TURKEY

The land of Turkey lies spread out across the southern region of two continents - east of Europe and west of Asia. As a result it also covers two significant landscapes - the Anatolian peninsula and the Balkans. The Mediterranean Sea to the south; the Aegean Sea to the southwest; The Sea of Marmara and the country of Greece to the west; Bulgaria to the northwest; and the Black Sea to the northAs a bridge between Europa and Asia. In Turkey' s you will experience an incredible diversity in history, nature, culture. Turkey is a vast peninsula, covering an area 780.000 square km. and linking Asia to Europa throught the Sea of Marmara and the Straights of Istanbul and Çanakkale. Breathtaking natural beauty, historical and archaeological sites, steadily improving hotel and tourism infrastructure, and a tradition of hospitality and competitive prices.This in itself may not be a chalenge for the seasoned traveller. Airways: International airports at Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Trabzon, Bodrum, Dalaman... Turkish Airlines realizes direct flights from Istanbul to many cities in Europe and Asia; Railways: daily services are available from the Bosfor Ekspresi, between Budapest, Bucharest, Belgrade and Sofia to Istanbul. Also the Dostluk Ekspresi connects Istanbul and Thessaloniki; Roadways: Turkish bus lines ply between Frankfurt and Vienna; Waterways: ferry cars services Marmara Lines ply between Turkey's Aegean coast and the Greek Islands. 

Turkey has rich cultural heritage. The great Mezzopatamians, the Urartian and Hittite 

kingdoms flourished in Anotolia. Istanbul has the hanpurof having served as the capital of three successive empires The Roman, The Byzantine and the Ottoman.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that Turkey has become one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations. I have many special memories of Turkey, however, I would have to highlight the hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia as one of my favourites. This experience is truly breathtaking and extraordinary. To watch the sun rise over this fascinating landscape of rock formations, and to see all the colours and mountains while in the air with over a hundred other colourful balloons is a unique and exhilarating feeling. 

The region’s stunning geography repeats itself all along the Bozburun Peninsula, at beaches like those at Turunç, Kumlubük, and Orhaniye Bays, where secluded and sandy bays nestle at the base of undulating forests. Probably one of the most famous beaches is on Sedir Island, more commonly known as Cleopatra Beach,
All along this length of this momentous landmass are sun-tinged stretches of sand, pebble beaches and breathtaking coves. Off the coast of Çanakkale is ancient Tenedos, today the island of Bozcaada, surrounded by coves once used as a staging area for onslaughts against the citizens of Troy.
The entire region surrounding Fethiye is a spectacularly picturesque seaside wonderland of sun, sand, sea and story.  If there’s any one beach that serves as the ambassador of Turkey’s extraordinary shoreline, it’s Ölüdeniz, named for the protected and postcard worthy Blue Lagoon at the far end of Belcekiz Beach and one of the top five beaches in the world. 

The Aeolian and Ionian coastline that runs north to ancient Troy and south as far as Knidos, where the Aegean and the Mediterranean collide, bind the civilizations of antiquity and the sands of time firmly onto Turkey’s Aegean shores.There, it’s possible to steep in a hot springs while immersed in the sea In Ilica, ride the wind along the shallow waters of Alaçati on a windsurfing board, or relax on a beach adjacent to the Castle Fortress of Çesme.

With almost 4,500 effervescent miles of coastline, Turkey can boast 314 beaches that meet the stringent Blue Flag criteria.
As a city surrounded by seas, Istanbul is blessed with sparkling beaches steeped in history and mythology. From the sandy stretch at Kilyos on the Black Sea, to the Caddebostan Beach, where the Marmara Sea meets the Bosphorus Straits or the secluded shores of Adalar (Princes’ Islands).For lovers of an active life, sailing in clear waters provides great opportunities for swimming, fishing, water skiing, surfing and diving. Bodrum, Marmaris, Ayvalık, Antalya, Side, Didim are famous beach in Turkey.

Near to the celebrated ancient city of Ephesus are the beaches of Kuşadası, once the purview of Agamemnon, of Alexander the Great, of St. John and possibly of the Mother Mary herself. From the town’s central expanse of sand, sunbathers can watch the cruise ships glide in and out of port, or take advantage of the scores of family friendly beaches to the north and south of town. The Virgin Mary and the Apostle John are believed to have died in Ephesus.

Turkey is the land where the first Christian state,  the Byzantine Empire, was founded - a state that lasted for 1000 years.The Virgin Mary and the Apostle John  are believed to have died in Ephesus. This is also the land of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse and was the venue for the first seven councils.

The Seljuks and Ottomans developed a highly original decoratice and pistorial style for ceramics, imitating the technique of tile-mosaic. With the emergence of Ottoman might, ceramic art matured and Bursa, İznik, Kütahya and  Istanbul beacame majör centres of production.

Mount Nemrut can be found in South-eastern Turkey, 40 km North Kahta near Adıyaman, standing at a height of 2206m. It is most notable for the gigantic statues located at the 1st century BC tomb on its summit - a sanctuary built by King Antiochus I of Commagene.

The spellbinding peak of Nemrut Dağı (nehm-root dah-uh) rises to a height of 2106m in the Anti-Taurus Range between Malatya to the north and Kahta to the south. It's set within the 138-sq-km Nemrut Dağı Milli Parkı, which also encompasses other monuments from the ancient Commagene kingdom. (This Nemrut Dağı is not to be confused with the less visited Nemrut Dağı near Lake Van.) It's relatively easy to get to the summit with your own vehicle, and it's also easy to take a tour from Kahta or Malatya. There are also several accommodation options a few kilometres from the summit; most are reachable by public transport and will drive guests up to the summit.

In addition to the historic edifices proudly displayed at such mail archaeological sites as Troy, Pergamum, Ephesus, Miletus, Didyma, Aphrodisias, Heraclia, Caunos, Perge and Aspendos many coastal villages and towns are blessedwith their very own Anatolian ruins on the outskirts.

İzmir Province, Selcuk district of the ancient city of Ephesus first organization within the borders of BC 6000 year on and then goes down.  Research and mounds around Ephesus during excavations carried out in recent years (prehistoric settlement hill) and Ayasuluk Hill, where the castle and found Bronze Age settlement on the Hittite. Ephesus has been inhabited approximately for 9000 years throughout the Helenistic Era, Roman Period, Byzantine Era, the Period of Principalities and the Ottoman Era has always been a very important port city and the centre of cultura and commerce.

The Soumela Monastery, which is located in the region  of Maçka ( antique Matsuka city) in Trabzon province is one of the oldest and most historic monasteries in the christian world. The holy monastery is about 45 kms from Trabzon and its sacred history is very important  in regard to  christian life. The miraculous and magnificent building of this antique monastery is located 1200 metres above sea level and faces the Altındere   Valley from one of the steep cliffs of Mount Mela.

Troy or “Truva” is one of the most famous and historically significant sites in the world. Located in modern day Turkey, the site marks the meeting place of Anatolia, the Aegean and the Balkans, making it a vitally important source of information about the historic relationships between these regions. Regardless of whether Troy was the actual site of the Trojan War, the archaeological site of Troy is a fascinating place for history enthusiasts and tourists alike. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Dolmabahçe Palace was built by Sultan Abdulmecid (1839-1861) who was the thirty first Ottoman Sultan. The palace, whose construction commenced on June 13th, 1843, was brought into use on June 7th, 1856, upon completion of surrounding walls. The palace mainly consists of three parts, named as the Imperial Mabeyn (State Apartments), Muayede Salon (Ceremonial Hall) and the Imperial Harem. 

The Imperial Mabeyn was allocated for administrative affairs of the state, Imperial Harem was allocated for private lives of the sultan and his family and the Muayede Salon, placed between these two sections, was allocated for exchanging of bayram greetings of sultan with dignitary statesmen and for some important state ceremonies.The conquest of Istanbul by Mehmed the Conqueror at 1453, construction of the Topkapı Palace was started at the year 1460 and completed at 1478 . Palace was built upon a 700.000 squaremeters area on an Eastern Roman Acropolis located at the Istanbul Peninsula between Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. 

Topkapı Palace, was the administrative, educational and art center of the Empire for nearly four hundred years since Mehmed the Conqueror until Sultan Abdulmecid who is the thirty-first Sultan. Although Palace was abandoned by the Ottoman Dynasty by moving to the Dolmabahçe Palace at middle 19th century, Topkapı Palace was protected its importance everytime.

Following the foundation of the Turkish Republic after World War 1, Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir became the focus of social and business life. For visitors, the big city offers an abundance of museums and famous historical sites, along with nightclubs, taverns and bazaars filled with silver and copper objectsi carpets and gold jewellery.The Republic of Turkey, Topkapı Palace, was transformed into a museum at the date April 3th 1924 and it was also the first museum of the Republic of Turkey. Topkapı Palace Museum is covering approximately 400.000 squaremeters at the present day.Topkapı Palace is one of the biggest palace-museums with its architectural structures, collections and approximately 300.000 archive papers.

The Hagia Sophia was the emperor's swaggering statement to the world of the wealth and technical ability of his empire. Tradition maintained that the area surrounding the emperor's throne within the church was the official centre of the world. Through its conversion to a mosque after the Ottoman armies conquered Constantinople to its further conversion into a museum in the 20th century, the Aya Sofya has remained one of Istanbul's most cherished landmarks.

The Hagia Sophia was built in 537 as an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral, though it wasn’t the first structure on the site. It became a Roman Catholic Church for a short time in the 1200’s, but remained a church until 1453 when it became a mosque. Sucularized and re-opened as a museum in the 1930s, the Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul’s most precious buildings.

The Blue Mosque ( Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish) is an historical mosque in Istanbul. The mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design.Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 years, during the rule of Ahmed I. just like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasa and a hospice.Besides still used as a mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque has also become a popular tourist attraction in Istanbul.