Travel Destination: Turkey

Turkey is a fantastic travel destination that combines fantastic culture with incredible beauty. Turkey is right on the borderline of Europe and Asia and its unique history creates a rare opportunity for travelers to experience something fantastic. The mixture of Ottoman and Roman influence and religion can be seen almost everywhere and it creates an east meets west vibe that is just incredible.

Istanbul is the one place in Turkey that needs to be visited no matter what. Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey and is considered the financial and cultural center of the country. It is the only city in the world that is in Asia and Europe and it bridges those cultures into a unique city experience. Its history is also unique being the second capital of the Roman Empire and an important part of the Ottoman Empire which only enhances its culture as well.

Istanbul is where people go to see beautiful historical and religious monuments. Sultanahmet Square is the oldest part of the city and where many of these monuments are located. The most famous of the attractions would include Hagia Sophia, Topkap? Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), and Basilica Cistern. All of these places have spires, architecture, art, colors, and other qualities that are just too hard to describe and really must be seen in person to understand the beauty of them.

New Istanbul is different than the older part of the city and provides a very unique experience. It is the main business district, has the sky scrapers and modern conveniences, but still has great places to visit like the Military Museum. This is just a fraction of what you will find in Istanbul and the city experience is worth the price of visiting Turkey.

There are many other fantastic cities to visit in Turkey including the more Middle Eastern type cities of Southeastern Anatolia. There are also Roman ruins on the western and southern coasts that draw visitors that love history. Travelers will also get an opportunity see the Mediterranean Sea and incredible beaches of Pamphylia. There are cold and snowy mountains to the east and just about everything else you can think of in one country.

Besides the cities and places listed above do not be afraid to visit areas such as Ani which are the impressive ruins of the medieval Armenian capital in the eastern part of the country. Mount Nemrut is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has old statues dedicated to the Roman Gods on its summit, which makes it a must see for many people.

Turkey is an Islam country so it is important to recognize their faith as well. However, they would be considered very liberal on the northwestern and western coasts and even the more conservative Islam areas are very open and safe. In places like Istanbul you will still see a mixture of different religions including Jewish sects interacting with the primary Islam faith.