Turkey

Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east; Iraq to the southeast; Syria and the Mediterranean Sea to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Cyprus is off the south coast. Most of the country's citizens are ethnic Turks, while Kurds are the largest ethnic minority. Ankara is Turkey's capital and second-largest city; Istanbul is its largest city and main financial centre.

The beautiful country of Turkey has plenty of historical attractions. It is filled with ancient monuments, underground cities, palaces, and ruins. The country has a vibrant culture, delicious cuisine, and friendly people. Their landscapes are glorious, making it one of the world’s most enchanting places. The Blue Mosque is popular for its blue walls surrounding its interiors. It is located in Istanbul, which was built in the 1600s.

Istanbul's Kapaliçarşi, or Grand Bazaar, may be the world's largest outdoor market, with 64 streets, 4,000 shops, and 25,000 workers. It also may be one of the oldest, having been built in the 15th century on the order of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.

Turkish Delight, or lokum, is one of the oldest sweets in world history, dating back 500 years. Napoleon and Winston Churchill were particularly fond of the ones with pistachio filling, and Picasso used to consume it daily while painting.

Source: Britannica.com

Things to do

Luxuriate in a Turkish bath

The Hammam is an ancient Turkish traditional method of bathing, using special techniques in the warmth of the Hammam Room to cleanse and exfoliate impurities from the body. This includes an all over scrub and a foam massage.

See Cappadocia from above

First thing in the morning, the skies above Cappadocia fill with hot-air balloons that take visitors floating above the area’s canyons, fairy chimneys and other fantastical rock formations.

Shop in colorful bazaars

Most historic centers will have at least one çarşı, a shopping arcade or maze-like marketplace district with vendors selling everything from cheap souvenirs to handmade leather or metal crafts.

Admire architectural splendor in Istanbul

The rulers of the city formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople left their marks in grand style. The Hagia Sophia’s soaring dome still leaves visitors awestruck a millennium and a half after its construction, while the towering Aqueduct of Valens and the vast subterranean Basilica Cistern attest to the impressive engineering feats that the Romans employed to supply the city and its residents with drinking water.

Visit Mount Nemrut Bestriding

This is remote religious complex above a 7000ft high mountain top in southeast Turkey is the sanctuary of King Antiochus I. It has the weathered statues of the king and the various Gods that he associates himself with. Antiochus’ tumulus is so large that it is in the Guinness Book of Records.