turkey
- Istanbul - City sights Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, Dolmabahce Palace, Camlica Hill, Rustem Pasha Mosque, Golden Horn & Bosphorus Cruise;
- Ankara - City sights Anatolian Civilisation Museum, Mausoleum of Ataturk, Black Sea Region tour;
- Ephesus - City sights Ruins of Ephesus, temple of Artemi, Olüdeniz tour;
- Pamukkale - City sights includes visit to Roman city of Hierapolis, hot mineral water spa;
- Goreme - City sights Open-air Museum, Kaymakli Underground City, Uchisar;
- Troy - City sights Ruins of Troy, Pergamon.
Turkey might be the world’s most contested country. Its landscape is dotted with battlegrounds, ruined castles and the palaces of great empires. This is the land where Alexander the Great slashed the Gordion Knot, where Achilles battled the Trojans in Homer’s Iliad, and where the Ottoman Empire fought battles that would shape the world. History buffs can immerse themselves in marvels and mementos stretching back to the dawn of civilisation. Then again, if you want to simply unwind, spend an afternoon being pampered at a hamam, or let the warm waters off the Mediterranean coast lap at your toes. Bon vivants need look no further than İstanbul, where the markets and bars are among the most stylish and atmospheric, and the mod Ottoman cuisine rates as the tastiest, in the world. Treat Turkey as that most quintessential of Turkish dishes, the meze, a table piled high with scrumptious treats. Throw away the menu, order a plate of everything and feast till you can’t go on. Afiyet olsun!
Istanbul is hot. And we’re not talking about the weather. These days, there are more happening restaurants, bars, galleries and clubs around town than there are exquisite Ottoman mosques (and that’s a lot). The international fashion and design press have been talking up İstanbul ad nauseam, but the most significant thing about the accolade ‘World’s Hippest City’ is that İstanbullus themselves have come believe it. The creeping sense of decrepitude that had fallen like a pall over their once-all-powerful home town has vanished, replaced by a sense of energy and innovation not seen since the days of Süleyman the Magnificent. The rakı-soaked meyhane (tavern) or tranquil çay bahçesi (tea garden) or hamam (turkish bath). Dubbed the ‘City of the World’s Desire’. Breathe in the heady mix of spices and herbs in the Egyptian Bazaar, then take an invigorating cruise on the Bosphorus for superb views.
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Ankara is the capital city and 2nd largest city, has a history that can be dated back 3000 years. Ankara is about as European as Turkey gets. There are touches of the mystical east if you know where to look but the vast majority of the city is 20th century through and through. Ankara is a huge university town and you'll find the streets of Kizilay and the bars of Sakarya thronged with students for most of the year. Visit the Anatolian Civilisation Museum, which also exhibits the remains of Catalhoyuk, the Neolithic village dating back to 6500 BC. Then visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. It is also a base for a Black Sea Coast tour, savor its deep history, its dramatic beauty, its special cuisine, and its prime legend: Jason led his Argonauts along this coast in quest of the Golden Fleece. Fat dairy cattle munch lush grass and produce the country's best milk and butter. Fresh sardines are a delicacy.
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Visit the ruins of Ephesus, which played a major role in the development of architecture, religions, governmental and economic systems and arts. The temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of ancient world and centre of pagan religion for 15 centuries. Here, Marc Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession, St. Paul preached in the Great Theatre, Virgin Mary spent her last days in a little house outside the city. St. John Church also visited. Ephesus is the best preserved classical city of the Eastern Mediterranean, and among the best places in the world enabling one to genuinely 'soak in' the atmosphere of Roman times. Explore Olüdeniz famous for its shades of turquoise and remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of Ölüdeniz, on a blue lagoon. Ölüdeniz is also regarded as one of the best places in the world to paraglide for unique panoramic views.
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Turkey's hot mineral water spa near Denizli, and the ruined Roman city of Hierapolis. An unusual natural and historical site with the sparkling white castle -like cascades, Pamukkale meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish is one of the most important highlights of Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years. In this area, there are 17 hot water springs in which the temperature ranges from 35 °C to 100 °C. The underground volcanic activity which causes the hot springs also forced carbon dioxide into a cave, which was called the Plutonium meaning place of the god, Pluto. This cave was used for religious purposes by priests of Cybele. It is recognized as a World Heritage Site.
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Best known for unique moon-like landscape, underground cities, cave churches and houses carved in the rocks. Unique corner of the world. Goreme open-air Museum is full of pink, rose and white tapering columns. The caves were settled in the 4th century as monasteries. Goreme often called "fairy chimneys", has a wide selection of natural and cultural wonders. The view at sunset (or sunrise with the balloons) is well worth the 10 minute walk uphill. The spectacle alone is worthwhile. Visit scliff caves to see Byzantine Frescoes decorating early Christian churches. Visit Kaymakli Underground City; carved out of rock and completely self contained. More than 200 people lived on each of the seven floors with the last one 250 feet underground. Visit natural citadel of Uchisar.
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The immortal city of the legendary Helen of Troy and Trojan Horse, which was destroyed and rebuilt nine times. The story of Troy is one of the most famous stories in Western literature. About 500 years separates the end of the Trojan War, The ruins are worth visiting, to try and imagine it as Helen saw it, the city Achilles attacked, the city that Hector lost his life defending. Imagination rules here. The key to Troy is to think about what was, not what is. The Trojan horse made for the 2004 movie Troy takes pride of place in a downtown park in Cannakale. Enroute visit Pergamon. Parchment was invented here. This was the home town of Galen, renowned doctor and surgeon and site of his temple devoted to healing, the Asclepion. The library once held 200,000 books - all parchment.
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