Visit Turkey

How would you like waking up every morning to a view like the one in the picture above or have breakfast every morning with a postcard-perfect view? You can, if you are in Turkey.

I just watched a documentary on travel in Turkey and from friends who have been there, I'd say this country should be on everyone's travel list if it's not already there.

I believe a country as beautiful and as culturally-rich as Turkey is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. The best thing to do is to rent a holiday villa in Turkey's Mediterranean Coast, known as the Lycian & Turquoise Coast. Lycia villa rentals are available and available online.

There are lots to do, see and experience in Turkey. For nature lovers, there is a host of fulfilling outdoor activities. You can take nature treks or walk along their white sandy beaches and take in the beauty all around, go kayaking or yachting, swim, of course. Their thermal baths are not to be missed. They can be found right on the shore of Lake Köycegiz on the Turkish Lycian coast. Such a very hot (40C) thermal mineral pool is believed to benefit the skin. It’s apparently “radioactive, hyperthermal, hypertonic” - which means good for arthritis, rheumatism, and skin complaints. Or you could go for an old Turkish bath which is a fantastic place to be steamed, scrubbed and massaged.

If you enjoy museums, there's the Istanbul Modern, which is Istanbul’s equivalent to the Tate Modern in London. Just like you would visit the Eiffel Tower when in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York or even the Petronas Twin Towers when in Kuala Lumpur, the Blue Mosque of Istanbul is a monument not to be missed.

Turkey goes back thousands of years so there is a lot of history to be experienced. The ruins of Troy are not to be missed so is Cappadocia, an ancient region where buildings are rock-cut and cities are underground. A hot-air balloon ride is also available to take you soaring into the skies to have a bird-s eye-view of the fascinating landscape. The image below is of Cappadocia landscape courtesy of Wikipedia. Visit the site for more images and information on Turkey.

Food, naturally, makes up a big part of travel. Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Besides the kebabs, there are lots more to try when in Turkey. Must try their sweets too. They have a good selection. Great as gifts for friends and family too back home.

Here's another reason to visit Turkey. If you are in Britain (applicable to other countries with cold winters too) and we all know that winter in Britain can be extremely cold, ever thought about escaping the British winter and spending it warm and nice in Turkey basking in the sun or simply enjoying the serenity and splendour of lush tropical greenery and white sandy beaches? Visit Turkey.