Located on Anatolia in Western Asia, in South-eastern Europe, Turkey is known to be one of the most favourite tourists’ locations in the world. With beautiful seaside resorts as well as breath-taking historical sites, it is easy to see why it is the choice for over 31 million foreign tourists from across the globe. Its largest city is Istanbul, which is among the most significant tourism spots in Turkey as well as in the world.
There are many tourist spots and hotels across the city for both people on vacation and professionals that are visiting the country. The city has some of the largest shopping centres and malls across the European region, for example, Metro city, Cevahir Mall as well as the Akmerkez Mall. Most people think of Istanbul as the only attractive tourist place in Turkey, however, Turkey has a lot more to offer.
Beach resorts for those who prefer the coastal environment for their holiday destination, the majority of the beach resorts found along the southern coast, refers to as the Turkish Riviera. It is the most common spot for beach holidays across the Mediterranean coast near Antalya also called the tourism capital of Turkey. Other major beach resorts are
- Didim, located on the Aegean coast of the western region
- Cesme, on the Aegean region of Turkey
- Kusadasi, located on the Aegean coast
- Alanya, located on the Turquoise
- Bodrum, on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula
- Fethiye, located on the ancient city of Telmessos
- Marmaris, also a port town on the Mediterranean coast
Cultural Tourist Attraction Sites
There are many cultural attractions in the country, which includes the following sites:
- Ephesus, famed for the Temple of Artemis which is among the 7 Wonders of the ancient world
- Troy, is believed as a place where the Trojan War took place
- Pergamon,is one of the 7 churches of Asia in the Bible according to the book of Revelation
- Trabzon, where you can find an ancient monastery known as Sumela
- Konya, where a poet known as Rumi spent a majority of his life
- Didyma which is said to be the most well-known prophesy of the Hellenic world
- Church of Antioch, said to be the first place that the name “Christian” was coined
- The Deyrulzafaran Monastery is a revered religious place that attracts a lot of tourists
Historical Sites
There are several museums and historical landmarks in Turkey for those looking to venture out a bit into the past. Some of these historical sites include:
- Diyarbakir as it is home to numerous medieval mosques
- Ankara is a historic old town which houses the Anitkabir which is the mausoleum of Ataturk, the Republic of Turkey’s founder
- The historical landscapes and cities of Cappadocia are popular for hot air ballooning. Tourists also enjoy trekking in the Ihlara Valley, Monastery Valley, Goreme and Urgup
- The Karain Cave is among most breath-taking places in the Mediterranean Region that has survived from prehistoric times.
Making Travel Arrangements
In order to cater for their millions of tourists across the globe, each year, Turkey has put in place an advanced visa system that allows visitors to get their Turkey visa online. The visa application process is done with only three easy steps. This process ensures that tourists have a good travel experience in Turkey without any hassle.
International tourists can obtain an electronic turkey visa application (e-Visa) via the online application process if they have a valid passport by the time they make their application.