Türkiye – broad history and mass tourism today

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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.

Antalya Museum - Achaeology and Ethnography

Antalya Museum - Achaeology and Ethnography

Once visiting Antalya, please do not miss to visit to the archaeological museum of Antalya. It is located on the western outskirts, about 2 km from the center and was founded in 1919. If you are close to the old center called Kaleici, you may even use the old Nürnberg tram to get to museum.

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Antalya

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Antalya

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower came to Antalya to stay for a short while. In a distance of about one mile away from the new industrial harbour of Antalya, the ship can be seen from the road leading to Kemer. To visit the ship is not possible at stake.

Street markets in Antalya

Street markets in Antalya

Lot of emails of readers asking for street markets or open air  market in Antalya, so we decided to publish a short list of markets in the different districts of Antalya.

Yivli Minare Antalya - Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I

Yivli Minare - Antalya

The Alaaddin or Yivli Minare Mosque ("Fluted Minaret" Mosque), commonly also called Ulu Mosque (Turkish: Ulu Cami, "Grand Mosque") in Antalya is a historical mosque built by the Anatolian Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad I at the beginning of his reign.

Belek - Paradise for golfers

Belek - Paradise for golfers

Belek once was a small village next to Antalya until...
As everywhere along beautiful beaches, hotels have been built. But how is it different from other places with similar beaches? The starting point was to introduce a variety of sporting activities during holiday time for visitors.

The Lycian League

The Lycian League

Lycia, due to its geographical location has always stayed on the fringes of global events and power struggles of the antiquity. However, at the same time she has always been in touch with all parties in terms of political power struggles.

Kemer - A beautiful but crowdet holiday resort

Kemer - A beautiful holiday resort

30 miles to the west of Antalya at the base of the Bey Mountains, which belong to the Olympos National Park, Kemer, one of the most beautiful holiday resorts with a beautiful harbor for sailing ships, is situated. Small and beautifully-decorated shops offer a wide variety of different goods.

Perge - Did Idea for Statue of Liberty Originate in Turkey?

Perge - Did Idea for Statue of Liberty Originate in Ancient Turkey

The iconic Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour was a gift from France, in 1886. But, did its inspiration originate almost 2000 years ago, in Turkey? A recent discovery in the remnants of excavation in one of the country’s most important archaeological sites is cause for speculation.

Tahtali Cablecar to Mountain Top - Kemer

Tahtali Cable Way - Kemer

Southern Turkey is on one hand shaped by the sea, its landscapes and culture, and on the other by the outstanding services and activities it has to offer. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, it is undoubtedly an attractive holiday destination for guests from Europe the whole year round.

The ancient town of Perge next to Antalya

The ancient town of Perge

Visiting Perge you can get a good impression of what a Roman towns looked like with its theatres, stadium, agora, baths, streets and town gates, as large parts of the town have been excavated and are still being restored.

Aspendos ancient roman Theatre - Antalya

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Aspendos - 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. 

Kalkan - Harbor and City Walk along the Street Cafe´s

Kalkan

Kalkan is thought to be the small issue of Kaş, however, the more exquisite one. In several patios the former fishing village drops to the sea. Restaurants form nice groups around the small harbor, about that white washed villas cuddle up surrounded by small houses closely to the slopes.

Kekova and Sunken City - a boat trip along the city

Kekova and Sunken City

Mysteries of the Ancient World appear inside this Triangle. Kekova is a Mediterranean island near Demre district of Antalya province which faces the villages of Kaleköy (ancient Simena) and Üçağız (ancient Theimiussa). No one lives on the island.

Patara - Important ancient habour town of Lycia

Patara - Ancient habour of lycian people

Patara is situated on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey (also called The Turquoise coast or the "Lycian Coast"). A region boasting thousands of years of history, breathtaking scenery and couple of miles of unspoiled coastline. 2000 years ago Patara was the largest and the most important sea port of the Lycian civilization.

Patara Beach - relaxing after visiting the Patara ruins

Patara Beach

Once arriving at the village of Patara, following the road leading to the beach you will be quite surprised: no 5 star holiday hotels, no accommodation at the beach, no restaurants – just pure beach. More then 16 kilometers long and part wise 400 meters wide the sandy beach stretches along the sea side.

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