Turkey

Turkey lies on the ruins of many civilizations including Hittites, Trojans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantine Empire, Seljuks and Ottomans. You can feel this wealth of history everywhere you go in Turkey. Turks have a great cuisine, infamous baths, rich traditions associated with tea and coffee, evil eye pendants, high quality towels and bathrobes, traditional rugs, whirling dervishes, nargile (Turkish water pipe) and of course Turkish delight.

Aegean
Arguably the most beautiful of Turkey’s coastlines, the Aegean Region is perhaps best known for its turquoise sea and the enviable “blue cruise” route. The Aegean is littered with ancient sites, including two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and King Mausolus’ Tomb in Bodrum.

Marmara
This region uniquely straddles both Europe and Asia and the two continents are separated by the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles. Istanbul is undoubtedly the jewel of the Marmara Region, but don’t miss the Ottoman cities of Edirne and Bursa.

Mediterranean
Stretching from the south of the splendid Taurus Mountains, Turkey’s Mediterranean coast is awash with sandy beaches, beautiful scenery, secluded coves and fascinating ancient sites, including the amazing Aspendos Theatre. The region also boasts an enviable climate of long, hot summers and mild winters.

East and South East
High mountain ranges, plunging valleys, expansive plains and vast lakes, East and South East Turkey is a region of contrast and colours. Adorned with the unique architectural samples of Turkish culture, attractions include the impressive Ishak Pasa Palace and the imposing Mount Ararat, thought to be the landing point of Noah’s Ark.

Black Sea
Among the most fertile regions of the country, the Black Sea area is famed for verdant plateaus, traditional villages with a way of life unchanged for generations and fields of tea, hazelnuts, tobacco and corn.

Central Anatolia
Home to Ankara, Turkey’s capital and political centre, Central Anatolia also boasts the fascinating City of Konya, the country’s spiritual heart, as well as the expansive natural wonder that is the region of Cappadocia.

Activities and Tours

Aya Sofya
The Church of the Divine Wisdom (Hagia Sophia in Greek) is one of the most impressive and important buildings ever constructed. Its wide, flat dome was a daring engineering feat in the 6th century, and architects still marvel at the building's many innovations. Called Hagia Sophia in Greek, Sancta Sophia in Latin, Ayasofya in Turkish, it was built on the site of Byzantium's acropolis by Emperor Justinian (527-65 AD) in 537 AD.

Devrent Valley
Many Cappadocian valleys boast collections of strange volcanic cones, but the ones near Aktepe in northern Cappadocia, known as the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys, are the best-formed and most thickly clustered. While geologists might congregate to appreciate the effects of differential erosion, everyone else just likes their other-worldly appeal. Most of the rosy rock cones are topped by flattish, darker stones of harder rock that sheltered the cones from the rain that eroded all the surrounding rock. This process is known to geologists as differential erosion but you can just call it kooky.

Ephesus
Ephesus is the best preserved classical city on the Mediterranean,and perhaps the best place in the world to get the feeling for what life was like in Roman times. As a strategic coastal gateway to the Eastern World, this Ionian refuge grew to be the second largest city in the Roman Empire, the site of a Christian shrine, and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Mt Ararat
Ararat is a dormant volcano; the last eruption was on June 2, 1840. At present the upper third of the mountain is covered with snow all the time; the last hundred meters of snow at the top have turned to ice. For climbers on the mountain, fresh running water is available after the sun has been up a while to melt the snow, but it is cut off in the late afternoon when cold air has overcome the heat of the sun. Below the snow the slopes are covered with great blocks of black basalt rock, some as large as village houses.

Musuem of Anatolian Civilisations
This is one of the most important museums
in Turkey. It is made up of two buildings, Caravansary and Bedesten which were built around 1464 to 1471. Its valuable collection encompasses the story of all the various civilizations established in Asia Minor.

Pamukkale Hierapolis
Located 20 kilometers from the town of Denizli in the Aegean region of Turkey, Pamukkale is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains.

Safranbolu
The known history of Safranbolu, located near the north western Black Sea coast of Anatolia, in Karabük nearby Zonguldak, dates back as far as 3000 BC. Once a city of Roman Province of "Paphlagonia", Safranbolu has hosted many civilizations including the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman Empires throughout its history. During the Ottoman era the town served as an important junction on the Kastamonu Gerede (Bolu Istanbul route of the famous silk road. Safranbolu was at the same time a popular residence for Ottoman Royalty close to the Sultan and Grand Viziers.

Troy
This Troy which is worthy of attention today with its city walls in good condition, was succeeded by Troy VII which is the stratum where the famous war was made. This stratum is divided into strata VIIa and VIIb respectively, and the Trojan war, which was the first war in the world between the east and the west, took place in Troy VIIa in the years of 1200 B.C.

Climate
Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts : These coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The swimming season becomes shorter the further north one goes: Marmara and North Aegean-June to September, South Aegean and Mediterranean- April to October.
Black Sea Coast : Warm summers, mild winters, and relatively high rainfall.
Central Anatolia : Steppe climate with hot, dry summers, cold winters.
Eastern Anatolia : Long snowy, cold winters with mild summers.
Southeast Anatolia : Hot summer with mild, rainy winters.

Time Zone
Turkey is 2 hours ahead of GMT (+2 GMT).

Population
According to a 1990 census, Turkey has 57 million inhabitants, 41% of whom live in the countryside. Although Turkey is 99% Moslem, it is a secular stale that guarantees complete freedom of worship to non Moslems.

Transport
Turkish Airlines links all major cities including the Istanbul Ankara corridor. Buses go everywhere in Turkey frequently , cheaply and usually comfortably. Trains have a hard time competing with long distance buses for speed, but the sleeping car trains linking Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara are good value.

Currency and credit cards
Turkey's currency is the Turkish Lira. Many shops and restaurants in the coastal resorts and big cities accept payment in foreign currency. But if you are planning to travel to other parts of the country, it is advisible to take some Turkish Lira. With a credit or debit card you can withdraw local currency from cash machines which are found in convenient locations in cities, towns and resorts. There are also cash machines in the arrivals halls at most airports.Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops.

Dress Code
Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean coasts: Light, cotton summer clothing and cardigans for evening. Black Sea Coast, Central and Eastern Anatolia: Summer wear, warmer clothing should be taken for cool evenings at high altitudes. Comfortable shoes are necessary for visiting archaeological and historical sites. Before entering a mosque, Muslims wash themselves and remove their shoes.

Safety and security
Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.