Turkey lies primarily in Asia Minor, but a small area is situated in south-eastern Europe – each area on opposite sides of the Bosporus Strait. The Black Sea forms the border along the north and the Aegean Sea (the part of the Mediterranean adjacent to Greece and Asia Minor) the southern/south-western border. This large country has a wealth of fantastic opportunities to offer the traveler – all quite different, depending on which part of this vast country, with its population of almost 80 million, you choose to visit.
Turkey´s history is long and rich, not to mention bloody, and the country we know today that is now a secular state was built on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.
There are many destinations to choose from in addition to Istanbul: everything from the Roman ruins in the south/west to the stunning coastline east of Bodrum with its many deep inlets of turquoise waters framed by emerald forests. Or mountain ranges such as Lycia down to the blinding-white beaches of Pamphylia. The party scene is always in full swing in Bodrum, yet travel inland and you will feel you have stepped back through the ages. Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia are each totally unique and all have something to offer you will never experience anywhere else; explore the fascinating ruins of ancient Ephesus with its still colourful mosaics dating back to the 10th century, clamber over the spectacular travertine stone terraces and paddle in the warm, thermal pools of water that attract over 2 million visitors a year to Turkey´s most- visited attraction, yet stay to enjoy sunset in the eerie quiet, or hot-air balloon above the magical fairy chimneys of Cappadocia – one of the most other-worldly, yet magical landscapes on the planet. It´s not for nothing that Star Wars was filmed here. Each is magical in its own way. Then there are the towns in south-eastern Anatolia with their Middle-eastern influences or the towering peaks that overlook the Black Sea. Off-the-beaten-track, the wide open plains of Central Anatolia offer great natural beauty and restful solitude for those who prefer to get away from the crowds. If you are a golfer, there are plenty of first-class resorts, and sailing vacations aboard chartered yachts or traditional Turkish gulets are popular, too. Turkey has it all – and that includes friendly, welcoming people and a mild climate.
Turkey covers 783,562 sq. km. And has a population of 80 million, of which approx. 60% live in large cities. The population consists of 80 % Turks and 20 % Kurds.
The capital, Ankara, has 5.6 million inhabitants. Istanbul is, however, Turkey´s largest city with a population of approx. 13 million.
Alanya is Turkey´s most popular holiday destination/coastal resort and has a year-round population of approx. 150,000 inhabitants. In the high season, this figure increases to around 300,000.
Turkey is spread over two continents. 97 % of the country is in Asia, the remainder in Europe. The country´s borders lie along Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Syria, Azerbajdjan, Iran and Iraq. The country´s highest point is Mt. Ararat at an elevation of 5,165 meters and lies in the eastern region of Turkey.
Turkey´s largest manufacturing industries are divided between textiles and automobiles. The major exports are tobacco, cotton, olives, citrus fruits, grapes, carpets, and leather goods.
The list is long but here are links to a selection of destinations we have chosen to feature on traveltalk.dk initially.
The Turkish Riviera, Bodrum harbour
The “Turkish Riviera”, perhaps the most beautiful coast in the Mediterranean, stretches over 1000 km from Fethiye in the west to Hatay in the east, close to the Syrian border. The Riviera enjoyed almost explosive growth in tourism some years ago. Antalya especially (both the town and the region) as well as the town of Alanya. With its backdrop of snow-capped peaks and crystal-clear waters along such a long coast, it´s no wonder its popularity has rocketed.
See the Turkish Riviera’s many destinations here
Lykia Links Golf Course. One of Turkey´s absolute best
At traveltalk.dk, we focus strongly on golfing vacations in Turkey. There are plenty of good reasons for choosing Turkey to tee off in – especially in Antalya and Belek. One thing is the high standard of the golf courses, the other the fact that 10 – 15 golf courses lie in close proximity to one another and will, in all likelihood, also be close to your hotel in Antalya or Belek minimizing travelling time back and forth. Several of the courses lie right along the Mediterranean coast, out to the ocean, and there is no denying that there is something extra appealing about links that lie close to the sea. The smell and sound of the waves are addictive.
Add to this the fact that the price levels are still reasonable, and what more could you ask? These are really value-for-money golfing vacations!
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