OVERVIEW

Straddling the invisible boundary between Europe and Asia, and a crossroads where east meets west, culture-rich Turkey offers exceptional landmarks, wonderful natural scenery, and historical legacies. Its culture and especially its cuisine reflect the many empires and armies that have passed this way, heading either east or west.

Turkey is a large country and contains a remarkable diversity of scenery. Like other Mediterranean destinations, it has a mild climate and dazzling coastlines scattered with magnificent beaches, quaint fishing harbors, pine woods, and olive groves. But it’s perhaps the rugged interior that is most impressive.

Whether you come to Turkey to relax, explore, shop, or eat, you’ll inevitably find yourself wanting to return.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Explore the historical sites of Istanbul such as the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia Basilica, Blue Mosque, Byzantine Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar.
  • Stroll through the streets of the ancient city of Ephesus including the Virgin Mary’s House.
  • Take a dip in the Cotton Castle Springs at Pamukkale and the ruins of the Roman health spa at Hierapolis.
  • Sleep in a cave hotel at Cappadocia, and take a hot air balloon flight at dawn across the Goreme Valley of ‘fairy chimneys’ formed by erosion over millions of years.
  • Travel back in time as you explore the excavation site of Troy near Canakkale.
  • Discover pristine beaches, fishing villages and ancient ruins along the Mediterranean coast near Antalya.
Gateway city: Istanbul
Best time to travel: March through May; September through November

ISTANBUL

The only city in the world built on two continents, Istanbul reaches for Asia on one side and Europe on the other. The Bosphorus Strait slices through it, lined with magnificent monuments, palatial homes, ancient architecture, and bustling markets, representing a mosaic of cultures, nations, and religions.

EPHESUS

The ancient city of Ephesus is Turkey’s most important ancient city, which had been inhabited for about 9,000 years, and is one of the best-preserved and restored. Stroll through the streets passing temples, theatres, libraries, houses, and statues.

CAPPADOCIA

Cappadocia’s spectacular landscape is entirely sculpted by erosion. The Göreme Valley and its surroundings contain rock-hewn sanctuaries that provide unique evidence of Byzantine art in the post-Iconoclastic period. Villages show evidence of prehistoric cave dwellers and underground cities of traditional human habitation dating back to the 4th century.

CANAKKALE

Çanakkale is the honorable resting place for the soldiers who lost their lives in Gelibolu. Yachts line the marina while hotels, restaurants, and cafes flank the promenade with views of the Kilitbahir Fortress and Çanakkale Archaeological Museum. It is here that you will find the Archaeological Site of Troy which was added to the World Heritage Cultural List of UNESCO.

PAMMUKALE

Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle,” refers to the shimmering, snow-white limestone, formed over millions of years by calcium-rich hot springs, dripping slowly down the vast mountainside, collecting in terraces, of milky pools below. The ancient Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis was built on top of the hill and can be seen from the other side of the valley, twelve miles away.

ANTALYA

Situated at the end of a gulf, Antalya extends over a green plateau running parallel to the sea, backdropped by the clear, blue sea, luminous sky, and the ever-changing color of its mountains. Lush forests hide ancient cities that were once protected by strong walls in Roman times.