Turkey – the magical mix of ancient and modern worlds



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Turkey offers a wealth of diverse natural and historical destinations, which will satisfy the tastes of any traveler. From the dome and minarets in Istanbul to the Roman ruins along the western and southern coasts, from the shores of Antalya on the Mediterranean Sea to the misty mountains of the Eastern Black Sea, we promise you won’t regret visiting this amazing country.

With so many beautiful attractions in Turkey, you must at least visit the top 10 tourist areas we have seen, that should be on your priority list if you want a great holiday here. Let’s check them out!

Aspendos Theater

Aspendos has one of the best preserved ancient theaters. The Aspendos Theater was built in 155 AD during the reign of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and can accommodate 15,000 to 20,000 people. Because the theater area was later used as a hostel during Seljuk times, it has been repaired and maintained continuously. Thus, the Aspendos Theater was able to survive to this day without losing any of its original features.

Patara Beach

Over 14 kilometers long, Patara is one of the longest stretches of sandy beach in the Mediterranean Sea. The beach contains ancient Roman and Lycian ruins and sand dunes, with no large buildings. Patara Beach also serves as a breeding ground for the endangered Loggerhead turtle. The neighboring village of Patara was the birthplace of St. Nicholas, the Byzantine bishop of the fourth century who became the legend of Santa Claus.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in Turkish, and it is a spectacular view in western Turkey famous for its white terraces. These are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited in water with a very high mineral content, build on top of hot springs. People have used these swimming pools for thousands of years. Hierapolis, the ancient Greek city, was built on hot springs. This site also features ruins of baths, temples and other Greek monuments.

Bodrum Castle

Located in the city of Bodrum in southwestern Turkey, this castle was built by the Crusaders in the fifteenth century as the fortress of St. Peter. It is one of the most beautifully preserved monuments dating back to the Middle Ages. The castle is now a museum that overlooks the internal marina of Bodrum, which is full of sailing crafts worth millions of dollars.

Mount Nemrut

Nemrut is a 2,134-meter mountain in southeast Turkey, near the city of Adiyaman. In 62 BC, King Antiochus I Theos built a cemetery surrounded by huge statues of himself, lions, various Greek gods and Persian gods at the top of this mountain. The Nemrut Mountain summit offers great views of the surrounding mountains. The main attraction is watching the sunrise from the eastern terrace, which greatly adds to the beauty and mystery of the place.

Oludeniz

Oludeniz is a small village located on the southwest coast of the Aegean Sea. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of a blue lagoon. This beach is known for its turquoise color and remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean Sea.

The Blue Mosque – Sultan Ahmed

With six large minarets and stunning architecture, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Istanbul’s Blue Mosque impresses anyone who sees it with its stunning architecture. It is considered one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul. It was built between 1609 and 1616.

Temple of Artemis and the Library of Celsus

The ruins of Ephesus are a famous attraction on the west coast. The city of Ephesus was once known as the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, destroyed by a mob led by the Archbishop of Constantinople in 401 AD. However, some buildings can still be seen, including the Grand Theater and the Library of Celsus. The library was built around 125 AD, designed to store 12,000 manuscripts and serve as a huge tomb for Celsus, governor of Asia. The façade was carefully rebuilt in the 1970s to its current state.

Hagia Sofia

The Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul and was originally a church, built by the eastern Roman emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. The Roman architectural architecture covers a huge dome of 31 meters in diameter. For more than 1000 years, it has been the largest closed space in the world. It became a mosque in the fifteenth century, when the Ottomans conquered the city. The Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum in 1935, and is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in Turkey.

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