Turkey is where eternal curiosity meets its match; at the crossroads of numerous civilisations, it has countless stories to impart. Virtually every street and building has a fable to communicate, with pristine beaches, spice markets, temples, and age-old cities thrown in for good measure.
Straddling Asia and Europe, Turkey’s coastline is dazzling, with the Aegean coast, taking in Bodrum, Izmir, and Kusadasi, curling round to the spectacular Turkish Riveria – a piece of glorious shoreline located between Antalya and Fethiye. And for the perfect top-notch package holiday, look no further than Lara Beach, with its long golden sands and swanky hotels.
Turkey has got some real surprises up its sleeve too. In Dalaman, Olu Deniz is home to the Blue Lagoon, which even travel writers can’t do justice to when they try to explain it. However, we’ll try! On Turkey’s southern coast, the Blue Lagoon is celebrated for its ever-changing shades of turquoise and azure, as well as its soft sands. Separated from the main beach by a sand bar and narrow channel, its shallow waters invite you to paddle barefoot along the shoreline or swim across to the tiny island at the mouth of the lagoon.
There are countless other wonders, both natural and manmade, to track down in Turkey, including:
Ankara
Turkey’s capital city, offers a lively arts and culture scene with a sizeable concentration of museums, including the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
Mardin
Where the Old City, perched on a strategic hilltop overlooking the plains of Mesopotamia, offers a labyrinth of winding streets that lead visitors past terraced houses and to popular sites such as the Deyrü’z-Zafaran Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the world.
Konya
One of the oldest cities in the world, famous for its extraordinary Seljuk architecture and Whirling Dervishes, is a large city in Turkey’s Central Anatolia Region.
Antalya
Situated along the beautiful Turkish Riveria, is a pulsating city with myriad resorts, hotels, bars, and restaurants. Magnificent landscapes surround the city, including stunning beaches and verdant mountains sprinkled with ancient ruins.
Ephesus
Europe’s most complete classical metropolis. By the first century BCE, Ephesus was one of the principal cities of the Roman Empire, boasting one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis.
And of course, we can’t forget Istanbul.
Historically known as Byzantium and then Constantinople, it was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Today, straddling the Bosporus Strait, one of two waterways that separate the European and Asian parts of Turkey, the city is where old meets new, and history meets the future.
Not only is Istanbul packed to the rafters with architectural marvels, not least the Hagia Sophia, it is also an exotic paradise where you can explore market stalls or sit back and enjoy a Turkish tea in the sun.
Many countries claim to ‘have it all’ – but Turkey really does. Pay a visit, and you’ll never forget the experience.