Turkey
Turkey just may be the ultimate holiday destination: in one thrilling, sun-kissed package tourists can discover perfect beaches, ancient ruins, epic religious sites, wonderful food, glorious scenery and a resoundingly warm welcome form the famously friendly local people.
Turkey includes tremendous variety in its vast borders: the west and east coast beach resorts offer pristine beaches and gorgeous turquoise-coloured waters, while to the west of the land are the rugged mountains of the Anatolian plateau, with its ancient cities and vibrant tribal cultures.
Turkey’s variety is best experienced in the glorious city of Istanbul, straddling two continent across the Bosphorous, and with Ottoman mosques and palaces, Roman ruins and glorious Byzantine churches interspersed with cutting edge nightlife, retail stores and modern developments.
It’s easy to get seduced by the picture-postcard perfect resorts of Oludeniz, Bodrum and Marmaris, but Turkey has plenty of other world-class attractions that earn rave reviews. Top draws include Cappadocia’s famed rock-hewn houses and churches, set amidst a lunar landscape; Gallipoli, a moving WWI site; the astounding Greco-Roman cities of Ephesus and Pergammon; and the thermal waters of Pamukkale.
Turkey offers a curious and exciting mix of ancient and modern; east and west; secular and pious, and visitors seldom find one trip is enough to get to grips with it all.
Turkey is an action-packed destination with plenty to see and do for the adventurous visitor. The largest city, Istanbul, features some unique and world-class sights such as the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, not to mention the shopping paradise of the Grand Bazaar, the largest and oldest covered market in the world.
Further afield you can find the ancient attractions of Ephesus, Troy and Augustus’ Temple. Turkey is a year-round destination although at its hottest during the peak summer month of July and August (don’t forget the sun block!).