Over the past 10-15 years, Turkey has become a popular tourist destination. The snow-white sandy beaches of the country and the fashionable “ol inclusive” hotels are literally synonymous with paradise life. Here, under a parasol, a resort day for a beach lover flows languidly and measuredly. At the same time, many do not even suspect that Turkey is ready to offer dozens of excursion programs that open this sunny land on the other hand.
Historical Monuments of Istanbul
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and a great place for travelers who prefer an excursion. For thousands of years (the history of the city began in 667 BC), about three thousand cultural and historical monuments have been accumulated in Istanbul, making up the lion's share of Turkish attractions. They tell about the rich past of the city. Of course, you cannot see all of them in one trip, but 5-10 is worth a visit.
- Cathedrals and mosques. The largest mosque in Istanbul is the Suleymaniye Mosque, which consists of a whole complex of buildings. According to legend, eternal life is prescribed for this structure. The Byzantine culture left a rich heritage - Hagia Sophia , built in the VI century BC. Until now, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, and now it has received the status of a museum. The Blue Mosque, erected in the 17th century, absorbed elements of Ottoman and Byzantine architecture. The mosque got such a poetic name because of the rare blue marble used in construction.
- Palaces and parks. If you want to see the true luxury left by the ancient rulers, you should go to Dolmabahce Palace (its walls stretch 600 meters along the strait), Topkany Palace (the largest museum in the world), Beylerbeyi Palace (Baroque) and dozens of others.
Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul
This water artery literally divides the city into 2 parts - European and Asian. Particularly noteworthy are the castles spread on the banks of the strait, and numerous bridges.
A fascinating sight will appear before tourists in the form of the night Bosphorus Bridge, illuminated by thousands of colorful lamps.
Shopping in Istanbul
Being in Istanbul and not visiting the local bazaars is truly an unforgivable omission. The fact is that it is here at the malls that you can feel the amazing atmosphere of the eastern city.
- "Grand Bazaar". The second of the same bazaar can not be found anywhere else, because it is the Grand Bazaar that is recognized as the largest in the world. Its area is about 3.7 thousand square meters. km 66 shopping streets and more than 4,000 shops and stores were compactly located here. Here you can buy absolutely everything: household utensils, souvenirs, various interesting things. However, even if you don’t like anything, a walk through the colorful bazaar streets will leave a lot of impressions.
- Egyptian Bazaar. Here, travelers will be able to purchase everything that is associated with Eastern countries: colorful carpets, original decorations, oriental sweets, herbs, a huge number of spices, fabrics and dozens of other goods.
Bodrum (Turkey): Description of Attractions
In terms of the number of interesting places, Bodrum is significantly inferior to Istanbul, however, there is also something to see.
- Amphitheater. Connoisseurs of antiquities must certainly see with their own eyes a massive structure designed for 13,000 spectators. Despite the antiquity of the building (4th century BC), the amphitheater is well preserved to this day and now has the status of an open-air museum.
- Gümbert Bay. Among the natural attractions of Turkey can be called Gümbert Bay with its magnificent sandy beaches and clubs for windsurfing, parasailing, and kayaking.
- Black Island. Black Island is located in Gokova Bay, which gained its popularity due to hot springs and healing mud. According to legend, Queen Cleopatra loved to spend a lot of time here.
Among other things, Bodrum is famous for its noisy parties, because after nightfall dozens of bars, clubs and other entertainment venues open their doors here.
Where to go in Ankara
The capital of Turkey is less loved by tourists, due to the lack of access to the sea. However, for those who prefer museums and entertainment to a lazy vacation at the hotel, there will definitely be a lesson here, which is only worth a photo of Turkey's attractions in this city.
- Citadel. This is truly a magnificent building, which includes numerous towers surrounded by an impregnable wall. The interior of the Citadel is a maze of narrow streets and wooden houses. If you want to feel the full flavor of the ancient settlement, then you are definitely here.
- Museums In Ankara, two museums have been built right away, which you should definitely visit. This is a historical museum of civilization and a museum of ethnography. In the halls are stored not only national costumes and musical instruments, but also the oldest artifacts that tell about the phased development of the state.
- Ruin. You can feel the power and grandeur of ancient civilizations by visiting the ruins of the Temple of Augustine and Rum and the temple of Aslanhane.
Alanya: what to see
The advantage of Alanya is that here tourists can always successfully combine beach and sightseeing vacations. Moreover, among the attractions of Turkey there are natural, historical and entertaining.
- Fortresses. Once upon a time, several centuries ago, the Byzantine fortress of Alanya and the Kyzyl-Kul Tower served as reliable protection of the city from enemies. Even time did not destroy them - thousands of tourists come to admire powerful structures annually.
- Grottoes and caves. Adventurers will certainly appreciate an excursion to ground and underground caves: Phosphoric, Pirate, Dalmatash, Cave of Girls and others. The interior of the caves is strewn with stalagmites and stalactites, and the air has a healing effect.
- Water parks. In Alanya and the surrounding area there are activities for children and adults. These are the water parks of Sialanya and the Water Planet.
What to see in Kemer
The resort town of Kemer grew out of a small fishing village. Now hotels and entertainment facilities are huddled on the coast, but travelers looking for historical and natural attractions in Turkish cities can go on excursions popular here.
- Phaselis. Only 10-15 km from Kemer is the ancient settlement of Phaselis. It was founded in the 7th century BC. e., while preserved to this day. Dilapidated brick walls, steps and houses - all this evokes amazing sensations of contact with great antiquity.
- Antique city of Olympos. The territory of this ancient city is now part of the National Park of the country, and is well guarded. Olympos is the first Lycian city to be mentioned in the annals. It was founded around the 2nd century AD. e.
- Yanartash. The translation “Yanartash” is a burning mountain, and this name fully describes the feature of this Kemer attraction in Turkey. The mountain is constantly in clouds of smoke and fire. Scientists believe that this is due to the large amount of natural gas. Upon reaching the surface, ha collides with oxygen, which becomes the cause of such a reaction. Despite such a prosaic explanation, the effect is truly amazing.
Waterfalls in Turkey
There are two waterfalls in Turkey , which will certainly captivate even seasoned travelers.
- Duden waterfall. In Antalya, the Duden River formed a cascade of waterfalls that carry seething currents and bring them down from great heights. The upper 20-meter waterfall is divided into several streams, after which the water with foam and spray falls from a height of 40 meters.
- Waterfall Manavgat. This waterfall is one of the main attractions of Side (Turkey), but it is somewhat inferior in size to Duden. Despite its modest size, the waterfall attracts thousands of travelers from other countries. Locals also love to be here. On the observation deck there is an open-air restaurant, here in a picturesque place you can relax with the sounds of water.
Mount Ararat
The famous Mount Ararat is the largest attraction of Turkey, it is located on the border of Turkey and Armenia. It was here, according to legend, that the ark of Noah found the pier.
Mount Ararat is the cones of two volcanoes that merged together at the base (these are Small and Big Ararat). This territory is part of the National Park of the country, the size of which reaches 87 thousand hectares. Tourists who want to climb the sacred mountain, more than enough. However, even those in whose plans mountaineering is not included will like it here.
The slopes of the mountain are rich in glacial caves, the largest of them is the St. James Glacier. Its length reaches 2 km. At the foot of Ararat scores of monasteries are scattered, which lovers of antiquities will probably want to see.
In fact, there are hundreds of attractions in Turkey, photos and descriptions of which literally excite the imagination and mind of an inquisitive traveler. A trip to this country will bring much more than a bronze tan and the pleasure of swimming in the sea. This is a close acquaintance with an amazing country, its history and traditions.