Natural Wonders

Being approximately 3 ½ times the size of the UK and situated on 2 continents, Turkey boasts a myriad of unique and awe-inspiring natural wonders and incredible landscapes, many of which have featured in films from Star Wars and Troy to James Bond and Indiana Jones. Visit fairy chimneys and cave-dwellings in Cappadocia, cotton-candy pools in Pamukkale, the vast salt lake in Central Anatolia – or enjoy wildlife-soaked landscapes in Fethiye’s butterfly valley, Foca, where native Med Seals are under preservation, or protected beaches where endangered turtles lay their eggs.

Unmissable Sights

Wherever you travel in Turkey, its history and culture comes alive in a country through which countless civilisations have passed – from the Hittites and Byzantines to the Romans and Ottomans, ancient cities, castles and ruins abound. Don’t miss the ancient sites of Troy, Gallipoli, Ephesus and Pergamum – or even the birthplace of St. Nicholas (Father Christmas) in Patara. And did you know that Turkey is the land where two of the seven wonders of the ancient world were located, the incredible Temple of Artemis in ancient Ephesus near Izmir and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum?

Cappadocia

This enchanting open-air museum must be seen to be believed. 'The land of white horses' in an ancient Persian tongue, Cappadocia is home to one of the most mysterious and extraordinary landscapes in the world, even featuring as a backdrop in a Star Wars film. Formed at the centre of a once volcanic region where, over time, wind and weather have sculpted sensual curves now known as 'fairy chimneys'. Neolithic man was the first to carve its curves into inhabitable caves and early Christians followed by creating exquisite underground cities, monasteries and churches in the soft tufa, which you can still visit today. Whether you choose to explore this magical and other-worldly landscape by foot, bicycle or on one of Cappadocia's celebrated hot air balloon tours, you will not be disappointed. This is a truly one of life's most unforgettable experiences.

Hittites

Historians are still uncertain as to exactly why the Hittite Empire, forerunners of the Iron Age and conquerors of most of Anatolia around 1300BC, vanished from history thousands of years ago. Nevertheless, it has by no means been forgotten: today, its capital Hattusha in Turkey has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, an incredible sight to see. Many Hittite discoveries from recent excavations can now be viewed in Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara, one of the richest museums about Anatolian Civilizations in the world.