Ataturk”or "Father Turk") founded the Republic of Turkey. The creation of the new republic in the heart of the old Islamic empire was achieved in the face of internal opposition and foreign intervention. Ataturk founded the Republic’s government on secular principles and patterned it after Western European governments.
Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Turkey, since the climate will be perfect in Istanbul and on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. It will be cool in central Anatolia, but not unpleasantly so. The Black Sea coastal region is best visited between April and September; there will still be rain but not much of it. Peak backpacking season is from July to mid-September, when most Turks take their holidays. The best time to visit eastern Turkey is from late June to September. With the exception of Istanbul, Turkey doesn't really have a winter tourism season. Don't plan to venture east before May or after mid-October unless you're prepared for snow. Try to avoid traveling during Kurban Bayrami, Turkey's most popular public holiday. You may also want to avoid the fasting month of Ramazan (Ramadan).
A unique bi-continental country, Turkey lies in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea between Syria and Greece. The main portion of the country is on the Anatolian Peninsula, with a small amount of its territory located in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. Turkey is generally divided into seven sections: 1) Thrace and the Sea of Marmara, which includes Istanbul; 2) The Black Sea; 3) Eastern Anatolia; 4) Cappadocia and Central Anatolia; 5) Ankara and Western Anatolia; 6) Mediterranean Turkey; and 7) the Aegean. Turkey has 81 provinces. The major provinces are: Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Konya and Adana. Turkey’s geography creates varying climates across its different regions.
Many of Turkey’s national parks and wetland sanctuaries are a refuge for species that are almost extinct elsewhere in Europe.
Turkey is the most modern and westernized country in the Islamic world, and western Turkish social life has few differences from European social life. Most of Turkey’s 65 million people are Sunni Muslims. Muslims have five basic duties: 1) to profess their faith by saying, "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his Prophet," 2) to pray five times per day, 3) to give alms to the poor, 4) to fast during the month of Ramadan (called "Ramazan" in Turkish), and 5) once during their lifetime, if possible, they should make the pilgrimage ("haj") to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Mosques call the faithful to prayer five times each day with chants broadcast over loudspeakers from minarets.
Visitors are welcome to visit mosques in Turkey, but non-Muslims should avoid visiting at prayer times. Shoes are removed before entering the prayer hall. Eating and using flash photography is not allowed in a mosque. Men must not wear hats but women must cover their heads with a scarf. Shoulders and knees are to be covered. It is courteous to leave money in the donation box or with a mosque official.
Turkey has a very diverse culture derived from the combined elements of the Ottoman Empire, European, and Islamic traditions. As Turkey successfully transformed from the religion-driven former Ottoman Empire into a modern republic with a very strong separation of state and religion, there has been an increase in artistic expression. During the first years of the republic, the government invested in and promoted the arts, especially painting, sculpture and architecture. This has helped to create a cultural identity for the country.
Turkish music and dance is deeply rooted in history and tradition. You will see the influences of Ottoman, Sufi, and Central Asia in Turkish dervishes, folk dances, and the undulating rhythms of belly dancers.
Turkey is noted for fine hand-crafted items such as leather goods, in-laid wooden objects, hand-worked copper and brassware, carpets, quilts, woven items, and a traditional needle lace called "oya" in which intricate floral designs are crocheted in silk. Hand-printed textiles known as "yazma" and woodworking styles have been handed down from the Ottomans. You may also want to try local Turkish sweets such as halva, Turkish delight and baklava.
Some of Turkey's staple dishes of today originated in Central Asia and were brought westward by migrating nomadic Turks. Some Turkish specialties are baklava; flat bread served with kebabs and also eaten during religious festivals; ayran, a salty liquid yogurt; boza, made from bulgur wheat; and cold fruit and vegetable juices such as cherry juice, turnip juice and fermented grape juice.
A Turkish breakfast might be feta-type cheese, tomatoes, olives and cucumber, honey, jam, butter, and bread with tea. Soups are eaten at any time of day. Turkish coffee is a famous specialty, very dark and strong. It is served in tiny cups and ordered according to the amount of sugar desired: "az" (a little), "orta" (medium), "coksekerli" (a lot). However, the daily drink is tea (cay), served with sugar and without milk. The most popular tea is apple flavored but there are also linden, rosehip and mint flavored teas. The national spirit is raki, a clear anise-flavored liquor which turns cloudy when water is added.
High prices are charged for imported wines and champagnes and are only found in high-end restaurants and bars. The locally brewed Efes Pilsen beer is excellent and widely available.
* It is illegal to take items out of Turkey that are over 100 years old, and qualifying antiques must have a certificate stating their age and showing permission for them to be removed.
* At all times dress should be modest. In eastern areas, women cover their arms and legs in public. Many cover their heads as well. Visitors need not do so, but limbs should be covered.
* When visiting a mosque, certain protocol should be observed. Remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall. Do not take pictures once inside. Men must not wear hats but women must cover their heads with a scarf. Shoulders and knees are to be covered. It is courteous to leave money in the donation box or with a mosque official.
* The army, Ataturk and the Turkish flag are three fundamental symbols of Turkish identity. Show respect to them at all times.
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