Author: tur

  • A treasure house of history and culture, Great Travel, Great Times!

    A treasure house of history and culture, Great Travel, Great Times!

    A treasure trove of history, culture, and natural beauty, Turkey serves as a gateway between Europe and Asia, offering visitors a unique blend of East and West. With its strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and rich cultural heritage, Turkey has become one of the most attractive destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions (MICE), and corporate events.

    Combining modern business facilities with breathtaking landscapes, ancient landmarks, and renowned hospitality, Turkey provides an exceptional setting for both professional gatherings and leisure travel. Visitors can enjoy luxurious accommodations, state-of-the-art conference centers, excellent transportation networks, and countless opportunities for sightseeing and entertainment. Furthermore, Turkey offers outstanding value for money, often providing high-quality services at a lower cost than many competing international destinations.

    Strategic Location and Easy Accessibility

    Turkey’s unique geographical position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East makes it an ideal meeting point for international business travelers. Major European cities are only a few hours away by air, while direct and connecting flights link Turkey with destinations across North America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

    The country’s modern airports, led by the impressive Istanbul Airport, provide convenient access to major Turkish cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya. National carrier Turkish Airlines, together with numerous international airlines, operates extensive global networks, making travel to Turkey simple and efficient.

    Istanbul: A World-Class Conference and Tourism Hub

    As Turkey’s largest city and cultural capital, Istanbul is among the world’s most captivating destinations for conferences, conventions, and incentive programs. Straddling two continents and overlooking the magnificent Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul offers a unique atmosphere that few cities can rival.

    The city boasts a wide range of luxury hotels, international conference centers, exhibition venues, and modern business facilities. Beyond business activities, visitors can explore extraordinary historical landmarks such as:

    • Hagia Sophia
    • Blue Mosque
    • Topkapi Palace
    • Grand Bazaar
    • Basilica Cistern

    Istanbul’s vibrant culinary scene, luxury shopping, nightlife, and cultural attractions provide endless opportunities for delegates and accompanying guests.

    Izmir and the Aegean Coast

    Located on Turkey’s western coast, Izmir is a modern and cosmopolitan city known for its palm-lined boulevards, Mediterranean lifestyle, and proximity to some of the country’s most important historical sites.

    As the gateway to the Aegean Region, Izmir provides easy access to a collection of charming coastal destinations ideal for corporate retreats, incentive travel, and executive meetings, including:

    • Kusadasi
    • Bodrum
    • Marmaris
    • Fethiye

    These resorts offer luxury marinas, boutique hotels, pristine beaches, vibrant nightlife, and numerous recreational activities such as sailing, diving, and yacht cruises. The nearby ancient city of Ephesus is one of the Mediterranean’s most remarkable archaeological treasures and a popular excursion destination.

    Antalya and the Turkish Riviera

    The Mediterranean city of Antalya is one of Turkey’s leading tourism and conference destinations. Known as the heart of the Turkish Riviera, Antalya enjoys over 300 days of sunshine annually, making it an attractive year-round destination.

    Visitors can experience:

    • Spectacular sandy beaches
    • Luxury seaside resorts
    • Championship golf courses
    • Modern conference facilities
    • Ancient archaeological sites
    • Scenic mountain landscapes

    Nearby coastal regions and resorts offer excellent venues for international meetings and incentive programs while allowing participants to enjoy the region’s natural beauty and recreational opportunities.

    Ankara: Turkey’s Dynamic Capital

    As the capital of Turkey, Ankara serves as the country’s political and administrative center. The city features modern business districts, sophisticated hotels, international-standard conference facilities, fine dining establishments, and an efficient transportation network.

    Ankara also serves as an excellent starting point for exploring the extraordinary region of Cappadocia. Famous for its surreal landscapes, fairy chimneys, underground cities, and rock-carved churches, Cappadocia offers one of the most unique cultural and natural experiences in the world.

    Bursa and Uludağ

    The historic city of Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, combines rich heritage with modern hospitality facilities. Surrounded by lush greenery and historic monuments, Bursa is renowned for its thermal spas, wellness resorts, and traditional Ottoman architecture.

    Just outside the city lies Uludağ, one of Turkey’s premier ski destinations. During winter, Uludağ attracts visitors from across the region for skiing, snowboarding, and mountain recreation, while the surrounding area remains popular year-round for nature tourism.

    Outstanding Hospitality and Event Infrastructure

    Turkey has invested heavily in tourism and business infrastructure, enabling it to host events of every scale—from executive board meetings and incentive programs to large international congresses and exhibitions.

    Key advantages include:

    • Modern convention and exhibition centers
    • Luxury international hotel chains
    • Advanced transportation networks
    • Experienced event management services
    • Competitive pricing and excellent value
    • Diverse leisure and cultural activities
    • High-quality cuisine and internationally acclaimed wines

    Turkey’s long-standing tradition of hospitality ensures that visitors receive warm, professional service throughout their stay.

    An Unforgettable Business and Travel Experience

    Whether hosting a multinational conference in Istanbul, organizing an incentive trip along the Aegean coast, conducting meetings in Ankara, or enjoying a corporate retreat on the Mediterranean Riviera, Turkey offers an unmatched combination of business efficiency, cultural richness, and natural beauty.

    With its strategic location, world-class facilities, remarkable historical heritage, stunning coastlines, exceptional hospitality, and competitive costs, Turkey continues to rank among the world’s most appealing destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, and corporate travel. Any event organized in Turkey is not only professionally rewarding but also an unforgettable cultural experience for every participant.

  • Priene is one of the best-preserved examples from Antiquity to the present day

    Priene is one of the best-preserved examples from Antiquity to the present day

    The ancient city of Priene, located in the south of Ephesus, offers the magnificent features of a city dating back to the 4th century. The ancient city of Priene is located 15 kilometers southwest of the Söke district of Aydın, on the southern slopes of Samsun Mountain (Mykale). The first information about this city, which was included in the Ionian League, is found in ancient sources in the 7th century BC. The city was rebuilt in the middle of the 4th century BC on the basis of the plan named after Hippodamos of Miletus. Priene was an episcopal center during the Byzantine period. The city, which is gradually moving away from the sea due to the alluvium carried by the Menderes River, has lost its value over time. It is known that Priene was completely evacuated in the 13th century.

    The fact that the city was built on a steep cliff offered an advantage in terms of defense. Priene is one of the best preserved examples of urban planning from Antiquity to the present day. In this respect, it is extremely important to comprehend the development of urban planning in Anatolia and to set an example for contemporary planning practices. Priene was designed by the famous city planner Hippodamos of Miletus and designed the city on a chessboard plan, with the streets of the Bosphorus intersecting each other at right angles. The main streets run in the east-west direction, and the secondary streets run in the north-south direction. As a whole city, it faces south. This arrangement allowed the Priene houses to receive sunlight in the winter months and the mouths to the roofs of the houses in the summer.

    The plan of Hippodamos divided the city into insulas or islands. Each rectangle measures the area… He had either four houses or an official building. Some structures, such as the stadium and the theater, did not fit into the city plan due to their shape and/or size. In addition to urban planning, there are three monuments that visit Priene: The Priene theater is one of the best examples of Greek-type theaters. This horseshoe-shaped theater is built on the hillside and has a seating capacity of 5000 people. The theater has undergone renovations in different periods of history.

    The Temple of Athena, located about 100 meters above sea level and the Menderes Valley, attracts the attention of visitors. Designed by architect Pytheos, who was also the architect of the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus, this Ionic temple became one of the most famous monuments in Ionia. After his temple in Priene, Pyteos published a book explaining the principles of Ionian architecture. The attributes for which he used this temple became the canonical orders of Ionic architecture.

    In the center of the ancient city, there are many monumental buildings built by well-known architects of the period and skillfully integrated into the city plan. Among the prominent buildings of the city are the Temple of Demeter, the Temple of Athena, the agora, the Temple of Zeus, the bouleuterion, the upper gymnasion, the lower gymnasion, the Temple of the Egyptian Gods, the residence of Alexander the Great, the Byzantine church, and the necropolis area. The theater, another important structure of the city, was built in 350 BC and has a capacity of 5 thousand people. In addition to these, the houses of Priene, one of the best-preserved examples of its kind from the Late Classic and Hellenistic periods, provide valuable information about the settlement history. In this respect, the city is described as the “Pompeii of Anatolia”.

    Buleterion
    The third interesting building in Priene is its charming town hall with seating capacity of 640 people. Town hall where the members of the city council used to meet on the special days of the week was covered over with a wooden roof. The Buleterion is entered through two major doors.

  • Istanbul has rich shopping options for every taste and budget

    You can reach the dream world of the mystical east in the Spice Bazaar or Spice Market next to the New Mosque in Eminönü. Sultanahmet, in the old part of the city, has also become a separate shopping center in recent years. It is possible to see the craftsmen working and buy what they make in the Istanbul Arts Bazaar in the 18th century Mehmet Efendi Madrasa and the 16th century Caferağa Madrasa built by mimar Sinan nearby.

    The exclusive shops in the Taksim – Nişantaşı – Şişli districts reflect the opposite of the chaos in the market places. On Istiklal, Cumhuriyet and Rumeli Streets, you can easily visit the shops selling stylish models produced from Turkey’s high-quality textiles and shop. In the shopping complexes opened one after another, there are branches of the most stylish stores in Istanbul.

  • Experience the thrill of flying into the sky with paragliding without any effort

    Paragliding is another flight of fancy particularly suited to the high peaks and gentle gusts of wind above the Blue Lagoon, over the travertines of Pamukkale, atop Bolu’s Abant Lake, and down along the coastline above Kas. And you don’t have to be a licensed pilot to enjoy the bird’s eye view. Experienced and insured flyers offer tandem flights to anyone with a yearning for flight, leaving their charges free to meditate upon the sights below. There are three paragliding disciplines: cross-country, bivouac and acrobatic.

    Paragliding sport is to take off by means of running from a high hill instead of plane with a parachute similar to free style jumping parachute on the first look. Parachute, which is lied on a inclined and high hill, is filled with air with the running of pilot and take off with pilot. Periods of the flights can continue for kilometers / hours in connection with the experience of pilot and performance of the materials used. Although it can be for single person, there is two persons (tandem) wings. Paragliding, whose first trial had been made in 1940s, and numerously modified till today. There were lots of structural improvements which has increased the flight period and security of perform.

    First paragliding was similar to free style diving parachute. It had turned into an aerophyl structure which has high raising power instead of its pressure enduring characteristic with changing in time. Paragliding parachute wing structure had reached to its appropriate shape for easy to take off, slowly descending ratio and good flying performance, beginning from 1980s. Paragliding Sport in our country had been recognized with the discover by foreign pilots of Mount Baba in Fethiye, Oludeniz (Blue Lagoon) region at the beginning of 1990s, and actively started in university clubs initially.

    Being the most economical aerial vessel and being inside the natural sports, maintained it to be performed by a massive number of people today. Paragliding Parachute Sport, which does not require a special skill or much effort basically, is very easy and enjoying to do after a standard training. Paragliding training are organized by THK, university clubs and private clubs.

    Some of the Flight Zones
    Paragliding in Inonu Eskisehir
    Paragliding in Egirdir Isparta
    Paragliding in Abant Bolu
    Paragliding in Golbasi Ankara
    Paragliding in Kayseri
    Paragliding in Pamukkale Denizli
    Paragliding in Fethiye Mugla
    Paragliding in Aksu Antalya

  • Mountaineering tourism in Turkey is highly developed

    Turkey’s magnificent mountains and forests are mostly undeveloped, existing as wonderful natural preserves for an extraordinary variety of wildlife, flora and fauna. Two of Turkey’s most famous peaks are volcanoes, both inactive, Mt. Erciyes in Kayseri in Central Anatolia (3917 m) and Mt. Agri (Mt. Ararat 5137 m) in the East. Other well-known mountain ranges are the Rize Kackar (3932 m) in the Eastern Black Sea region, Nigde Aladag (3756 m) in the Central Taurus range, and the Cilo and Sat Mountains (4136 m) near Hakkari in the Eastern Taurus.

    The mountainous nature of the country has influenced its cultural evolution. For centuries, nomads and semi-nomadic peoples have migrated annually to the fresh pastures of the higher elevations in the summer. These alpine meadows, called yayla, still represent a firm tie to traditional culture.

    For climbers and those interested in mountain geography, Turkey offers a wealth of exploration. Glaciers, volcanoes, and peculiar geological formations such as kars prove irresistible to researchers and students of geology. The challenging terrain offers great opportunities for aficionados of outdoor sports who find interesting experiences on the mountains of Eastern, Central and Southern Turkey. A list of resources to aid an expedition, at whatever level, is to be found below.

    Popular Mountains Of Turkey

    The Munzur Mountains,
    The Bolkar Mountains,
    The Bey Mountains,
    The Suphan Mountain,
    The Nemrut Mountain,
    The Mountain Erciyes,
    The Toros Mountains,
    The Kackar Mountains,
    The Cilo Sat Mountains,
    The Great Agri Mountain

    Popular Climbing Sites
    Kackar Mt. Range (The Black Sea), Antalya – Beydaglar (Mediterranean), Mt. Erciyes (Central Anatolia),
    Nigde Aladaglar (Central Anatolia), Mt. Ararat (Eastern Anatolia), Mt. Suphan (Eastern Anatolia), Bolkar Mountains (Mediterranean), Mercan (Munzur) Mountains (Easter Anatolia)

    Useful Information and Resources on Mountain Tourism and Sport

    Ministry of Tourism, Tourist Information Office
    Ismet Inonu Bulv. No 5, Ankara

    General Directorate of Youth and Sports (Mountaineering Federation) Ulus, Ankara

    General Directorate of Youth and Sports (Skiing Federation) Ulus, Ankara