Luxury Resorts and Lively Beaches

Away from the mysticism and magic of Istanbul the southern coast is where most of the holidaying action occurs. There are many popular resorts to stay at including Olu Deniz and Marmaris, famed for their excellent nightlife and beaches and also Bodrum, the place to be in Turkey right now If it is a day relaxing in bars and mingling with a who’s who clientele then you need to be in Marmaris. The defining feature of this resort is the glitzy marina, set against a dramatic backdrop of woodland, that is often full with luxury yachts. Further along there is Fethiye, a leading beach resort with its own marina and bustling bazaar. It is also at resorts like this that, when arriving on a flight to Turkey, you can make the most of some lively nightlife. Whilst this image of beach life and partying in luxury bars is quite alluring, there is another side to holidays in the country, a side not to be missed when arriving on cheap flights to Turkey.

Airports in Turkey

Turkey has 35 international airports. The main airport is in Istanbul. This is right on the border between Asia and Europe. Other important airports can be found in Antalya, Ankara and Dalaman. Below you will find the top 5 airports in Turkey.

Best places to visit in Turkey

Due to a long and fragmented history, Turkey is now littered in dramatic and important ancient ruins, grand feats of architecture and picturesque landscapes. Some of this history can be absorbed at sites like Ephesus and Priene. Then there is the Mausoleum of Halikarnassus in Bodrum, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is joined by the 15th Century Castle of St Peter, all the while surrounded by an artisan crowd that has made this resort so popular. We have to finish by talking about the bazaars that characterise this country. These are busy markets with a humdrum of activity, plenty of weird and wonderful things to try and buy and they are, in themselves, a cultural experience not to be missed. Below you can find more information about the best places to visit in Turkey

1. Van

Van is a city in southeastern Turkey, that was hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake on 23 October, 2011. Over 600 people died in the earthquake and thousands were left homeless.

Van is called the Pearl of the East due to its beautiful landscape. It is situated next to lake Van. During your stay in Van a must visit is the Akdamar island and its gorgeous Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The city has a famous breed of cats called the Van Cat, which has white fur and different colored eyes. The legend says that if a Van cat leaves Van it will die.

2. Diyarbakır

Diyarbakır is the capital of Kurdish Diyarbakır Province. An estimated 72% of the inhabitants of Diyarbakır use Kurdish most often in their daily speech. In the three decades after the Turkish Republic was founded in 1923, Diyarbakır was the center stage of Turkish-nationalist policies against Kurds. During this era many Kurdish elites were destroyed or deported to western Turkey.

3. Ani

Ani is a medieval Armenian city, now in ruins. The city is uninhabited today and lays in the Turkish province of Kars. During the Middle Ages the city had a population of around 100,000 -200,000. Ani became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1579. The town was entirely abandoned by the middle of the 18th century due to political unrest in the region. You can read more about Ani from journalist Alexander Christie Miller’s blog.

4. Trabzon

Trabzon lays by the beautiful Black Sea coast. The city has an important historical past as a trade center and it used to be part of the famous Silk Road trade route. Due to its importance for merchants around the world the city became a melting pot of different religions, languages and cultures. Trabzon also operated as a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast. Now-a-days Trabzon is famous for its anchovies dish called hamsi and for its hazelnuts and tea.

5. Kars

Famous from Nobel literature prize winner Orhan Pamuk’s book Snow, Kars is the capital of Kars Province located by the Armenian border. The city has historic importance for Armenians. Turkey closed its Kars border crossing with Armenia in April 1993 as a response to the capture of Kelbajar district of Azerbaijan by Armenian forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. The border has remained closed ever since. The historical Armenian Church of the Apostles built in the 10th century was converted to a mosque in 1998.

6. Izmir

Izmir, located by the Aegean sea, is the third largest city in Turkey with a population of around 3 million. Izmir has almost 3,500 years of recorded urban history and is one of the oldest settlements of the Mediterranean basin. There are many ruins around the city and the fortress of Kadifekale- built by Lysimachus in around 300 BC- is also located in Izmir. Many Roman emperors visited Izmir back in the day due to its importance.

7. Antakya

Antakya- located in the Hatay Province by the Syrian border- is a historical city that offers not only good food but also many interesting sights. The city has been recently in the news due to many refugees escaping the violent uprising in Syria staying in the camps in the province. Antakya is famous for being the first place where the followers of Jesus Christ were called Christians. The city hosts one of the oldest churches in the world: the church of Saint Peter (dates back to around the 4th or 5th century).

8. Izmit

Izmit is located less than 2 hours drive away from Istanbul (100km to the east). If you rent a car it is an easy day-trip destination. Izmit region used to be the ancient city of Nicomedia; the eastern and most senior capital city of the Roman Empire between 286 and 324. Now-a-days Izmit has a small village atmosphere. It is not uncommon to see cows and tractors on the roads. Izmit is the perfect getaway for nature lovers. The town also has a beautiful freshwater lake Sapanca: one of the few lakes in Turkey that provides drinking water to urban areas. You can also take a walk in the surrounding forest.

9. Edirne

Edirne lays in Thrace, a region that covers southeastern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, and the European part of Turkey. Edirne offers peace and calmness: a nice break from Istanbul’s hectic lifestyle. The city’s old Selimiye Mosque-commissioned by Sultan Selim II and built between 1569 and 1575- is surrounded by a small park where people relax on the grass and have picnics. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453 and there are many mosques in the city. Edirne is also famous for the traditional oil-wrestling tournament called Kırkpınar. The tournament is held annually in June.

10. Ankara

The capital of Turkey is not just a boring political and bureaucratic center of the country. Ankara has a dynamic population of 4.5 million people. Ankara gained the capital city status in 1923 after the Turkish Republic was founded. The city center was located in Ulus, which is now the old city center. The new downtown area is called Kizilay.

Ankara has many embassies that employ an estimated 6-7.000 people around the world. Hence, the city has an huge international community. The embassy district of Gaziosmanpasa has many chic restaurants, cafes and bars. The nightlife is active nearly every night on the Sakarya Cad. located in Kizilay, especially in the sprig and summer time. Many famous Turkish artist have a connection to Ankara and the city has four or five good art schools. Ankara’s oldest art gallery Siyah Beyaz is a must-see for art lovers anywhere.

11. Istanbul

The ancient city of Istanbul has become, over the years, one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan cities. Turkey’s economic growth during the 1980s saw Istanbul’s streets fill up with new hotels, restaurants, shops and all things cultural. Istanbul is a city of contradictions: party revelers head home at dawn just in time for prayers while rickety old donkey carts fight for space on the roads with shiny new BMWs. There is a lot to see in this Turkish city and most of the old buildings pay respect to the strong religious history of the country. The main historical center is in and around the district of Sultanahmet, a narrow peninsula between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara to the south.