15 Reasons to Put Turkey on Your Travel List

As a big history buff, I’ve had Turkey on my bucket list for quite some time.  I got “this close” (think of me holding up my fingers a millimeter apart) last month, but at the last minute opted for Sicily.  So back Turkey goes on the to-do list rather than moving onto the been-there list.

What is it that fascinates me about spending holidays in Turkey?  It’s seems exotic, so different than most countries I’ve visited, and full of history and culture right alongside impressive architecture and delicious food.  That’s enough for me right there, but I realize that some of you may take a bit for convincing.

I had family members who lived in the capital city of Ankara back in the 1960-70’s, and I can remember getting mail from them telling me about the city and country.  I became fascinated then, and I never outgrew that fascination.

Here then, are 15 reasons why you should put Turkey on your must-see list:

1. Mount Ararat, in the far eastern part of the country, is the legendary landing place of Noah’s Ark.  How cool is that?!
2. There’s water nearly everywhere you look – the Mediterranean Sea (south), the Aegean Sea (west) and the Black Sea (north), and the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus, and the Dardanelles which link the Black and Mediterranean Sea.  Water, water, everywhere!
3. The country lies partially in Asia and partially in Europe, meaning you can two continents in one visit.
4. It has a secular government which means that although it is an Islamic country, there aren’t the problems that you could encounter elsewhere in the middle east.
5. The country has 9 UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (in photo above) and the archaeological site of Troy, which is over 4,000 years old, ranking high on my to-do list.
6. Amazing ruins, including Troy (mentioned above), Monumentum Ancyranum in Ankara, the Celsus Library in Ephesus.
7. Turkish baths, and the ritualistic visit to the hamam.
8. You can take a cruise on a gulet, a traditional 2-masted sailboat, chartering it for the day or week.  Many are diesel powered, but you can still find some that sail by the wind only.
9. Beautiful architecture.  Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, and the Selimiye Mosque are just a few examples.
10. Sirkeci Terminal in Istanbul was the last stop on the famous Orient Express.
11. Fascinating places to stay, from modern city hotels to a cave hotel in Cappadocia, there’s something for every preference.
12. Whirling dervishes, a cultural dance experience unlike anything you’ll ever see.
13. Shopping at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, perhaps as much a sensory experience as a shopping one (although I hear the shopping in Ankara offers better value).
14. Turkish coffee and baklava.
15. The unit of currency is the Turkish New Lira, currently trading at $1 = YTL 150.  With that kind of exchange rate, Turkey is very affordable and you can find some cheap holiday deals.

So how about it?  Turkey anyone?

Photo credits:  Both from wikipedia, Cappadocia, sailing gulet

NOTE:  This post was sponsored by Pack Your Bags; the opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author.

Share on Facebook