Turkey Tourist Guides — Attractions

With one foot in Europe and the other one in Middle East, Turkey symbolizes a heady blend . of oriental and modern, of splendor and sleekness and of dazzling urbanity with that of soothing natural beauty.

Ankara:
Located in the middle of the central Anatolian semi-desert, the capital of Turkey bears little resemblance to the Ottoman town of Angora . its predecessor. When Ataturk set up his provisional government in 1920, from that time, Ankara.s prime business has been government, though there are many tourist attractions there. The Byzantine citadel on the hill top, the museum of Anatolian civilizations and AtatIstanbul
/ With its history trailing back to Byzantine and Roman period, this once exquisite capital . Constantinople, got its current name from the Ottoman Empire. Though well worn, it.s still a glorious metropolis with a population of 12 million and can aptly be called the .heartbeat of Turkey.. The Bosphorus Straight, connecting the Black and the Marmara seas and the fresh water estuary of Golden Horn, together act as the antidote to the otherwise polluted environment. The Haghia Sophia or the Church of divine wisdom, the Sulatanahmet Camii (Blue mosque), the mosaic museum, Turk ve Esleri Muzesi (Turkish and Islamic Art Museum), Archeoloji Muzeleri (Archaeological Museums), Dolmabahce Palace and the Topkapi palace are some of the major attractions.

Antalya
Antalya, the city on Turkey.s central Mediterranean coast, has straddled the beauty of the pebbled beaches along with the nostalgia of the Roman-Ottoman days. Making this city the base, various beach towns and ancient regions can be explored by the visitors. In the 75 km east, there is the increasingly popular beach town of Side (here Anthony and Cleopatra had their romantic tryst), and further 40km east lies Alanya . a sea-sun-n sand joint. In Patara, the beach is simply marvelous and is dotted with sand dunes and ruins of the Roman Empire. The beach closes at dusk to ensure the safe return of the sea turtles to their nest.

Bodrum
Bodrum, situated in the south of the Aegean sea, is a very pretty resort, dotted with palm trees, white sugar cube houses and magnificent villas. There is a yacht harbor and a port for the ferries to the Greek island of Kos. For the sports loving visitors, Bodrum offers a wide range of activities like boating, swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. This small town is very lively and boasts of a nightlife, which keeps much of the town awake, until day break.

Ephesus
Ionia, a thriving cultural centre during the Greek Empire and a busy provincial capital during the Roman days, is renamed as Ephesus . the Grandest and the best preserved among the ancient cities of Turkey. Ionia.s Temple of Diana was one of the Seven Wonders of the World and it is said that Virgin Mary had spend the twilight days of her life in this classical city on the Mediterranean.

The visitors can go for a walking tour of the ruins, which can take half a day. The other attractions include the Grotto of seven sleepers, colossal Harbor Gymnasium; the majestic marble-paved Arcadian Way and the remarkable Temple of Hadrian. The city is scattered with fountains, pools, brothels, libraries and public toilets.

Dalyan
This is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and can be reached by a boat or a car (6km away from the town). This beach is the nesting ground of caretta sea turtles and hence closes before the sun down. This environmental paradise, however is fast becoming a tourist spot and hence in future can lose its .steamy, tropical, little inland village. charm.

Artvin
The lush green Artvin valley with its European appearance is sure to enthrall the visitors. There are large number of castles, monasteries and ancient Russian style houses. Artvin is good for mountain trekking as well as, monastery visits. The place is also marked for a 10th century Georgian Church . Dolishane, in the village of Hamalikoy.

Cappadocia Caves
In the heart of Tukey lies the famous Cappadocia (Kappadoce) caves. The rock formations created by a slow rate of erosion and arid climate has given rise to this bizarre landscape. The locals have used these caves throughout the ages for shelter, defense and other industry. But, in the 1970s the Turkish Government eventually evicted the cave dwellers and relocated them in a nearby village.

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