Türkiye – broad history and mass tourism today

Since the founding of the republic in 1923 as the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has been secular and Kemalist in orientation. The country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, initiated a modernization of Turkey through social and legal reforms modelled on various European nation states.

The current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been at the helm of the country since 2003. Since around 2012, he has led the country in an increasingly authoritarian manner. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press in particular are considered to be severely restricted. The currency and debt crisis triggered by its economic policies as well as high inflation have continued since 2018, which makes Turkey quite attractive from a tourist perspective.

The culture of today's Turkey is a fusion of the ancient Turkish nomadic culture of Central Asia and Siberia, the Greco-Roman era, the culture in the Ottoman Empire with its Byzantine, Persian, Arabic, Caucasian, Armenian and Kurdish influences, as well as the strong European direction since the founding of the Republic Ataturk. The cultural centre of the country is the metropolis of Istanbul.

With the political changes, the content of Turkish literature also changed. Early representatives include Fakir Baykurt, Sabahattin Ali, Sait Faik Abasıyanık and Yaşar Kemal, who put ordinary people at the centre of their work. With the turn to describing living conditions, social and political criticism of the state is inevitable. The state reacts with censorship and political violence. Authors like Nâzım Hikmet, Yaşar Kemal and Aziz Nesin spend many years in Turkish prisons because of the persecution of their publications. Kemal therefore referred to the prison as a “school of Turkish literature”.

Turkish cuisine has also influenced Greek and the rest of the Balkan cuisine - including etymology. For example, tzaziki comes from the Turkish cacık, and Ćevapčići comes from kabapcik. Yogurt also comes from Turkish Yoğurt. Doner kebab is made from beef, veal or poultry. In Turkey, but also in other countries, the kebab is also served on a plate.

The ruins of Tokmar Kalesi near Silifke

After visiting Yilan Kalesi near Ceyhan and the Lambron Castle near Camliyaila, we drove back to Tarsus and then took the coastal road D 400 in the direction of Silifke via Anamur and Gazipasa to Alanya.

Rhodiapolis - ancient home of the Opramoas

About 3 kilometres northwest of the city centre of Kumluca you will find the ancient city of Rhodiapolis on a hill that overlooks the entire valley to the sea and thus also Kumluca and Finike.

Letoon - where Artemis and Apollo lived

Coming from Xanthos, when we crossed highway 400, which connects Fethiye and Kas. It is just a few kilometers away from the road to the imposing fields of ruins with the holy grave of the goddess Leto, whose official religious burial place is said to be in Letoon, the oracle and “the” festival site of the Lycian Federation is placed.

Museum of Side - an ancient Roman Center

The museum where the finds from the excavations are exhibited is situated in the Agora thermae, a restored Byzantine bathhouse on the columned street opposite the agora. The entrance was from the north west towards the water where there also was a columned sportsground, now a garden.

Pal Takats - most skilled acro pilot

Pal Takats is among the most skilled acro pilots ever. The young Hungarian pilot is a real paragliding and acro zealot – in a positive way. Please read what he is telling about himself:

Anient Town of Lamos next to Gazipasa

Antique town, placed on two hills 15 km east of  Gazipaşa and 2 km north of the village Adanda. In Turkish it is called Adanda Kalesi. On the main road a Lamos sign points north at the centre. After that there are no signs, so this road cannot be recommended.

Aspendos ancient roman Theatre - Antalya

The Theatre of Aspendos was built during the second century AD and is one of the best preserved ancient theatres in the world. It offers seating for up to 20.000 visitors and is well known because of its marvellous acoustics. 

Antalya Airport

Antalya Airport (IATA: AYT, ICAO: LTAI) is 10 km (6 miles) east of the city center of Antalya, Turkey. The airport is operated in Turkey's primary holiday destination located on the country’s Mediterranean coast. The airport is big and modern, built to accommodate the millions of passengers who come to Turkey's Mediterranean beaches in summer.

Manavgat without a waterfall - but with a lot of water!

We were on the way to a friend in Manavgat / Oymapinar when we noticed, while driving through the village, the high water level of the Manavgat River, because the meadows and shore fortifications left and right of the river were completely flooded.