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| Travel |
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| A
little piece of heaven could be yours in
Lara Beach, Turkey |
| Lara
Beach Hotel: Side |
| Standing
proudly beside the glittering, blue
ocean in the burgeoning resort of Lara
Beach, offering 5 star service in a 5
star location. more>> |
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| Low
Cost Holidays come out on Top |
| We
recently carried out a quick search and survey
of the online holiday companies, we checked
the websites for ease of use, facts and
figures, if they give all details regarding
flights, hotels and transfers and those
dreaded "hidden extras" we found for
ease of use, value for money "Low
Cost Holidays " came out number first
closely followed by "On
the beach " who were not that clear
regarding transfers which isn't really a
problem, we carried out a quick search with a2btransfers.com
who worked out cheaper than booking through
holiday companies. |
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| Turkey,
the place to be in 2011 |
In
2011 Value for money is going to be the key
for most sun seekers - Travel firms are
expecting people to pack their bags and head
for Turkey and Egypt. With the current
exchange rate so poor in the Eurozone you're
guaranteed to make your pound go further here.
And did you know that Turkey has more blue
flag beaches, awarded for water quality, than
Jamaica, Italy and the Bahamas put together?
2010
was a bumper holiday season for Turkish
tourism, with the cost of living lower than
parts of Europe and all year round sunshine
the trend is set to be even higher in 2011.
Tour companies such as Travelcare
are already reporting a massive rise in early
bookings it seems the doom and gloom of
Britain is soon to be forgotten, for the lucky
ones anyway.
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| Turkey
Historical Sites |
Every
year hundreds of holiday makers from across
the globe make their way to Turkey, usually
looking for a few weeks of serious relaxation
in the sunshine. Yet aside from its
breathtaking scenery, beautiful coastline and
ever glorious weather, Turkey has a lot more
to offer its visitors than the traditional
`sun, sea and sand`. The only country in the
world to spread across two continents, Turkey
is an intriguing country rich in culture and
steeped in a fascinating and complex history,
making it an ideal holiday location for those
who don`t just love the sunshine, but are also
eager to explore a new country, visit some of
its most magnificent historical sights and
learn a little (or even a lot!) about its
history and culture.
Wherever you choose to spend a holiday in
Turkey you will undoubtedly find sights of
historical interest, but there are certain
towns, regions and even specific sights that
make particularly ideal holiday destinations
for those with a passion for history. Here is
a run down of the best five…
Kuşadasi is a delightful resort town on
the Aegean coast of Turkey, meaning it is more
than well equipped to cater to every holiday
maker`s needs and desires. Yet not only can Kuşadasi
offer spectacular sandy beaches, friendly
locals and delicious Turkish food, here you
will also find a huge number of historical
sights nearby, the best of which is Ephesus.
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city – one of
the twelve cities of the Ionian league during
the Classical Greek era – and was for many
years the second largest city in the whole of
the Roman Empire, second only to Rome. Steeped
in history, this ancient city is one of the
seven churches of Asia referred to in the Book
of Revelation and is believed to be the place
where the Gospel of John was written. It was
also the sight of the Temple of Artemis, one
of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Some of the many breathtaking sights that can
be seen at Ephesus include the Odeon, the
Temple of Hadrian, the Roman Library of Celsus,
the Gate of Augustus and the world famous Cave
of the Seven Sleepers.
If ancient history is what you`re interested
in, then another fantastic place to visit is
Assos, an ancient Aeolian city located on the
rocky hillside high above the fishing village
of Behramkale. Not only is this an ideal place
for a holiday or even day trip if you`re
looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the
cities and better known tourist sights, the
acropolis of Assos is home to the Temple of
Athena. With the original structure still
clearly marked out by 19 columns, the Temple
and Athena is a stunning reminder of Turkey`s
ancient past and one of the best places in the
country to watch the sun set.
Another of Turkey`s sights of historical
interest is the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Once
the largest cathedral in the world, the Hagia
Sophia is best known for its gigantic domed
roof and stunning Byzantine architecture and
throughout history has been used as a church,
a mosque and is now a museum. As was as its
epic proportions and fabulous design, the
Hagia Sophia is also home to rich mosaics and
the beautiful Lodge of the Empress. Also
located in Istanbul us the Sultan Ahmed Mosque
– popularly known as the `Blue Mosque`
because of the tiles adorning its interior.
Started in the early 17th century, the Blue
Mosque took nearly 2 centuries to build, but
few would argue that is wasn`t worth all that
effort! The mosque is a stunningly beautiful
example of both Byzantine and Ottoman
architecture both inside and out and is
certainly one of Turkey`s most fabulous
historical sights.
The city of Konya also offers much in the way
of historical sights, including the 13th
century Iplikçi Mosque and the Mevlana
Museum. However, this city is notably most
famous for its cultural history, as it is the
original home of the traditional – and now
world famous – whirling dervishes. Not only
will you be able to see the whirling dervishes
in action here, but there are also curious
sights such as the whriling dervish cemetery
to behold.
Getting to Turkey is relatively
straightforward, though travellers should be
aware that they will need a visa. These can,
however, be bought for around £10 upon
arrival at the airport and for UK holiday
makers will last for three months. Turkey`s
primary route of entry is via Istanbul
airport, however there are other airports
located across the country that receive
regular flights from a variety of European and
international destinations. Once in Turkey,
there are a variety of great places to stay
and something to suit every budget. One of the
best options is to stay in one of the many Olu
Deniz hotels, which are fully equipped to
cater for every holiday maker`s wishes. |
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Travel
Tips: Meeting and Greeting Etiquette
When meeting shake hands firmly. When departing it is
not always customary to shake hands although it is
practised occasionally.
Friends and relations would greet each other with two
kisses on the cheek. Elders are always respected by
kissing their right hand then placing the forehead
onto the hand.
When entering a room, if you are not automatically met
by someone greet the most elderly or most senior
first.
Greet people with either the Islamic greeting of 'Asalamu
alaykum' (peace be upon you) or 'Nasilsiniz' (How are
you? pronounced na-sul-su-nuz).
Other useful phrases are 'Gunaydin' (Good Morning,
pronounced goon-ay-dun), 'iyi gunler' (Good Days,
pronounced ee-yee gun-ler) or 'Memnun Oldum' (pleased
to meet you). |
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With
a plethora of sun, sea, mountains and lakes Turkey is
a holiday makers dream. The reputation of the Turkish
folk is one of amazing hospitality. The local cuisine
is simply divine.
With such a huge number of things to do in Turkey we
will list just a few – the beach, sun, sand holiday
goes without saying. There are also such a long list
of ancient ruins, mosques and museums to visit. Take
a look at our area guide for more information
or our travel
guide for frequently asked questions.
A boat trip would be a must, as would a visit to a
Turkish bath. Go belly dancing and bargain shopping or
just enjoy the fabulous food Turkey has to offer. For
the adventurous at heart you can enjoy just about any
sport you desire, from white water rafting to scuba
diving, parasailing and skiing.
Sailing
in Turkey
Sailing
around the fabulous Turkish Coastline can be an
exhilarating experience and a marvellous way to
enhance your holiday enjoyment. There are few better
ways to unwind and escape the stresses of modern
day-to-day life!
Don’t
mistake this holiday as one only suitable for keen
sailors. The Turkish gulet is a kind of comfortable
floating apartment complete with a crew to both safely
navigate you to a magical Turkey afloat, but also to
wait on you hand and foot. Superbly comfortable and
providing a unique holiday experience, one of our
gulet cruises will take you to beautiful secluded bays
and idyllic anchorages, many not accessible by road.
You will visit blue lagoons, ruins of ancient baths,
traditional Turkish villages and historical sites in
real style.
We
have been asked many questions about holidaying in
Turkey, to answer a few and hopefully put you
"first timers" minds at rest we have dropped
a few questions with answers here
>>
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Travel
Essentials
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Private
villas and Apartments
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Why
not treat yourself to a private apartment or
villa?
Our
partners Turkishdreamrentals
are now able to offer you the chance to rent a
private apartment or villa direct from the
owner, simply search and take your pick from the
properties on offer then simply complete a short
form and the owner will contact you, what could
be easier? Click here
to start your search.
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