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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 2010 |
In
2010 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?
2008
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 2010. 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
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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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