MAP OF TURKEY

  Istanbul - Bursa -

Istanbul
The famous Byzantium and formerly Constantinople has been capital of three great empires : The Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. Being at the crossroads of Asia and Europe and connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean, the city has always been a very important gateway, through the ages. Istanbul today, displays the treasures of all this magnificent history together with the modern life of an ever-busy city with its unique skyline of high domes and graceful minarets, prestigious palaces and modern shopping malls.

Bursa
Being one of the capitals of the Ottoman Empire, Bursa brings us besides beautiful mosques and Sultan’s tombs, a continuously booming industrial zone with hundreds of factories. The Uludag mountain nearby is an attractive winter sports destination. Bursa is also famous with its hot springs and Turkish baths, which can enjoyed in some of the major hotels.

Troy
Who doesn’t know the legendary story of the Trojan Horse? The famous war started, when Paris kidnapped the beautiful Helen from her husband and ended after the Greek forces destroyed Troy ten years later with the well-known wooden horse.

Izmir
The biggest city along the Aegean coast and an important harbor for export goods. The history remembers Izmir as the hometown of Homer with its former name of Symrna and the traces of Alexander the Great on the hill called Pagos.

Ephesus
One of the world’s most important historical places of interest is the ancients city of Ephesus. Being the Roman capital of Asia Minor and the biggest trade port of the Aegean coast, Ephesus had a population of more than 300.000 people and the wealthiest city of the whole region. Today many of its buildings and monuments have been restored, which attract all visitors to Turkey. The Temple of Diana, the Virgin Mary House and the St. John’s Basilica nearby complete the whole picture of living history.

Aphrodisias
This ancient city with a marvelous museum, named for the Goddess of Love, brings very well-preserved monuments, buildings and temples to the visitor’s attention. The stadium, with a seat capacity for 30,000 spectators reflects the life of ancient times, where gladiators and wild animals performed their fights. The classical sculptures exhibited in the local museum, prove the marble artwork.

Pamukkale
The ‘Cotton Castle’ is one of natural wonders, where hot mineral water creates white travertine cliffs of solidified calcium, with many small and large pools, displaying a spectacular view. The Roman city of Hierapolis here, served as an ancient healing center, through several centuries. Today Pamukkale is famous resort, with many spa hotels.

Antalya
Antalya is the center of the Turkish Riviera at the Mediterranean Coast, located very close to ancient Roman cities of Side, Aspendos, Perge and Termessos. The coastline here attracts millions of international tourists, who can choose among thousands of hotels in various categories.

Ankara
The modern capital city of the Turkish Republic preserves the treasures of the ancient Hittite Empire in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and also the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic.

Cappadocia Cappadocia is the ancient, regional name of Central Asia Minor, with several historical and geological places of interest, like Aksaray, Göreme and Ürgüp. The conical land forms and fairy chimneys formed as a result of volcanic eruptions and water erosion millions of years ago. These have been carved and used as rock churches and underground cities by the early Christians, which are turned to hidden valleys throughout the centuries. The frescoes here display the stories of the Holy Bible and life of Saints.