Turkey Travel Blog

Turkey is one of the top tourism countries in the world. The country attracts beach lovers, history vultures, culturally, religious influenced people, and of course, those who simply want to party the summer away. While the main tourism season lasts from May to October, many places are open throughout the year. If you are an independent traveller or simply looking for somewhere else to holiday, our suggestions showcase the best of what Turkey has to offer.

This lunar landscape oozes mystery and intrigue. Steeped in the history of Christianity, the abundance of cave churches are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Cave hotels also provide a Flintstone theme and top sites to see include the Goreme Open air museum, Ihlara valley and Derinkuyu underground city.

This city in the Northeast is the closest base to visit the nearby historic Sumela Monastery, which clings to the side of a cliff face. If time allows, continue your visit to picturesque Uzungol Lake surrounded by pine tree forests. The green Ayder plateau and wooden hotels of the Kackar Mountains serve as an ideal base for keen hitchhikers and campers.

Particularly suited to those searching for a cultural holiday and traditional Kurdish influences, Mardin attracts culture lovers because of its Arabic influenced architecture while Urfa will amaze anyone with a passion for religious travel because of its connection to Abraham. The neighbouring region of Gaziantep attracts food lovers who want to sample the speciality Baklava (pastry dessert) and pistachio nuts.

As the top visited destination, Istanbul is ideal as four-day city break while on route to other destinations in Turkey. Main sites to see include the Blue mosque, former church and mosque of Hagia Sophia, the ottoman Topkapi Palace and the historical Basilica Cistern.

Nicknamed cotton castle, this natural wonder is a UNESCO world heritage site along with the neighbouring ruins of Hierapolis. White calcium pools solidified on the side of a mountain make the perfect picture postcard scene and in history, the region was a favoured spa destination for the Romans.

These ancient ruins were the second largest city of Rome, succeeded only by the capital itself. Notable ruins within its boundaries are the 20,000-seater ampitheatre, ancient Celsius library, Agora Street and the Roman terraced houses.

Popular with expats and holidaying Turks from the big cities, Fethiye lures many because of sandy beaches and the natural landscapes of Blue Lagoon and Butterfly Valley. It is also an ideal base from which to start a gullet cruise of the Turkish Riviera.

This cosmopolitan playground attracts the rich and famous yet it manages to please budget travellers as well. The region has many small coastal resorts and the large town centre manages to mix traditional vibes with a cosmopolitan and western ambience.

The beaches and graveyards are a favoured destination for Australian and New Zealanders, particularly on Anzac day. As the site of a horrific battle during 1918, the area is now a respected memorial to the dead soldiers of generations before us. While in this area, you should also visit the neighbouring site of Troy, location of the famous Troy wars.

The large iconic figurehead statues looking out over a natural and beautiful landscape from the mountaintop appear on most picture postcards of Turkey. Recommend time to visit is at sunset when the horizon fills with a vibrant orange and red sunset.

Our Discover Turkey Tours last from 2 days to 11 nights. They visit all the major attractions within the country and accommodation, guide and transport fees. Alternatively, look at our easy to use Trip Planner to organise your own itinerary around Turkey.