Turkey has one of the cleanest sea coast of Mediterranean, preserved with very diversified undersea life gold color sand beaches longing by kilometers and turquoise rockyreefs which households many endemic fish kinds, corals, and other natural beauties of underwater life. Generally approved by “Blue Flag Certificate”, Turkish coasts provide wonderful opportunities both for sea-sand-sun lovers and alternative sport addicts such as scuba divers, wind and kite surfers.
The history of the Anatolian Peninsula, which forms 90% of today’s Turkey land, has a tremendous historical background of 12,000 years. The first common building made by human being, at the same time the oldest known cult place of humanity “Göbeklitepe” situated in Şanlıurfa, changed the currency of the history. Çatalhöyük, the first city of the world populated by more than 6,000 people, dating 8,000 years is visited by thousands of people each year. Turkey has got the highest number of Greek and Roman ancient sites, even more than Italy and Greece. Seljuk and Ottoman Empires had been spread palaces, mosques, bridges and many other civil and governmental monuments all over the country. Believe me; you will have difficulty to choose which one to visit and experience in your trip.
Turkey has been housing more than 35 ethnicities, states, and cultures during its history. In turkey one can enjot the richness of the culture race ethnicity diversity. The county is the only one founded on a peninsula longing from east to west, has always been a geographical and cultural passage area from east to west. The land having extremely fertile soil and many rivers which pour life towards the Middle East, has always been an attraction center for many civilizations. The first states of the world are founded just here. The richest Neolithic cities, the famous Troy of the beautiful queen Hellen, the Hittite Empire, the lord of the iron and wheat, Assur colonies, the bringers of the writing and commerce, Phrygians, who have gold flowing rivers and who invented the money first, Lydian’s having the Magna Mater, the mother-earth as the supreme deity, Greeks who have raised beautiful marble cities and famous philosophes such as Aristoteles, Diogenes, Thales, Xenophanes and many others…. Turks who brought the colors of the nomadic culture, Seljuk, and Ottoman civilizations, other ethnicities such as Laz, Circassians, Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Arabs, Albanians, Bosnians, Jews, all lived and live in harmony in each other in many cities of the country. Time to time, you will see one speaking three or four local languages at the same time. Try to communicate! You will love this experience of ethnic and cultural diversity.
Turkish people are very famous for their hospitality in the world. This is thanks to the diversity of the culutes, races and ethnicities living all together and being tolerant and hospitable to each other. Especially, if you are foreigner you are more than welcome in no matter in which region of the country you are in. At least in one point of your trip, you will be, for sure, offered “some” couple of Turkish tea (normally one is not enough for them to offer J ) or Turkish coffee. In Turkey, there is a saying talking about 40 years of remembrance for one cup of coffee. If you are invited to a house (no matter they know you or not) they will serve you meals, that you should normally eat to show your sincerity to the householder. Turkish people believe that a holy saint could be disguised in a guest, or traveler or foreigner and would check their generosity and hospitality and will leave abundance to the householder if they behave accordingly. So the guests are holy for Turkish people. Try to profit from the situation and integrate with locals, feel the ethnic cultural diversity of these people ready to hug you, you will love this unique experience.
The natural diversity of the country is amazing and unique. You can swim, and take a sunbath and ski in the mountains in the same region on the same day. This is not a dream but a reality of the nature of Turkey. The warmth of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts cools down coming to the inner Anatolia of 1,000 meters altitude with steppe climate. It reaches alpine pastures of the eastern Anatolia heading to 3000 meters. This is why you can find a multitude of natural products and find also a diversity of travel/holiday opportunities such as best hikes of Turkey in all over Meditteranean basin.
Fish, grape, olive, pomegranate and citrus fruits in Aegean and Mediterranean regions, products of steppe climate such as wheat, apricot, cherry, prune and peach in Central Anatolia, and kinds of delicious dairy and meat products in alpine climate of eastern Anatolia, high quality fish, tea, hazelnut, kiwi and banana in semi-rain forest climate of Northern Anatolian region, all wait for you to taste, experience and enjoy. No need to talk about nearly 100 different kinds of cheeses coming all over the regions. This natural diversity mixed up with local cultural varieties ends up with a biiiig number of local recipes and cooking methods which form the basics of the delicious Turkish Cuisine. The natural diversity provides also the best hikes of the meditteranean in Turkey, to the nature and outdoor sports addicts.
In Turkey you will not only see and experience the diversity of local history, cultures and tasted but also you will feel yourself at home, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere and believe me; this will not be the last time you will visit this wonderful and incredibly diverse and historical country.
