* TuRKeY *

There is far more to Turkey than the packed holiday resorts. Explore the sights away from the crowds to find ancient architecture and some extraordinary landscapes.

 Ephesus

This once thriving ancient Greek city has seen it all and lived to tell the tale. A major Roman site on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, it was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. Famed for housing the Temple of Artemis in 550 BC, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Ephesus now houses some of the finest examples of classical architecture to be found in the region.

Alanya

Alanya is a paradise of sun, sea and sand. If you want more of the cultural vibrancy of Turkey, Alanya is a beautiful place to start. It works as a great holiday centre with its pristine sandy beaches, modern hotels, and quality fish restaurants. The cafes that ring the harbour are popular gathering places for tourists and locals, with three blue flag beaches and many sights, including Damlatas Cave, the Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, and the Dim Çayi Valley.

Istanbul

One of the most ancient cities in the world, Istanbul at times overshadowed even ancient Rome, serving as capital first to Byzantine and then to the Ottoman Empire. At every turn in the city you fall over beauty. It teems with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman palaces, mosques, churches, monasteries, monuments, walls, and ruins. The Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the mosques of Süleymaniye and the Blue Mosque dominate the skyline.

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