Turkey

Turkey, where continents and empires meet

Straddling two continents at the Bosphorus, where Istanbul spills from Europe into Asia, Turkey is the quintessential cultural melting pot, with a history that encompasses not only the civilisations of ancient Greece, Rome, Persia and Byzantium, but also the nomadic Turkic tribes who roamed, and still roam, its vast steppes. The Ottoman Empire held sway for over six centuries, and after its fall in 1922, Kemal Atatürk founded Turkey as a modern secular state. Today’s Turkey is home to a complex mosaic of peoples and cultures, ranging from Armenians, Kurds and Georgians to Albanians, Bulgarians, Circassians, Pomaks and Roma.

A country of dazzling variety

For the traveller, Turkey probably has more variety than any other country in the world. Stretching from Greece, Bulgaria and the Aegean to Iran and Syria, it encompasses dazzling seascapes, towering mountains, magnificent metropolises, vast unending steppes and unique volcanic landscapes of red, pink and yellow rock, with fairy chimneys that look like something invented by Tolkien. Just to sit on a bus and travel around Turkey is a pleasure in itself: outlined against the azure of the Mediterranean sky, the trees, the fields, the mountains and forests radiate with an intensity of colour we can only dream of in Northern Europe.

The Lycian Coast: turquoise water and ancient ruins

Along Turkey’s southwestern shore, the Lycian Coast pairs some of the country’s most beautiful coastline with some of its richest archaeology. Ancient Lycian cities such as Xanthos, Tlos and Patara sit above crystal-clear water, their tombs carved directly into the cliffs, while Myra, resting place of the original Saint Nicholas, and the vast Roman theatre at Aspendos remain among the best preserved sites anywhere in the Mediterranean. Add the abandoned Greek village of Kayaköy, a walk through pine forest to the ruins above Arykanda, a boat through the dramatic Saklıkent Gorge, and evenings in the harbour towns of Kalkan and Fethiye, and this coastline offers as much adventure as it does relaxation.

Northern Turkey’s hidden Black Sea heartland

Few visitors make it to Turkey’s northern heartland, which is a shame, since it is one of the country’s most rewarding corners. From Ankara’s Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, the road runs to the Ottoman town of Safranbolu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the riverside city of Amasya, its cliffs carved with ancient royal tombs. The cliffside Sümela Monastery clings improbably to a rock face above the forest, and further east, the Kaçkar Mountains offer some of Turkey’s finest trekking around the high plateau city of Erzurum. Medieval Georgian and Armenian churches at Dolishana, Öşkvank and Haho are a reminder of just how many civilisations have called this region home.

The best small group tours of Turkey

Travelling alone, you can only scratch the surface. Travelling with us, on one of our expert-led small group tours, gives you the chance to properly get under the skin of a country as varied as it is historic, from the ruins of the Lycian Coast to the mountains of the north, guided by the thoughtful knowledge and anecdotes only local experts can offer. Small enough to feel personal, expert enough to go far beyond the obvious: that is how we like our guests to experience an unforgettable Turkey.