Of course, there is Instanbul, Turkey’s largest city and the fifth largest in the world. Whilst Istanbul has a rich tapestry of history and culture, in our view, there are three ‘must-see’ places, which would then leave you free to visit the rest of the country at your leisure and pleasure.

For the religious among us, there is the Hagia Sofia (Ayasofya) mosque, which started off life as a church in 550 AD, then when the Ottomans conquered Istanbul centuries later, became a mosque. Beware though, it’s a very popular attraction, so it’s best to get there early and set aside plenty of time for the grand tour.

Then there is the Bosphorus Strait, the stretch of water that forms part of the boundary between Asia and Europe. You must take a ferry just to experience it, even though it only takes fifteen minutes, for the spectacular views, including the Topkapi Palace, and the sense of history and occasion.

If you want to take home some souvenirs of your trip, there is the Grand Bazaar, the oldest covered market in the world. You could easily haggle your life away among the many stalls and you should certainly spend at least a few hours there, if not a whole day.

You can do all of this in 48 hours and still manage to fit in food at some of the many different restaurants, leaving you free to explore the rest of the country. For instance, there is Konya, in central Turkey, south of Ankara. Konya was home to the Sufi mystic Rumi and houses the Mevlana Museum, a site of great religious importance. You can also see the world-famous whirling dervishes all year-round.

Then there is the rest of the country, but that’s another story.

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Taking a holiday in Turkey currently remains one of the most affordable destinations in the Mediterranean in terms of costs. A warm welcome awaits all visitors who travel to Turkey, as a strong tradition of friendliness and welcome abounds here. The Climate around the sea areas of Turkey is temperate, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters, while the interior of the country experiences colder harsher winters.

Istanbul is one of the top destinations in Turkey, and being the largest city in Turkey, it holds a wealth of historic sights and culture, from the Blue Mosque built in the early 17th century, which Is known for the blue tiles adorning the interior walls, to the Dolmabahce Palace which was the first European style palace to be build in Istanbul and was built in the mid 19th century at a staggering cost of five million Ottoman gold pounds (the equivalent of 35 tons of gold!). Fourteen tons of gold leaf were used to gild it’s ceilings, and the centre hall holds the worlds largest bohemian crystal chandelier which was a gift from Queen Victoria.

Turkey’s history really does go back a very long way, in fact, the worlds oldest known human settlement which dates back to 6500 BC is in Turkey, and can be seen at Catalhoyuk in Konya. Turkey was also home to two of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum and the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

Turkey’s coastal regions are beautiful and relaxing, and with tranquil sandy bays and beaches, and also modern beach resorts which are full of life and brimming with entertainment day and night, you can enjoy the best of everything here. The cuisine is very fine, and it’s quite possible to stay at one of the many holiday locations near the sea, and still take wonderful trips inland to some of the many Turkish cities to see the sites. Most cities are dotted with spectacular mosques and on the Aegean Coast in particular there is much of historical interest to see and many museums from the Archaeology Museum which houses an impressive collection of statues and other finds recovered during the excavations at Ephesus, to the Turkish Bath Museum, which is housed in a building from the 16th century and shows what it was like in a Turkish hamam or bath.

Like many other Mediterranean countries, Turkey also has on offer a wealth of water experiences, from diving to fishing and, if you prefer to go outward rather than inland for your sight seeing, then you could always take to the seas and enjoy a relaxing cruise down one of the Turkish coastlines. Along the Aegean Coast in particular, you can see many beautiful landmarks from the water.

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