Turkey
Why go?
Turkey is a country with a bit of everything. It encompasses azure
Mediterranean coasts, dusty Anatolian plains, bustling Black Sea
ports, pastoral Kurdish territories and the cultural cosmo-polis of
Constantinople, modern Istanbul. It stretches over 1,500 km end to
end, from the Greek islands in the west, past the limestone
cave-worlds of Cappadocia and the snowy forests of the Kashkar, to
the Biblical slopes of Mount Ararat on the eastern borders with
Armenia and Iran.
Historically, it's seen 3 of the world's largest empires, from the
ancient Greeks, some of whose key cities (including Troy and
Ephesus) are in modern-day Turkey, to the Byzantines, the 'Eastern
Romans' who created their capital at Constant-inople, and the
Ottomans, who ruled everything from Vienna to Iran.
In every sense, it is the bridge from Europe to Asia: you'll
recognise the Latin alphabet but not the spoken word (which is
descended from Mongolian), you'll find middle-Eastern cuisine and
Islamic religion allied with a westernised democracy pushing to
join the EU in 2013. With all these diverse strands, it's a miracle
how Ataturk, the great statesman and WW1 colonel, pulled them all
together to form modern Turkey.
Nowhere is this diversity more striking than in Istanbul. It's a
huge city, at 11 million people the largest in Europe, and also one
of the largest in Asia – since it straddles both sides of the
Bosphorus channel dividing the 2 continents. It combines a wealth
of art and architectural history - soaring mosques, Byzantine
churches, Ottoman palaces - with exotic bazaars and boat trips, and
an emerging club-, bar- and museum scene in Beyoglu, the heart of
this 'Paris of the Orient'.
What's where?
- Aegean Coast: Stunning ancient sites (not just Ephesus), fantastic beaches and windsurfing on the Datca Peninsula. Gulet trips and nightlife around Bodrum Read More >>
- Cappadocia: Other-worldly landscapes, cave churches and Byzantium frescoes: see it all from above in a hot-air balloon Read More >>
- Istanbul: Straddling ancient & modern, Europe & Asia, an exotic skyline of mosques, palaces & bridges, funky bars & cafes, bustling bazaars & chic shops Read More >>
- Mediterranean Coast: The Toros mountains form a dramatic backdrop to fine sand beaches and some of the clearest waters on the Med - a treat for both beach & history lovers Read More >>
Current Weather – Time
In Istanbul: