Surrounded by three seas: the Black, the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea; in the neighborhood of the Balkan and Middle East countries; at the crossroads of the European and Asian history; turquoise Turkey can charm you to pack your bags instantaneously and renew your energy.
Below are four tangible reasons why you should experience Turkish adventures. The best part is that you can do it in a heartbeat, on a budget and without long preparation.
1)Turkey is accessible and hospitable world-class destination.
When you choose to go to a new destination, it certainly matters how your journey will look like. Since 2010 Turkish national carrier, Turkish Airlines has been proclaimed The Best Airline in Europe year after year, flying to over 114 destinations. This result and the viral video with satisfied Lionel Messi and Kobe Bryant should reassure any curious traveler that visiting Turkey would be remarkable and seamless experience.
Moreover, according to UNWTO's statistics Turkey hosted 39 million travelers in 2014 and ranks as the 6th tourism destination in the world, which knows how to wow its guests. Did we mention that this hospitality has the youthful and vibrant spark, given the fact that Turkish median age is 28?
2)Turkish history leaves nobody indifferent.
Every city in Turkey is like an open museum because of the civilizations marching in and out throughout its windy history. Imagine architectural treasures that were built by the ancient Greeks, conquered by the competitive Romans and recreated by the Byzantines.
Within radius of several hundred kilometers mosks, churches and synagogues co-exist together and for instance in the eastward city Ani, called The City of 1001 Churches, many churches are still preserved.
Throughout Turkey there are remnants of the glorious era of Alexander the Great and Byzantine that restored faith in creativity and humanity. Fast forward centuries ahead and you can witness the symbols of Kemal Ataturk's reforms or the recent events in Gezi Park and Taksim Square that harnessed the power of the twitter generation.
3)Turkish cuisine satisfies both lean and demanding eaters.
Once you try Turkish cuisine you will understand why culinary experts swear that there are three kinds of cuisine in the world: French, Chinese and Turkish.
A typical meal starts with meze and you can savour both dishes rich in meat and the leaner ones. For instance, sis and doner kebabs, kofte and tandir became household names for meat lovers. Gozleme and manti are the dishes rich in yogurt, popular as almost as börek pies with meat, cheese or potatoes. Dolma and pilaf are rice dishes, yet dolma is coated with grape or cabbage leaves, while pilaf can sometimes contain bulgur, peas, beans, carrot and aubergines.
At the end of the meal treat yourself with sweets such as kadaif, halva or baklava that are small in size, but dense in the rhapsody of tastes.
4)Turkish authentic design creates fantastic gifts.
Imagine rambling on a market in Istanbul and you need to decide among the cinnamon-scented gifts, velvet pashmina, turquoise marble boxes, thick beach towels, or the lucky charm with penetrating Turkish evil eye.
Thanks to the wonders of the internet, the best pieces of Turkish design, sustainable and authentic, can be chosen online. For example, over 10 generations of loomers in the city of Badabag have been creating the traditional Turkish towels. Now these exquisite products of gentle and hardworking artisans evolved and can be purchased on the website of Loombrand.
How about, next time you head to the holiday, you pick up your favourite item from Loombrand's range of bath and beach towels or throws?
Now that you learned about Turkish geographical coordinates, history, scents, tastes and gifts, it is time to travel there.
Let this civilization that spreads on two continents allure you as you approach it with the open mind and heart, willing to take a proper wellness retreat from the daily grind.
Let us know in the comments section how this sojourn went.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.