Turkey

Famous for its pretty coves and shores, gorgeous green hills and blue sea. This is a holiday maker’s dream. There is a fascinating history, vibrant markets where there is always a bargain to be had, providing you are happy to haggle with the locals (they love it!) There is so much to explore, with great value dining, a lively nightlife and great days out.

Welcome to a land filled with Turkish delight!

Weather

There are considerable differences in climate within Turkey. The coastlands and mountain slopes facing the Black Sea on the north, the Aegean on the west and the Mediterranean on the south all have wetter and milder winters than the interior, which can be extremely cold in the winter. However the summers are very hot with excellent sunshine levels making it an ideal place for a perfect getaway summer holiday!

Average temperatures in degrees celcius

January 13
February 13
March 16
April 19
May 24
June 29
July 32
August 32
September 28
October 23
November 18
December 15

Culture

The rich history in Turkey produces culture which is an immense mixture. It is diverse combining elements derived from Ottoman, European and Middle Easter traditions.

There are also 2 calendars in Turkey – the official one being exactly the same as the ones used elsewhere around the world. This is called the Gregorian. However, religious festivals follow the Hijri calendar – a lunar calendar which is offset from the Gregorian calendar by 11 days every year. This can obviously mean that shops, museums etc are closed on different days throughout the year.

Food and Drink
It is said that travelers in Turkey, “come for the history but stay for the food”. Make sure you carry home a Turkish food item like a Turkish Delight as a souvenir from Turkey. Here are some of their popular dishes:

Kebab – the popular varieties of kebabs are sis and doner. Sis kebabs are grilled pieces of skewered meat. Doner kebabs are made by stacking alternate layers of ground meat and sliced leg of lamb and grilling them over slow fire

Kofte - is ground meat mixed with spices, eggs and onions, shaped into balls and then fried or boiled.

Meze – starters are food served with alcohol. They range from feta cheese served with dread to cold vegetable dishes.

Turkish Delight – Sold in abundance and very cheaply around Turkey – try it, its gorgeous and there are many varieties.

A popular drink in Turkey is ‘Turkish Tea’ which is served in special cups has a very important place in daily life.

Beaches

Turkey is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the south, The Black Sea on the north and the Aegean Sea in the west. There really are some breathtakingly beautiful beaches. These tend to be underrated but with the beach activities available and the pure beauty, they really do give beaches all over the world a run for their money!

Shopping

You can’t go to Turkey and not go shopping – it truly is entertaining. There is a wide range of beautiful and unique crafts there. Amongst the best buys are:

Turkish carpets
Gold or silver jewellery with or without stones
Leather goods
Traditional hand painted ceramics
Also don’t forget all the of the famous markets and don’t forget to haggle – they love it!!

Things to do in Turkey

Paraglide over the dead sea
Scuba dive in Antalya
Rafting in the River Coruh
Yachting in the blue coastal line
Hot air ballooning in Cappadoccia
Mountaineering in Mount Ararat
Play golf on one of the many courses
Explore caves and ski on the mountains
Visit hot spings and spas
Enjoy the many National Parks
Travel the green plateous of Turkey!