Turkey: If you like

Bazars

Seljuk and Ottoman merchants who once roamed the Silk Road marked step in caravanserai to handle their affairs. The tradition lives on in the labyrinthine bazaars, where Turks and tourists negotiate fiercely.

• Grand Bazar, Istanbul Nothing like to practice haggling that 4000 shops this huge indoor market.
• Bazar d'Urfan Holidays With its narrow alleys and shady courtyards, the place evokes neighboring Syria.
• The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul A maze untouched by tourism, which houses stalls silk and puppet shadow theater.
• Mandatory bargaining Buying a carpet is a fun and theatrical activity involving repeated visits and consumption of liters of tea.
• Spice Bazaar, Istanbul Turkish delight and the pyramids of colorful spices of this mess delight the senses.

Hammams

The hammam is also known as Turkish bath, a name invented by the Europeans were introduced to this hedonistic pleasure by the Ottomans. Topped with domes, it is similar to the Roman and Byzantine baths. People come here for a massage or simply relax in a soothing atmo sphere.

• Sefa Hamam, AntalyaIn Kaleici (old Antalya), between the Ottoman houses and the Roman port, this restored gemXIIIth century Seljuk retains many elements.
• Cağaloğlu Bath, Istanbul The most beautiful hammam of the city, near Hagia Sophia, open to swimmers since 1741.
• Traditional massage If masseurs usually have the softest hands towards foreigners, Turks are entitled to a rather rude and aggressive treatment.
• Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Hammam, Edirne We owe to the great architect Mimar Sinan splendor of this XVIth century mosque opposite the famous three galleries.

Beaches

Sun lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to laze by the beloved Homer "wine-colored sea." Turkey is indeed surrounded by the Mediterranean, the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, whose shores were the scene of many episodes of Greek mythology.

• Patara If we once came to Patara for its temple and oracle of Apollo, vacationers and sea turtles now have a preference for the 20 km of white sand.
• Squash A tractor ride through a steep road down to the village on the Mediterranean.
• Islands in the Aegean SeaIn Bozcaada , a Greek monastery dominates the Ayazma beach, while those of Gökçeada are practically deserted.
• Pamucak Near Kuşadası and Selçuk but much less developed, this vast expanse of sand formed by the estuary is one of the less crowded southern Aegean Sea.

Museums

In a country marked by great civilizations of the Hittites to the Ottomans, any self-respecting city houses a museum dealing with local history, whether it is a dusty collection of prehistoric artifacts or international facilities active art.

• İstanbul Museums like those of Turkish and Islamic Arts should not obscure the original places in the image of Santralistanbul in a former power station.
• Museum of Health, Edirne Devoted to Ottoman medicine, it occupies a former psychiatric hospital where patients were treated with music therapy.
• Open Air Museum in Goreme Byzantine churches and monasteries carved into the rock in Cappadocia.
• Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara To learn more about the people who thrived and disappeared in the steppes of Anatolia.
• Ottoman houses A reconstruction of daily life in the Ottoman period.

Cities

From a rather chauvinistic natural, Turkish invariably says his city that is the most beautiful ( in çok güzel ). If the whole country the urban environment is less attractive as mountainous and coastal natural landscapes, however, there are several notable exceptions.

• İstanbul The inhabitants of this metropolis, the capital of two empires, tend to still believe in the center of the world.
• İzmir Largest port in the Aegean Sea, the ancient Smyrna was a cosmopolitan trading city where there is now a resort atmosphere.
• Antalya The front of the "Turkish Riviera" door elegantly combines architectural heritage and modernity.
• Edirne Less touristy, the northernmost city in Turkey not least contains stunning Ottoman mosques.
• Antioch Bastion of Hellenistic culture and early Christianity, the ancient Antioch, on the Syrian border, betrays a marked Arabic influence.

Romantic Hotels

In Turkey, a growing number of Ottoman and Greek houses, built respectively in wood and stone, are converted into small independent hotels (boutique hotels) offering personalized service in a very attractive setting stay.

• Cappadocia Can be housed here inside a fairy chimney enjoying the luxury of a steam room carved into the rock.
• Alacati The Aegean village houses a hundred guesthouses Greek stone, and a warehouse with olive oil and windmills.
• ASU Konak, Istanbul In southeastern Anatolia wild, this splendid XIXth century has a beautiful courtyard where you can dine.
• Central Anatolia In Safranbolu and Amasya, Ottoman houses on stilts, converted into hotels, is part of a rocky landscape, the second, the tombs of the kings of Pontus.
• Old City A handful of boutique hotels add an extra touch to the old Roman and Ottoman district of Antalya.

History

Turkey boasts a rich history, as evidenced by the profusion of mosques, palaces, ancient sites and museums. Just stroll through a bazaar to soak up the atmosphere of the markets of the Silk Road.

• İstanbul The traces of this ancient imperial capital in the Sultanahmet district, which surrounds the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
• Dardanelles On one side are the legendary ruins of Troy, on the other the Gallipoli Peninsula, site of the Battle of the Dardanelles during the First World War.
• Northern Aegean coast The descendants of Turkmen nomads and displaced during the population exchanges with Greece people embody a living page of history of Turkey.
• Christianity Byzantine monasteries of Cappadocia and medieval churches of the Georgian valleys reminder that the country was Christian before being Muslim.

Vestiges

The numerous archaeological sites arouse the curiosity of tourists. They are enthroned in the city center or on top of a sheer cliff, these relics of the past captivate the imagination.

• Ephesus The best preserved ancient city in the eastern Mediterranean.
• Pergamon The ancient city of Asclepion, a sanctuary of the god of medicine, has an amphitheater on the hillside.
• Armenian ruins Eastern Anatolia is home to the Church of the Holy Cross (Xth century) to Akdamar, an island in Lake Van, and the ruins of Ani, the ancient capital of Armenia.
• Kekova A Byzantine city of Lycian tombs and immersed at the bottom of the Mediterranean.
• Neglected sites Around the country are hidden rarely visited ruins, overgrown.
• Mount Nemrut At the top of Mount Nemrut austere stand heads monumental statues erected by King Mithridates Ier before the Roman period.

Sports

With a relief alternating mountains, steppes and beaches, Turkey is perfect for outdoor activities, family ride to extreme sports. And after exercise, tea and local delicacies provide a well-deserved comfort.

• Walking Getaway day in Cappadocia or more than 500 km of trails along the Mediterranean coast.
• Diving Swim with amphorae or off Gallipoli discover the wreck of a ship of the First World War.
• Water Sports Windsurfing, kite boarding, canoeing and water skiing are practiced on the coasts merrily in the Aegean and the Mediterranean.
• Adventure sports The Anatolia allows sports like rafting and mountain walking.
• Canyoning 18 km long, throat Saklıkent, near Fethiye, is a mecca for canyoning.
• Ski Turkey has stations for winter sports, especially Erciyes Dağı and Uludağ.

Landscapes

Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Turkey is a succession of enchanting landscapes, dotted with ancient sites and villages.

• Cappadocia It is on foot or horse that best enjoyed fairy chimneys and valleys of tuff.
• Northeastern Anatolia Rugged environment dominated by Mount Ararat (5137 m), the highest point of the country.
• From Amasra to Sinop Drive between beaches and green hills of the Black Sea.
• Behramkale This hilltop town reveals a stunning view of the Aegean coast.
• Lake Van A lake surrounded by snow capped mountains.
• Bozburun Peninsula A wild Mediterranean coastline dotted with coves and pine forests.
• Mount Nemrut A peak where giant stone heads contemplate the chain of the Anti-Taurus.
• Parc national Allah Dağlar Waterfalls that cascade down the limestone cliffs of the Taurus Mountains.

Cuisine

The hedonistic nature of the Turks is manifested through the street food like those of great restaurants. Each region has its specialties, which can be enjoyed in full stamp institutions. The places where you can toast in pleasant surroundings also abound.

• Fishing The fishermen association Ayvalık runs one of the best in the Aegean coast.
• Cihangir Artists and young dreadlocked relax in front of the bars and cafes of this trendy area of ​​Istanbul.
• Replenishing the Pancake In the Gallipoli peninsula, a family restaurant dishes combining home and bucolic atmosphere.
• Ziggy's Named after the homonymous song by David Bowie, the Urgup chic restaurant has a fabulous view of the lunar landscape of Cappadocia.
• West of the Mediterranean coastNothing like a drink by the sea after a hot day. Ölüdeniz and Patara, among others, have pleasant bars.