Turkey - part of Europe, part of Asia
Long popular with UK holidaymakers for its gorgeous beaches, warm sunshine, calm, pine scented woodlands, fascinating ruins, amiable people, great service, healthy, fresh food, and truly affordable prices, Turkey is perhaps less well-known to the traveler from North America. Turkey also contains the Sea of Marmara which has long been used by geographers to mark the dividing line between Europe and Asia, giving it a foot in both Europe and Asia, and perhaps combining the best of both.
With the Mediterranean to the south, and the Black Sea to the north, Turkey has plenty to offer the holidaymaker seeking a pleasant seaside location. You can go to Marmaris for the upbeat nightlife, or you can relax in the numerous quieter resorts such as Ovacik, Olu Deniz, Calis Beach, Kalkan, or Akiyaka.
Not only are there wonderful coastal resorts to enjoy, but with a Byzantine and Ottoman history, Turkey has many ancient historical sites to enthrall the visitor. One of the greatest of these has to be Ephesus, dating back to 1000 BC. There are also the remains of Tlos dating back to 2000 BC. More recently there is the hastily abandoned town of Kayakoy, now a ghost town, which was abandoned by the Greek people living there when they were expelled from Turkey in 1923.
Turkey also has some interesting geographical features such as Saklikent Gorge, where you can wade the rushing river, and then walk far up into the gorge as it progressively narrows. Or there is Pamukkale, with its calcium springs which create a stunning “cotton castle” on the hillside.
Later on in this blog I will give more detail of specific resorts in Turkey that are worthy of mention, so watch this space!
