EXPLORE AN ENCHANTING LAND THAT NOURISHES THE SOUL. Turkey is a modern country with a captivating blend of antiquity and contemporary, and of East and West. Turkey is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world, a truly fascinating country, culturally and historically, a great place to visit. Beautiful beaches, outdoor activities, great natural wonders, boat voyage tours, historical and religious sites, shopping and pampering, entertainment and nightlife, world heritage sites and more. Turkey is diverse, and offers fantastic experiences to visitors. Full of relaxing moments and delightful memories. Treat yourself to time at a luxury Turkish spa hotel, join the blue voyage on the traditional wooden Gulets, taste unique Turkish food flavours, journey to the heart of Turkey's wildlife, follow your city passions, or plan your romantic holiday under the shining sun. There are probably a million and one ways to fill your holiday with incredible things to see in Turkey. Where can you start? Experience the vacation of a lifetime by mixing natural attractions, Unesco sites, blue flag beaches and marinas, modern museums and art galleries, great tourist attractions, all in one visit. The history of Turkey tells of a 10.000 year old civilisation, a historical timeline of prehistoric times, Anatolian civilisations, Roman period, Seljuk Empire, Ottoman Empire and the modern Turkish Republic. Turkey's is a vast country with a dramatic landscape. It's world-renowned untouched nature and distinct geography includes breathtaking natural beauties, unique landscapes and plants, rich lush green forests, turquoise coasts and beautiful pristine beaches. This is an enchanting land that nourishes the soul. |
Turkish lifestyle is a vivid mosaic, juxtaposing the West and the East, the modern and the ancient. Life in Turkey is a rich variety of cultures and traditions, some dating back centuries and others of more recent heritage. Any visitor to Turkey will find a great deal that is exotic, and much that is reassuringly familiar. The surprising blend of East and West makes up the Turkish lifestyle.
Turkish culinary culture is renowned as one of the world's best. It is considered to be one of the three main cuisines of the world because of the variety of its recipes and flavours. Fresh and healthy, local and seasonal produce are at the heart of Turkish cooking culture. Turkish people are passionate about food; indeed, Turkish cuisine is world-renowned for its diversity and flavour, drawing influences from all corners of the former Ottoman Empire, and each region of the country boasting its own specialities. Turkish culture is unique in the world. Turkey may be the only country that contains every extreme of Eastern and Western culture. Come and discover the harmony in diversity. Turkish culture reflects this unparalleled historical richness and diversity, and remains mostly shaped by its deep roots in the Middle East, Anatolia and the Balkans, the cradle of many civilizations for twelve thousand years. Turkey has a Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and a limited amount of rainfall. It is said that all of the four seasons exist in Turkey. The Summer (June, July, August) is the busiest season for visiting Turkey to experience warm summer temperatures, sea and pool swimming, sun bathing, seaside restaurants and rich nightlife. Spring (March, April, May) is a great time to visit Turkey to experience its beautiful natural lands, local life, mild temperatures and smaller crowds of tourists. Autumn (September, October, November) is just perfect for visiting to discover and explore historical sites, local life and unique vegetation changes, all in comfortable temperatures. Winter (December, January, February) is one of the best times to visit Turkey, to experience authentic local life, skiing and other winter sports. |
Turkey has 81 main cities. From these you can plan your trip to iconic destinations. Every city has some unique characteristics, attractions and festivals. Turkey is a country of great diversity, in terms of both culture and economics. Big Turkish cities usually enjoy a more modern, western style culture and a wide array of economical options. Here are some of the main cities:
Istanbul, the city of the past, the present and the future. Istanbul not only joins continents, it also joins cultures and people. Close your eyes, imagine yourself back in time, centuries ago. Istanbul is one of the most visited and soul nourishing places in the world. Antalya, the paradise on earth, the pearl city of the Mediterranean, and the Turkish Riviera. Within the wide boundaries of Antalya there is history, natural beauty and a rich variety of local lifestyles to be discovered. Izmir, the frontier and beautiful sunshine city of Turkey. Izmir city, with its 8,500 years of history, is gloriously situated on the western edge of Turkey. Nicknamed the bountiful, the fruitful and the beautiful. Izmir offers visitors many options for a unique holiday. Ankara, the beating heart of Turkey which bears the footprints of many civilizations. Ankara is the capital of Turkey and itself a historic, beautiful city. From its surrounding lakes to chilled atmosphere, Ankara is just there waiting to be discovered by you. Bursa is like an open air museum, one of the capital cities of the Ottoman Empire, it stands as a reflection of history from the early periods of the Ottoman times. Balikesir, which is called Ida in Homer's Iliad, is also a charming city that presents the best characteristics of Turkey's Marmara and Aegean regions. Balikesir is often at the top of holiday destination lists for those that are informed, and for good reason too. Konya, the stunning city of hearts and whirling spiritual dervishes. Located on the ancient Silk Road, Konya is one of the oldest and finest cities in Turkey. |
When you think of sea, sand and sun, you should think of Turkey. Popular beaches, traditional villages, hospitable locals and nice fragrant flavours welcome you to the most beautiful summer holidays. Enjoy various tones of cool turquoise, silky sand, golden sun and blue flag beaches. Time to surround yourself with unlimited blue? THE TURQUOISE COAST Turkey has one of the longest coastlines of any country on the Mediterranean, and the stretch from Cesme to Alanya is bordered by such clear, picturesque waters that it is known as the Turkish Turquoise Coast. THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST Antalya is the largest city on the Mediterranean with its charming harbour. Known as the Turkish Riviera, it is the most stunning part of Turkey's Mediterranean coast with its perfect sun, endless clean beaches, ultra luxury resorts, surrounding nature and history. Turkey's serene Eastern Mediterranean shore is made up of some of the Mediterranean's least well-known shores and of inlets that have yet to be discovered. |
THE BLACK SEA COAST
The Black Sea coast of Turkey is famous for its lush green forests, traditional wooden houses, extraordinary plateaus, and of course... untouched beautiful beaches. THE SOUTH AEGEAN COAST Situated on a peninsula, Bodrum is one of the chicest of resorts in Turkey. Celebs from east and west visit and enjoy historical architecture, sublime beaches, fishing villages and trendy nightclubs. Fethiye is one of the best coastal areas in Turkey. There are numerous lovely bays and coves for mooring and relaxing in this area. Dalyan is a small town on the south western coast of Turkey. Dalyan is on a river delta, its narrow waterways, surrounded by reed beds, also perfect for a relaxed family holiday. The Loryma Peninsula offers a beautiful coastline, olive groves, pine forests, friendly locals, wonderful fresh foods and delicious local wines, that are comparable with the greatest European vineyards. THE NORTH AEGEAN COAST The North Aegean coast of Turkey is beautiful, historic and agriculturally rich. It also offers long stretches of lovely, sandy, child friendly beaches surrounded by pine and olive clad hills. |
In 2015, Turkey's southeastern province of Gaziantep was added to a most exclusive list by UNESCO. The title of Creative City of Gastronomy recognises Gaziantep's unique, long and vibrant gastronomic history.
Gaziantep stands out as one of the world's major gastronomic cities. It is not just history, it is a vibrant food and drink culture. Gaziantep cuisine is very rich, ranging from kebabs, meat dishes, dishes with yoghurt, olive oil dishes, cold desserts, pilafs, vegetable dishes, meatballs, pastries, salads, and stuffed vegetables to healing soups. The beverage culture is one of the rich experiences to observe. Drinks here are made with love and a flourish. Gaziantep is one of only eight cities in the world that have been added to UNESCO's global gastronomy list. The cuisine of Gaziantep is acknowledged to be the richest in Turkey; visitors will savour its unique fusion of Anatolian, Mediterranean, European and Middle Eastern tastes. The true strength of Gaziantep's cooking tradition comes from the fertile lands of the surrounding region. Cooking is an art in Gaziantep; if you come to this city then you will taste visual art as you witness the endless creativity of many exceptionally talented Chefs engaged in what can simply be termed Culinary Artistry. |
Throughout its long history spanning over 10,000 years Anatolia, the land that is now Turkey has been the birthplace of many great civilisations and empires all of which have left their mark in monumental ways.
Gain memories of a lifetime as you lose yourself in the ancient cities and sites of Turkey, which include the cities of Ephesus, Aspendos, Perge, Hierapolis, Aphrodisias, Gobeklitepe, Hattusas, Catalhoyuk, Assos, Troy, Ani, Demre (Myra), Side and the Aizanoi Ancient City. Where else in the world can one experience so many sites in safety and comfort? There are innumerable antique cities and ancient ruins in Turkey for the lovers and fans of archaeology. You can immerse yourself in a rich heritage that extends from the neolithic period when people started farming to the classical period to magnificent middle-age cities. From the Neolithic site of Catalhoyuk to well preserved ancient Greek and Roman ruins, to Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques, the layers of history in Turkey has myriad architectural, archaeological and religious legacies. The Aegean Region: The ancient and antique cities of Aizanoi, Amos, Anavarza, Aphrodisias, Blaundos, Ephesus, Erythrai, Hierapolis, Kaunos, Kolophon and Notion, Knidos, Lagina Hekate, Laodicea, Letoon, Miletos, Musgebi, Pedesa, Pergamon, Phokaia, Sardis, Stratonikeia, Telmessos, Telmissos, Teos, Tlos, and Tripolis. The Mediterranean Region: The ancient and antique cities of Side, Antiphellos, Aspendos, Chimera, Daglik, Demre (Myra), Etenna, Kekova, Kibyra, Limyra, Olba, Olympos, Patara, Perge, Phaselis, Sagalassos, Seleukeia, Selge, Selinus, Termessos, and Xanthos. The Marmara Region: Assos Antique City, Troy Ancient City. The Central Anatolia Region: Alacahoyuk Archaeological Site, Astra Antique City, Cappadocia Underground Cities, Catalhoyuk Neolithic, Hattusha Ancient City, Karahoyuk Antique City, Kilistra Antique City. The Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Region: Ani Ruins, Arsameia Ruins, Dara Mesopotamia Ruins, The Gobeklitepe Temple Site, Zeugma Archaeological Site. THE BEST MUSEUMS IN TURKEY A great number of museums in Turkey display the historical artifacts unearthed by excavations carried out throughout the lands of Anatolia; a region that has been home to various civilizations for thousands of years. Turkey has many private and state museum directorates attached to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, Antalya Archaeology Museum, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, Istanbul Archaeological Museum and Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul are some of the most popular museums in Turkey. Here is a list of the best Museums in Turkey:
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The lands of Turkey host major aspects of our shared history. The former capital of Istanbul is the only city in the world to span two continents, the country also features the historic city of Troy and many battlefields of the Crusades. Of course, this vast history has left behind a number of historical and religious monuments for tourists to discover and visit.
RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS Turkey has a long history of religious buildings, with two of the best examples of Ottoman architecture found in cities of Edirne and Istanbul. Some of the the best known religious monuments include: Akdamar Church, Central Izmir Synagogues, Divrigi Great Mosque, Eyup Mosque, Fatih Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Chora Museum, Kizil Church, Mevlana Tomb and Complex, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Osk Monastery, Rustem Pasha Mosque, Sokullu Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Sumela Monastery, Selimiye Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, Yeni Mosque, Zeyrek Mosque. HISTORICAL MONUMENTS Turkey has been part of human civilization since classical times and has numerous ancient sites. Turkey; such an exotic country, the meeting point of various civilizations, has always been a vital link between East and West. This of course created a country with breathtaking historical monuments and ruins. Some of the most famous historical towers and monuments include: Ani Ancient Ruins, Anitkabir Ruins, Aspendos Theatre, Basilica Cistern, Beyazit Tower, Binbirdirek Cistern, Canakkale Clock Tower, Catalhoyuk, Dolmabahce Clock Tower, Doner Kumbet, Eflatunpinar, Ephesus, Fasillar, Fish Lake, Fountain of Ahmet III, Galata Bridge, Gallipoli, Galata Tower, Gobeklitepe Temple, Hadrian's Gate, Hasankeyf Ruins, Hattusha, The Halicarnassos Mausoleum, Haydarpasa Railway Station, Hippodrome and Monuments, Imrahor Monument, Ishak Pasha Palace, Izmir Clock Tower, The Monument of Liberty, Monument of the Republic, Maiden's Tower, Nemrut and Karakus Tumulus, Obelisk of Theodosius, Red Tower, Side Theatre, Tophane, The Trojan Horse, Valens Aqueduct, Walled Obelisk, Yilanli Obelisk, Yildiz Tower. |
AYLAN TURAN Born in Hamburg in 1973, Ayla Turan began her art career after graduating from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Addressing objects or persons from everyday life with a childlike approach, Turan aims to direct the viewer to look deeper into what they see and to read many topics regarding social problems. Turan has produced statues for public areas in Germany, France, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, South Korea, Dubai, Egypt, Italy, India, Syria, Burkina Faso, China, Sweden and Mexico. www.aylaturanart.com ALI ELMACI Elmacı graduated from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts Faculty, Painting Department in 2010. He had three solo shows at x-ist, titled "Inheritance Passes From Father to Son" (2011), "Save Me With Your Fire" (2012), ''Kill Him Make Me Laugh'' (2014) and ''The Chair That Walked All Over People'' He has also been in several group exhibitions. Among the exhibitions are: Guy Hepner Gallery, New York, 2016 - Contemporary İstanbul, Isabel Croxatto Gallery - 2017 Blood Spoils the Dream, Art On İstanbul. www.alielmaci.com REFIK ANADOL A media artist and director born in Istanbul in 1985. Currently based in L.A, California. He is a lecturer and visiting researcher at UCLA. He works in the field of site-specific public art with parametric data sculpture approach and live audio/visual performance with immersive installation approach, his works explore the space among digital and physical entities by creating a hybrid relationship between architecture and media arts with machine intelligence. www.refikanadol.com BEYZA BOYNUDELIK Born in Istanbul in 1975, she lives and works in Istanbul. She received her B.A. (1999) and M.F.A. (2003) from Painting Department, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul. Currently working on the P.H.D. thesis at the same university. Being an artist who has always worked with human issues, she continues to deal with urban life and its effects on the citizen; who has now great access to all the facilities to live a good life, yet insufficient to communicate with each other. www.beyzaboynudelik.com ERDEM TAŞDELEN A Turkish-Canadian artist who currently lives and works in Toronto. His practice is rooted in conceptualism and involves a range of media including installation, video, sculpture, sound and artist books. His diverse projects bring structures of power into question within the context of culturally learned behaviours, where he often draws from unique historical narratives to address the complexities of current sociopolitical issues. Taşdelen's work has been shown in numerous exhibitions. www.erdemtasdelen.com YONKA KARAKAŞ According to Karakaş, every knowledge acquired takes away all the freedom of the mind. A free mind loses its freedom completely due to dogmatic ideas acquired in time and never apprehends the process of losing. The biggest problem of a human being who is in the effort of existence is that he/she sets on the way without being aware of several walls, which will eventually surround them. Unfortunately, this human being confronts a single state of mind at the end of the road. Reality. www.yoncakarakas.tumblr.com ARDAN ÖZMENOGLU Ardan Özmenoglu is a versatile Turkish contemporary artist who works in a wide range of mediums including large-scale glass sculptures, works on Post-It® notes and neon lighting. Since her first exhibition in 2006, her unique work has been featured in over forty exhibitions in the U.S. and abroad including Istanbul, Berlin and Croatia. She cleverly uses ubiquitous items, Post-It® notes, to create pieces of art that unite seemingly opposing ideas. www.ardanozmenoglu.net BARIS GOKTURK A Turkish artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. He currently teaches at John Hopkins University, Pace University and Hunter College where he got his MFA in Painting. He is a recipient of the Tony Smith Award and Graf Travel Grant from Hunter College. He has shown his work internationally in the USA, Germany, Spain, France, Korea, Turkey and Puerto Rico. Baris recently was an ApexArt fellow in Seoul, Korea and at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. www.barisgokturk.com BURÇAK BINGÖL Her works explore notions of belonging, cultural heritage, identity, decoration and failure by blurring the boundaries between these seemingly distinct notions. Through her labor-intensive creative process of tracing, copying and re-forming, she adopts an analytical approach to new configurations. The works created are psychological landscapes that hover between abstraction and representation, rejection and preservation that both embrace and disregard Eastern and Western traditions. www.burcakbingol.com IPEK KOTAN "My work stems from a visceral need to create with my hands using the exteriors of my forms simple like a frame in which I bring out complex textures and colors so that together with the form they can radiate a calm and soothing energy. I was born and raised in Istanbul. Currently I’m based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. My work is represented in over 250 private art collections and in public collections in Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey." www.ipekkotan.com |
CEYDA AYKAN Ceyda Aykan (b.1985) completed her MFA in the Painting and Drawing Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012 as a Fulbright Scholar. She completed her BFA in Painting at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul in 2009, during which she was awarded an Erasmus Grant to spend a year painting and printmaking at the University of Seville. Prior to her MFA she worked in London. Her work has been exhibited in Chicago, Seville, Istanbul, Miami, and New York. www.ceydaaykan.com ESER AFACAN A native of Turkey now working as a painter in Canada. He moved to Canada in 2003 from Oslo, Norway, where he lived and worked for 25 years. Once, Eser applied to the Norwegian government asking to stay in prison for two years. This was so he could be left in peace to work. He also wanted to change criminals, to show them how progress in the inner-soul can be made through art. A lot of people have tried to do such a thing with religion as a tool. With Eser there would be no religion at all, only art. www.afacan.com SELIN BALCI "I am an interdisciplinary artist. My projects merge traditional art practice with scientific materials and biological mediums such as mold spores. I create a synthetic ‘world’ in which I observe living organisms’ endless interactions, struggles, and conflicts across the picture surface. Forming borders, divisions, and edges; in my work, mold growth metaphorically represents human actions and motives. My work shows the temporal nature of living on earth by growing, changing and dying." www.selinbalci.com BIRSEN OZBILGE Birsen Ozbilge was born in Ankara, Turkey, in 1970. Soon after, her family moved to Istanbul. After she graduated in 1987 from Kandilli Kiz Lisesi she joined Mimar Sinan, The Academy of Fine Arts in Istanbul, and graduated in Mastering Paintings with Mosaic and Fresco. After graduation she exhibited in several collective shows. In 1996 she had her first solo exhibition called "Pulp Art", in Sefahatane, Istanbul. In 1996 she moved to New York City, where she lived for seven years. www.birsenozbilge.com BIRCE YILDIZ An Abstract Expressionist Turkish Artist. She was born in 1979 in Istanbul. The Essence of Substance, Movement, Variability, Mobility, Formation, The Universe, The Formation of The Order, Repeated Forms In Nature, Loop are the concepts that creates the general problematic of the paintings created by Birce Yıldız. "Art for me is an adventure, which is transformed into incarnation from the energy of motion in an eternal space ... A Mystical Pursuit." www.birceyildiz.com NILHAN SESALAN Nilhan Sesalan whose works are in numerous collections, parks and museums around the world can be regarded as the representative of lyrical abstraction. The artist who also contributes to life with her designs and writings says in a poem: “I love my thoughts, the process in which they make me believe… when I am convinced they will not leave me. I transfer them to a material and I say ‘done’. With that energy, I can hold my breath longer and find power for life.” www.nilhansesalan.com ŞÜKRAN MORAL One of the seminal performance artists in Turkey. Her work challenges the position of women in society, focusing in particular on violence against women or other underrepresented groups. Moral’s performances have often taken place in very diverse spaces, from brothels and hamams to mental hospitals, disrupting thus their normal function and turning them into discursive platforms for art. Şükran Moral lives and works in Istanbul and Rome. www.sukranmoral.com ELMAS DENIZ A concept-driven visual artist. Her works investigate the intersections and points of entanglement between economics and nature. The capitalism-led deterioration of nature, and our perception of it, as well as the related consumerist culture, are the central concepts in Deniz’s practice. She questions how the economic system continuously reshapes our perception through subtle but consistent manipulations. Her works critically expose the faults of the system and propose alternative possibilities. www.elmasdeniz.com AZIZE & AZIME ÖNLÜ "We are twins, in our mother's belly we waited together for adventure. Our first toys were each other so were never in need of dolls, we did not even want toys. We opened our eyes and grew in a perfect universe with mathematics and aesthetics. As such, our games, which started with each other, grew to include the most natural materials. The method we use in our work is an effort to justify the concept of “game”. Intimacy, unreality, sweet competition, intelligence, struggle, freedom, pleasure..." www.azizeazimeonlu.com KEREM OZAN BAYRAKTAR Establishing physical and conceptual environments. Using digital visualizations, photographs, animations, models, everyday objects, texts and graphics, Bayraktar focuses on the behavior of natural and artificial systems, their occlusion points, boundaries, collapses, mutations, and how we make sense of them. These systems consist of organizations ranging from spontaneous urban plants to exoplanets, which are different in terms of content but have similar systemic principles. www.keremozanbayraktar.com |