With the right foundation and a passion for travel, you can turn your love of Disney into a rewarding career as a Disney travel agent in Turkey. The key is finding a supportive Disney host travel agency, like Vincent Vacations, that provides the training, tools, and resources you need to build a successful Disney leisure travel business.
In most cases, an independent Disney travel agent in Turkey will work with a host agency. A host agency provides resources to Turkey Disney travel agents, including access to booking systems & partner programs, marketing support and training. A host agency also provides agents with an IATA number, allowing them to earn commission on the travel they book. Some host agencies like Vincent Vacations, offer comprehensive training programs and ongoing support.
Join our award winning Disney travel agency in Turkey, where we provide the tools, training, and support you need to succeed. Our team of expert travel agents is dedicated to creating unforgettable travel experiences for our clients, and we are looking for motivated individuals to join us. Whether you are an experienced travel professional or new to the industry, we welcome you to explore the exciting opportunities we offer.
At our Turkey, Europe based Disney travel agency, we believe in empowering our Disney travel agents with the knowledge and skills needed to excel. We provide comprehensive training programs that cover everything from industry basics to advanced booking systems and marketing strategies. Our ongoing support ensures you are never alone in your journey to success.
As part of our team, you'll have access to exclusive deals, industry resources, and cutting-edge technology. Our strong relationships with top travel suppliers mean you can offer your clients the best rates and packages available. Plus, our robust booking platform simplifies the process, allowing you to focus on what you do best – creating memorable travel experiences.
We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we offer flexible working arrangements. Whether you prefer to work from our Turkey office or remotely, we provide the tools and support to help you succeed. Our collaborative and inclusive work culture ensures you feel valued and motivated every day.
Being based in Turkey, gives us a unique advantage in understanding the local market. We pride ourselves on our deep connections within the community and our ability to provide personalized service to our clients. As a local travel agent, you’ll have the opportunity to leverage your knowledge of the Turkey area to build a loyal client base and make a meaningful impact.
Reach out to us via our website here: become a travel agent. Our friendly team is here to answer any questions you may have and guide you through the application process.
Submit your application through our online portal. We are looking for individuals who are passionate, driven, and excited about the travel industry. Be sure to highlight your relevant experience and any unique skills that set you apart.
Once your application is reviewed, we will invite you for an interview. Successful candidates will join our dynamic team of Disney travel advisors and embark on a rewarding career path with endless possibilities.
Don’t miss the chance to join a leading Disney travel agency in Turkey, where your passion for travel can transform into a successful career. Our supportive environment, extensive resources, and local expertise make us the perfect choice for aspiring Disney travel agents. Apply today and start your journey with us!
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Located on the Seyhan River in southern Turkey, Adana is the fourth largest city in the country and is considered a fast-growing agricultural and industrial boom town. Diverse cultural heritage is displayed in the city’s architecture and includes inf...
Categories: Adana
Categories: Adiyaman
Akdamar Island is located in eastern Turkey, and is the second largest island in Lake Van. Located on the island is Akdamar Kilesi, or Church of the Holy Cross. The ruins left of this Armenian cathedral are situated with a beautiful mountainous backd...
Categories: Akdamar Island
Alacahoyuk, 100 mi/160 km east of Ankara and home of the imposing Sphinx Gate ruin, was a center of civilization during the Bronze Age—it is considered one of the most important ancient Hittite sites. Most of the gold and bronze objects that have bee...
Categories: Alacahoyuk
Alacati is located near the Cesme peninsula, west of Izmir. This city is characterized by its quaint old stone houses running down narrow streets. With streets lined with restaurant, cafes, and local shops there something for everyone to do; the most...
Categories: Alacati
The old town of Alanya dates from Seljuk and Ottoman times. Alanya has become a popular tourist center due to its wide sand beach stretching more than four miles from town. A short ride from old town is citadel hill and the courtyard of the upper for...
Categories: Alanya
Amasra is a charming fishing town rich with history and outdoor activities. The east side of town has sunny, sandy beaches where the bay protects bathers from the Black Sea waves. The town is built on a peninsula beneath the ramparts of a citadel bui...
Categories: Amasra
According to the ancient historian Strabo, Amasya was founded by an Amazon queen, Amasis, but this city 210 mi/335 km northeast of Ankara probably began as a Hittite settlement. Later it was conquered by Alexander the Great. The city reached its peak...
Categories: Amasya
The Mediterranean coast becomes less interesting as you drive east from Alanya, but Anamur, a town 160 mi/250 km east of Antalya, is worth a detour, especially in spring. That's when the area enclosed by the ruins of Byzantine Anamurium (just west of...
Categories: Anamur
Turkey's capital is a sprawling urban mass in the midst of the Central Anatolian steppe. Since 1920 when Ataurk set up his provisional government here, Ankara's main business has been government but several significant attractions make it worth a sho...
Categories: Ankara
The ancient Syrian capital of Antakya, 325 mi/525 km southeast of Ankara, was once the third-largest city in the Roman empire, after Rome and Constantinople. It was also home to one of the world's first Christian communities. (In the Bible, the first...
Categories: Antakya
This sun-drenched Mediterranean town on the Turkish Riviera is a major resort with a beautiful crescent bay, dramatic cliffs, and jagged mountains. It is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards and a prize-winning marina. In picturesque o...
Categories: Antalya
The remarkable, ancient Roman city of Aphrodisias, 280 mi/450 km south of Ankara, was dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Located near the village of Geyre, the ruins merit at least half a day of exploration. See the old walls, th...
Categories: Aphrodisias
Categories: Aspendos
The former Greek village of Assos, which overlooks a harbor 190 mi/305 km southwest of Istanbul, was settled by colonists from the nearby island of Lesbos. On the hill above the harbor, in the modern village of Behramkale, the pretty stone houses are...
Categories: Assos
Located within the historic city region of Cappadocia, the provincial town of Avanos overlooks the longest river of Turkey also known as the Kizilirmak or "Red River." The river supplies the clay for pottery for Avanos, a source of liveliho...
Categories: Avanos
Inhabited until 1923 by Ottoman Greeks, Ayvalik combines a beach resort (Sarimsakli, about 4 mi/6 km from town and served by regular minibuses) with a pleasant, small market town 150 mi/240 km north of Izmir. The back streets boast lovely old houses ...
Categories: Ayvalik
Categories: Ballisu
Bartin is a historic city in northern Turkey. Over time, the city changed hands many times and has been influenced by the cultures of the Hittites, Cimmerians, Persians, Romans, and Seljuk Turks. The wooden Bartin houses display the architectural cha...
Categories: Bartin
Belek is a beautiful resort town located on the Turkish Riviera. It is known for its white sandy beaches and surrounding pine forests. Visitors to Belek can enjoy the seaside spa resorts, golfing, and day trips to the nearby Roman ruins of Perge.
Categories: Belek
Bergama is the site of the ancient city called Pergamon and is usually seen on a two-day tour of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor or on an Aegean sea cruise. The place 180 mi/290 km southwest of Istanbul merits a visit because of its impressive ruins...
Categories: Bergama
Beysehir is a large Turkish town located on the shores of Lake Behsehir, only a short distance from Konya. Visitors most often travel to Beysehir to dine on its fresh fish, or to explore the beautifully restored Esrefoglu Mosque. Boasting to be one o...
Categories: Beysehir
Situated on a beautiful peninsula, Bodrum is known as a popular holiday resort. Enchanting villages of white painted houses trimmed with purple bougainvillea together with miles of sandy beaches and ideal locations for water sports. On the southern c...
Categories: Bodrum
Bogazkoy, Turkey, the capital of the Hittite empire 2000-1180 BC, is interesting because double walls circle its ruins. Be sure to see the Royal Gate, the Yer Kapi (underground tunnel), the Lion Gate and the Great Temple of the Storm God of Hattusas....
Categories: Bogazkoy
Categories: Bolu
The Bosphorus is the strait flowing between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.
Categories: Bosphorus Strait
Bozburun is a small seaside town in southwestern Turkey on the Bozburun Peninsula. Bozburun makes its living from the sea with fishing and yacht/gullet charters. It is also world-famous for its production of wooden gullets, using centuries-old Turkis...
Categories: Bozburun
Bozcaada (Tenedos) is a 15-square-mile island off the western coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. Bozcaada is planted with fields of grapevines and is known for its excellent wine. The island also has many hidden beaches, swimming holes and cafes to e...
Categories: Bozcaada (Tenedos)
Visit Bursa, due south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara, for its beautiful mosques and other early Ottoman architecture, for its silk-filled bazaars, its thermal spa baths and hotels.
Categories: Bursa
Cam Limani is a breathtaking coastal resort town in Turkey. Here many resorts offer friendly Turkish hospitality and beautiful sandy beaches. With a vast variety of sea life, Cam Limani offers visitors the chance to dive in a spectacul...
Categories: Cam Limani
The town of Camlihemsin, Turkey, 260 mi/420 km northeast of Ankara, is the last outpost before the dramatic Kackar Mountains, a wild range beloved by Turkish trekkers and mountaineers and increasingly popular with outdoor tourists from all over the w...
Categories: Camlihemsin
On the Asian shore, guarding the Dardanelles, is the quiet Turkish port town of Canakkale. History enthusiasts will want to venture to legendary Troy. Canakkale's Archaeological Museum boasts exhibits originally belonging to Frank Calvert, aide to th...
Categories: Canakkale
The underground cities of Cappadocia give you an idea of the sensation of what living in a labyrinth felt like. Derinkuyu is one of the 40 subterranean settlements in this area. It was at one time the home for up to 20,000 people. Its 18 stories ...
Categories: Cappadocia
The 9,000-year-old city of Catalhoyuk, Turkey, 160 mi/260 km south of Ankara, was once more interesting to read about than to see. Ongoing excavations may eventually prove that urban life had its origins at Catalhoyuk, but, for now, the ruins have fa...
Categories: Catalhoyuk
Cesme is a seaside resort town just west of Izmir, Turkey. Along the main square visitors will find a nice selection of restaurants, cafes, tea houses, and breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea. You will find excellent shopping opportunities along the...
Categories: Cesme
The Chimaera, named after the legendary fire-breathing beasts that were said to terrorize ancient Lycia, are perpetual flames flickering on a hillside near Olympos. The fires, no larger than a candle flame, are produced by methane gas and cannot be e...
Categories: Chimaera
Categories: Cokertme
Dalyan is a largely undeveloped, tranquil village offering classic Turkish hospitality, and attractions. The thermal springs at Sultaniye, and the Dalyan mud baths are also not to be missed and make for an out of the ordinary holiday experience....
Categories: Dalyan River
The ancient Greeks believed Datça was created personally by Zeus. The aquamarine waters of the vast sweeping bays and deserted beaches, the gorgeous rocky shores and pine-crested hills, the endless olive groves and herb-scented air all draw vi...
Categories: Datca
Myra is one of the most interesting Lycian sites in Turkey where Father Christmas (Santa Claus) is beleived to live there.
Categories: Demre (Myra)
Denizli is located in Turkey's Aegean Region, just 3 miles from Pamukkale. Visitors are attracted to the popular mineral thermal hot springs of Pamukkale, and Denizli serves as a convenient base.
Categories: Denizli
There are many fascinating attractions in and around Didim that range form cultural and historical to recreational. The Temple of Apollo and Medusa's head are the most popular ancient sites in Didim and attract history lovers from all over the w...
Categories: Didim
Turkey’s tiny port of Dikili lies on the northwestern coast of Aegean Turkey. Its closest landmass neighbor is the Greek island of Lesbos, which is a short ferry-boat ride away. Although Dikili is off the beaten tourist path, it plays host to a numbe...
Categories: Dikili
One of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey, ancient Diyarbakir lies along the Tigris River 350 mi/560 km southeast of Ankara. It is at least 5,000 years old and has, over the years, been overrun by Hurrians, Urartians, Assyrians and Persians. T...
Categories: Diyarbakir
Located on the southern shore of the Dardanelles, Eceabat is a waterfront town ringed by hotels, restaurants, taxi stands and a dock for ferries. Eceabat is located nearby to the main Gallipoli battlefields and has a convenient ferry link to Canakkal...
Categories: Eceabat
Rich in historical significance, Edirne, Turkey, saw the best and the worst times of the Roman Empire. At one time named Hadrianopolis after Emperor Hadrian, under whose reign the empire reached the farthest, this city 145 mi/235 km west of Istanbul ...
Categories: Edirne
At Ekincik, a delightful yacht mooring, visitors can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the area and the friendly hospitality of its people. Delikli Island lies right off the coast, southeast of Ekincik. Dalyan Delta, with a long, golden, sandy beach a...
Categories: Ekincik
Categories: English Harbour
Containing a variety of elaborate mosques from the 15th century, Erdine provides visitors a glimpse into old Turkish life. The elegance, style, and colors of the mosques will astound visitors, and the Old Bridge of Erdine provides a calm and relaxing...
Categories: Erdine
Categories: Erzincan
The city of Erzurum, Turkey, 475 mi/765 km east of Ankara in eastern Turkey, is surrounded by beautiful, gently eroded mountains. You may not want to make a special trip to see Erzurum, but it has several interesting sights for those passing through ...
Categories: Erzurum
Categories: Eskisehir
Fethiye is one of the most popular beach resorts and marina along the Turkish coast. Along the beaches visitors can participate in fun water sports as well as paragliding, cliff jumping, and bird watching. The city is also known for its roc...
Categories: Fethiye
There are actually two Focas in Turkey: Yeni and Eski ("New" and "Old"). Eski Foca, 44 mi/70 km north of Izmir, is larger and makes a good overnight stop en route south from Canakkale to Izmir. Hotels and restaurants ring a pleasing harbor with not m...
Categories: Foca
The importance of the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, cannot be overestimated. Had the British Empire's troops prevailed at the battle there, 125 mi/200 km southwest of Istanbul, World War I would have been considerably shorter and the course of modern ...
Categories: Gallipoli Penninsula
The bustling city of Gaziantep, Turkey, 438 mi/705 km southeast of Ankara, boasts a fine collection of Roman mosaics at the Gaziantep Museum and is justifiably famous for its food, especially anything made with the local pistachios (fistik), from bak...
Categories: Gaziantep
Categories: Gemiler Island
Categories: Gemlik
Gocek lies in the beautiful gulf of Fethiye, surrounded by pine clad mountains. The bay is famous for its marinas and offers yachting, and boating. The waterfront is lined with bars and restaurants, and a little more inland visitors will fi...
Categories: Gocek
Gokceada (the Windy Isle) is one of Turkey's two Aegean islands, far more rocky and mountainous than Bozcaada, and its attractions are not as immediately obvious. However, the upscale hotel developments in the hillside villages of Zeytinli and Tepeko...
Categories: Gokceada
The small town of Goreme is situated in the middle of the Valley of Fairy Chimneys, surrounded by the eerie shapes and fantastic rock formations that have made the region famous. It is one of the few remaining villages where fairy chimneys and rock-h...
Categories: Goreme
Categories: Guneysinir
Categories: Hakkari
The tiny lakeside village of Herakleia, 90 mi/145 km south of Izmir, is as pretty as rural Turkey gets, and it's well worth spending the night there to soak up the peace and quiet. Roman and Byzantine ruins are scattered around the lower slopes of Be...
Categories: Herakleia
Iskenderun is now a busy commercial centre and an important port of Turkey on the Mediterranean region. Iskenderun has an active, modern life with good hotels, restaurants and cafes among the palm trees by the Mediterranean sea, in a fine location on...
Categories: Iskenderun
This centuries old capital guards the slender waterway between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and is the doorway between the East and West. Visitors can explore remnants of Byzantine Constantinople in the Sultanahmet district, where y...
Categories: Istanbul
Izmir is a major seaport in western Turkey, on the Aegean Sea and is the gateway to Ephesus and Sardis. Ephesus is one of the ancient world's largest and most important archaeological and religious sites. Some of the site's most significant structure...
Categories: Izmir
Most people stop for an hour or so at Iznik, a pleasant lakeside town 60 mi/100 km southeast of Istanbul, when traveling from there to Bursa. Iznik (formerly known as Nicaea) was the site of the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church (in A....
Categories: Iznik
Categories: Kahta
Categories: Kalkan
North of Kusadasi, Kamlimani Beach is a Mediterranean getaway with the turquoise blue waters, and tree-lined beaches.
Categories: Kamlimani Beach
Categories: Karacasogut
More hot springs (Kizilpinar 55°C/131°F) bubble from the chalk-coated rocks on the same plateau only 5km/3mi west of Pamukkale near the village of Karahayit. The presence of various other oxides, e.g. iron oxide, tinges the calcium carbonate with a v...
Categories: Karahayit
Although it is a sizable town, Kars could hardly be more remote—it's on Turkey's northeastern border with Armenia, 600 mi/960 km east of Ankara. Not surprisingly, it looks as much Caucasian as Turkish, especially when the weather is cold (which is mu...
Categories: Kars
The port of Kas, one of the oldest settlements in Lycia, is on the Turkish mainland close to Rhodes. Rock-cut Myra tombs to the north east of the town date to the 4th century BC and the hills behind were probably the acropolis of the ancient city. Al...
Categories: Kas
Unlike many other Anatolian towns, Kastamonu, Turkey, has retained not only its old Ottoman mosques and medreses but also many of its fine old wooden houses. It is only 150 mi/240 km north of Ankara and is slowly being discovered as a destination for...
Categories: Kastamonu
Categories: Kaunos
Categories: Kayakoy
Kayseri, Turkey, once the principal city of ancient Cappadocia, lies in the shadow of Mount Erciyes 165 mi/265 km southeast of Ankara. St. Basil the Great established an ecclesiastic center here in the fourth century, confirming Kayseri's place in ea...
Categories: Kayseri
Kekova Island make for an excellent daytrip for visitors wanting to relax, take in some sun, swim, and explore some ancient ruins. There are several historic Byzantine ruins to see including the remains of a Byzantine chapel, and the remains of the s...
Categories: Kekova
Kemer is a beautiful mediterranean seaside resort on the coast of Turkey. Kemer's main attraction is its natural beauty near the sea, mountains, and pine forests. There are several stoney beaches, in secluded bays perfect for swimming. The town has a...
Categories: Kemer
Categories: Knidos
Ivriz is a relief representing a king and fertility god of the Hittite period. Eflatun Pinar is a holy Hittie monument fountain. A Byzantine church and several rock chapels can be seen in Sille, where the first rock carved monasteries of the world we...
Categories: Konya
Categories: Koycegiz Lake
Visitors come to Kusadasi for beaches and nearby ruins of Ephesus. The major attraction is the archaeological site of ancient Ephesus, considered to be most important in Turkey. The history of this ancient city dates back to 10th century BC; ...
Categories: Kusadasi (Ephesus)
Kutahya, Turkey, like Iznik, is a town famous for its painted tiles, examples of which can be seen all around you. Kutahya is 220 mi/355 km southeast of Istanbul and a pleasant place to pass a day. It has few foreign visitors, but there's a lively ba...
Categories: Kutahya
Categories: Lycian
The hillside town of Mardin, Turkey, 625 mi/1,005 km southeast of Ankara and overlooking a plain that extends into Syria, is both picturesque and historically and culturally rich. A variety of churches and monasteries testify to its importance as a c...
Categories: Mardin
Despite the many tourists, Marmaris has managed to retain its charm. Marmaris is in the deep recesses of a pretty bay, framed by pine-clad mountains. The sheltered harbor provides ideal anchorage for boats, which are protected from the stiff breezes...
Categories: Marmaris
Categories: Minare
The 16,945-ft/5,165-m peak of Mount Ararat is allegedly the land first spotted by Noah after the flood. The peak is in eastern Turkey, 650 mi/1,045 km east of Ankara and near the rustic frontier town of Dogubeyazit, the last Turkish checkpoint on th...
Categories: Mount Ararat
Categories: Mount Nemrut
Mundanya is a charming resort town on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara. Many of the old Byzantine buildings and Churches have been restored and converted into functional homes, shops, or cultural centers. Visitors can enjoy the wonderfu...
Categories: Mudanya
Named for the Byzantine princess Modrene, Mudurnu, Turkey, is a small town south of the main Istanbul-Ankara highway, 100 mi/160 km northwest of Ankara. It's a good place for an overnight stop, with its beautifully preserved and decorated wooden hous...
Categories: Mudurnu
The ruins of Nemrut Dag, Turkey, atop Mount Nemrut and 350 mi/565 km southeast of Ankara, date from the time of the Commagene civilization and were built 2,000 years ago for King Antiochus I (Antiochus Commagenes). Aside from their location at an el...
Categories: Nemrut Dag
Olympus, or Olimpos, is located on the beautiful Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Olympus has many pristine beaches, marble temples and orchards. A must see attraction for visitors is the Chimera, also know as the eternal flames. The flames appear out ...
Categories: Olympus Turkey
Categories: Pabuc Burnu
One of the most interesting geological sites in Turkey is in the town of Pamukkale, the "cotton castle" of terraced pools caused by cascading calcium rich mineral springs. From the edge of every terrace and every step in this fascinating natural phen...
Categories: Pamukkale
Allegedly founded by Patarus, a son of Apollo, Patara, Turkey, has an exquisite 12-mi/20-km beach. (Like Dalyan, the area is under environmental protection and cannot be entered at night to safeguard the sea turtles that nest there.) There are no bui...
Categories: Patara
Categories: Pergamum
Categories: Perge
Safranbolu, Turkey, is a must-see for anyone interested in Ottoman houses and architecture. Most of this town 155 mi/250 km north of Ankara is under historic preservation and gives a glimpse of domestic life 200 years ago. Safranbolu hasn't been arti...
Categories: Safranbolu
Situated between two river deltas on the Black Sea lies Samsun. According to ancient myths, Samsun was the land of the Amazons, the tribe of female warriors skilled in shooting bow and arrows. As the myth goes, the Amazons removed a breast in order t...
Categories: Samsun
Situated near the border with Syria 400 mi/650 km southeast of Ankara, Sanliurfa is Turkey's most Arabic city. More commonly called Urfa, it's a place of religious pilgrimage for Muslims and is extremely conservative—visitors should be aware that it ...
Categories: Sanliurfa
The ancient Lydian capital of Sardis, Turkey, 205 mi/330 km southwest of Istanbul, is where the process for minting coins was developed. It's also the site of one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (usually seen as a half-day tour from Izmir). Attra...
Categories: Sardis
Categories: Sarigerme
Selcuk is a small turkish farming town located in western Turkey. It was also the capital of the Emirate of Aydin under the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century.The town is one of the most visited in the Country for its close proximity to Ephesus. In S...
Categories: Selcuk
Side (pronounced SEE-day) is a town with fascinating Byzantine, Greek and Roman ruins, some dating from the seventh century BC. In this Turkish town 250 mi/400 km southwest of Ankara, ruins seem to pop up everywhere—scattered between the buildings or...
Categories: Side
Sinop is located in northern Turkey, surrounded by the Black Sea. The city’s population was 57,399 as of the year 2012. There is so much culture, history and natural beauty surrounding Sinop, some of the must see attractions include a visit to ...
Categories: Sinop
High in the hills above Selcuk, Sirince (pronouned shirin-jay) is a village with an interesting history that provides an alternative base for visitors to Ephesus or a pleasant day trip from the nearby cities of Selcuk, Kusadasi, Izmir or Aydin.In Tur...
Categories: Sirince
Sivas, Turkey, is the point at which western Anatolia melts gently into more exotic eastern Anatolia, 280 mi/450 km east of Ankara. It's a conservative town, although that doesn't detract from the ruined Seljuk medreses dotted around its central park...
Categories: Sivas
Located on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, Tasucu, is the main port for passenger ferryboats to and from Turkish Cyprus. With its picturesque cobblestone streets and beautiful Cilician Mountains looming in the distance, Tasucu is an excellent s...
Categories: Tasucu
The ancient town of Termessos, Turkey, 22 mi/35 km north of Antalya, is mentioned in the Iliad, in the story of Bellerophon. It's locally famous as being the only town in the area that Alexander the Great didn't conquer. The ruins, located high in th...
Categories: Termessos
Tokat is a particularly Turkish town, 275 mi/440 km northeast of Ankara, easy to dismiss on first sight but worth an overnight stay and a poke down the back streets. Go there to bathe in the Alipasa Hamam, one of Turkey-s most famous bathhouses, admi...
Categories: Tokat
Trabzon is a historical port city in Turkey that lines the eastern side of the Black Sea. Founded by the colonists of Miletus in the 8th century BC, this port is now known for its St. Sophia Church and the magnificent Sumela Monastery. The St. Sophia...
Categories: Trabzon
Troy, Turkey, the celebrated city of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey and of Virgil's The Aeneid, was long considered fictional until German businessman and archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered its ruins in the 1870s. It's near the modern ci...
Categories: Troy Turkey
Categories: Urfa
The town of Van, Turkey, lies in a beautiful, stark setting near the eastern shore of huge (2,000-sq-mi/6,000-sq-km) saltwater Lake Van, about 625 mi/1,005 km southeast of Ankara. Transportation links are good, despite the remote setting: Van can be ...
Categories: Van
The small spa resort of Yalova, on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara, is a long but enjoyable day trip of about 40 mi/65 km from Istanbul (take the high-speed ferry from Yenikapi and then a dolmus—shared taxi—on to the resort). What could be m...
Categories: Yalova
If you want to see the white-water-rafting stronghold of Yusufeli in the far northeastern corner of Turkey, do so soon, because it is constantly threatened with demolition to make way for a dam on the Coruh River. After years of back and forth, the f...
Categories: Yusufeli
Turkey has exoticism to spare, with its covered bazaars, whirling dervishes, sultans' treasures, Greek and Roman ruins, historic mosques, rich cuisines, Turkish delights and Byzantine mosaics. And its natural beauty is abundant, with great stretches of sandy beaches, spectacular canyons and rock formations, ancient cave homes, rugged mountains over 12,000 ft/3,700 m, beautiful lakes and pine forests, and romantic rocky coves.
Travelers will find Turks to be exceptionally gracious hosts, which makes sense given the country's place as a crossroads between Europe and Asia. The country has an excellent tourist infrastructure, too.
This appealing mix does have a few drawbacks—increasing prices (though it's still an inexpensive place to travel), sprawling new development and growing crowds in major cities and coastal tourist destinations—but they're hardly enough to spoil a visit.
Take your time in discovering the country. It's best experienced in leisurely excursions to places of remarkable history and beauty, such as Cappadocia and Ephesus, and in extended visits to fascinating and energetic cities, such as Istanbul.
Geography
Turkey is one of the geographical links between Europe and Asia. Running through the center of Istanbul, the Bosporus Strait, a wide waterway that connects the Aegean and Black seas (by way of the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosporus) also divides Europe and Asia, and Turkey has territory on both sides. The country is bordered by Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Turkey's landscape varies dramatically. It has more than 5,000 mi/8,000 km of coastline along the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black seas. Eastern Turkey and the Mediterranean coast are mountainous, with volcanic peaks capped by snow year-round. The lava layers from ancient volcanoes in central Anatolia created a landscape of colorful gorges and "fairy chimneys" in Cappadocia.
Farther west, the mountains give way to rolling steppes and fertile plains before reaching the coast. Although the steppe area can seem desolate, especially in high summer, parts of northern and western Turkey are surprisingly green. The southeasterrn part of the country is much drier than the north.
History
One look at the names of its ancient cities and landmarks confirms Turkey's place in the history of human civilization: Constantinople (Byzantium), Troy, Midas, Antioch (Antakya), Philadelphia (Alasehir), Halicarnassus (Bodrum), Mount Ararat. The land has a rich and complicated history—and the people known as the Turks have only been there for about 1,000 years.
The Asian side of Turkey, known as Anatolia or Asia Minor, was settled as early as 7000 BC, but historians don't really know much about the people who lived there until the Hittites arrived around 2000 BC. The Hittites managed to control a good portion of Anatolia, but their rule was interrupted and overthrown by a succession of smaller states, including the Phrygians, the Lydians and Lycians. Eventually, the great empires of Greece and Persia showed up, too, followed by the Romans.
Constantinople (formerly Byzantium and later Istanbul) was founded in the fourth century AD. It soon came to rival Rome as the seat of the Christian world, and the city flourished in this position for hundreds of years. Not until the formal split between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy (AD 1054) and the arrival of the Selcuks (Turks) in the late 11th century did the city begin to lose its luster.
Until that time, most of Turkey's rulers had come from the west, but the Selcuks changed that. They were descended from the Turkish people of East Asia, and they had a different language and religion (Islam). Various groups of Turks had been making their way westward for centuries, but the Selcuks were the first to dominate central Anatolia. They were soon followed by the Mongols and then the Ottomans, who arrived in the region around AD 1300. The Ottomans ultimately created a new empire that lasted more than 500 years, taking Constantinople in 1453 and spreading their rule through much of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
After its peak, the Ottoman Empire slowly crumbled over two centuries, finally expiring at the end of World War I. Into the void stepped Gen. Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk. A hero at the battle of Gallipoli, Ataturk drove out the Greeks and other peoples who had been awarded parts of the old empire after World War I. In doing so, he established the country's modern borders and renamed it "Turkey." A secular, democratic government was established, with Ataturk as the first president. Ataturk moved the capital to Ankara.
Modern Turkey straddles east and west, which sometimes makes for an uncomfortable ride. During the 1990s, the country struggled with a series of weak coalition governments, two disastrous earthquakes in northeastern Anatolia that killed nearly 20,000 people in 1999, and a long-running struggle with the PKK, a militant Kurdish group that sought independence for southeastern Turkey by means of violence. The absolute low point came in 2001, when the Turkish lira collapsed in value, throwing thousands out of work and creating economic chaos. The result was an election in 2002 that swept out almost all of the old political parties in favor of a modern Islamic government.
Under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey is pursuing membership in the European Union, although progress in such talks waxes and wanes in large part because of the ongoing conflict over the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus, as well as concern about the pace of Turkey's reforms and opposition from key EU countries such as France and Germany. In 2013, EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis admitted Turkey might lose its bid to join the EU. Many member nations are wary of integrating a majority Muslim nation that still struggles with secularism into the league.
In Erdogan's early years as Prime Minister, he pulled Turkey out of poverty and greatly improved the economy. But, starting in about 2012, Erdogan started becoming progressively more conservative and authoritarian.
His policies lead to massive unrest and in May 2013, protests and strikes broke out around the country, initially sparked by plans to redevelop Taksim Square. As the government responded with tear gas and water cannons, millions of protestors took to the streets, protesting the government crackdown while demanding greater democracy, freedoms and secularism. Many were angered by the government's backing of Syrian rebels, a controversial move seen by most Turks as a threat to national security (especially as more rebels are found with chemical weapons).
Later in the year, most of the violence had subsided and a tenuous peace had resumed. Still, the movement would become the most serious threat to Prime Minister Erdogan's government, and Turkey's largest disquietude in decades. Faced with limited jobs and resources, Turkey also struggles to deal with the half a million Syrian refugees that have poured into the country since 2011, the beginning of Syria's civil war.
Also in 2013, the government lifted a decades-old ban on wearing headscarves in civil service jobs, under the premise of democratic reform and bolstering the rights of Turkish Kurds. However, critics claim the move will blur the lines between government and religion, pushing a nation founded on secularism toward becoming an Islamic state.
In 2016 and 2017, restrictions against hijabs were further lifted so that women may wear hijabs in schools and government positions, including in courts. Regardless, the hijab will remain one of the most polarizing emblems of modern Turkish life, symbolizing the ongoing tug-of-war between the country's religious and secular elite.
An attempted coup in July 2016 set off a period of political unrest in Turkey that severely depressed tourism in the country, though it has since made a steady comeback.
After the unsuccessful coup attempt, which left President Erdogan still in power, Turkey's political and economic situation stabilized and public violence ceased in 2016. The country remains stable, though Erdogan has managed to grasp more authoritarian power over the government, resulting in rumored human rights abuses, ongoing strife with Syrian Kurds, and other social issues. It is not likely that Turkey will become part of the EU anytime soon.
Some areas of the country, including the eastern and southeastern regions near the borders of Syria and Iraq should still be avoided because of the risk of terrorist attacks and continued unrest. However, most visitors to Turkey will not notice any of these political and social issues. Turkey is overall a safe tourist destination and the Turkish people are helpful and welcoming.
Snapshot
Turkey offers beaches, historical sites, museums, shopping, palaces, mosques, architecture, good food, spas, beautiful and varied scenery, hiking and mountain climbing, hot air ballooning, and watersports.
Turkey will appeal to adventurous, well-traveled people who enjoy the combination of exotic cities, beautiful beaches and mountains, and historical attractions. Turkey is a modern country and standards in accommodations have increased dramatically in recent years, although travelers who seek every Western comfort and a high degree of predictability and organization may be more comfortable if they confine their trips to major cities and tourist destinations, including Cappadocia and coastal towns and cities.
Potpourri
The people originally known as the Turks are thought to have migrated from an area in the eastern part of Siberia.
The origin of the word meander is from the Meander River, the ancient name of Turkey's Menderes River, which twists and turns its way to the Aegean Sea.
The Quran forbade Turkish sultans to enslave fellow Muslims, so the slave-wives who populated their harems were all Jewish or Christian. Armenian and Cherkess (Circassian) women were particular favorites, and Suleyman the Magnificent had a Russian wife, Roxelana. Over the generations, the Imperial bloodline became increasingly diluted, with the result that the last Ottoman sultans were less than 1% genetically Turkish.
Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express in Room 411 of the Pera Palace Hotel, one of Istanbul's landmark hotels. It is also where she experienced her mysterious "lost" days—11 days that neither she nor anyone else could account for.
Tulips are originally from Turkey. The bulbs were exported to the Netherlands in the 17th century, where a buying craze sent their prices soaring.
Florence Nightingale pioneered modern nursing in Istanbul during the Crimean War in 1854.
Legend holds that the founders of Istanbul (ancient Byzantium) had been told by a seer to settle across the water from the "city of the blind men." On one side of the Golden Horn, the adventurers found a perfect site for a city: It had a good water supply, an excellent harbor and cooling breezes, but no one lived there. However, just across the straits was a town built on marshy ground that had no natural advantages. Rightly deeming the others to be figuratively blind, the newcomers established Byzantium.
The Seven Churches of Asia Minor, which figure prominently in the Apocalypse, or Revelation of St. John, were in Ephesus, Laodicea, Pergamon (now Bergama), Philadelphia (Alasehir), Sardes, Smyrna (Izmir) and Thyatira (Akhisar).
Although the croissant is generally considered to be a product of French bakeries, its origin is Turkish (it's said to be the shape of the Islamic crescent). Another item Turkey introduced to the rest of Europe was coffee. Supposedly, Europeans first learned of coffee and croissants during the siege of Vienna in 1683. When the Ottoman army retreated, they left both behind.
More than one-third of the world's legally grown opium comes from the Afyon area. Visit in late May-early June to see the fields awash with purple and white "hashhash" poppies.
Location
Various cruise lines include Istanbul and other Turkish ports on their Mediterranean itineraries.