A glance at a topographical map of Turkey reveals that this is a country of mountains. Rising from all four directions, mountains encircle the peninsula of Anatolia. A part of the Alpine-Himalayan Mountain range, Turkey has mountainous regions with different geological formations. The North Anatolian range skirts the Mediterranean shore. Turkey's magnificent mountains and forests are mostly undeveloped, existing as wonderful natural preserves for an extraordinary variety of w

Kekova Island and the town of Kale (ancient Simena) to the west of Antalya make an idyllic daytrip for the traveler looking for a combination of sunshine, swimming and fascinating historic ruins. Many boats run trips from Kas but the journey is much shorter from Cayagzi, the harbor of Demre. Along the stony coastline the boats may stop at a cave, or you can see the occasional goat or the smoldering pyramids of wood used by peasants to make charcoal, the product may sit in pla

This city is in the Çavdarhisar town, 57 kilometers (35 miles) from Kütahya city center. The city experienced its golden age in the second and third centuries A.D. and became the center of episcopacy in the Byzantine era. The city has a temple built for Zeus which is the best-preserved temple in all of Anatolia. There is also a large theater and a stadium adjacent to theater. There are two Turkish-style baths, one of them decorated with mosaics, plus a gymnasium, five bridges

You cannot visit Turkey without coming across a very special dessert called Noah's ark pudding, better known as 'aşure' (aah-shoor-EY').   Noah's ark pudding is acornucopia of healthy ingredients like dried fruits,legumes and whole grain wheat that are sweetened with sugar and fruit juices and cooked all together in one pot. This pudding traditionally contains apricots, raisins,currants, figs, pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, chick peas and navy beans to name just a few ingredi

Anatolian Shepherd Dog   The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is a remarkable shepherd's guard dog of ancient lineage. It is a large, formidable working dog with a self-sufficient temperament. Such dogs are found throughout the Anatolian Plateau of Turkey. Historically since Babylonian times there was a breed of large, strong dogs. They were variously employed as war dogs and for hunting big game such as lions and horses. Some spectacular examples can be seen on the very well preserved

The tradition of the Turkish bath extends far back, to a time before Turks had reached Anatolia. When the Turks arrived in Anatolia, they brought with them one bathing tradition, and were confronted with another, that of Romans and Byzantines, with certain local variants. The traditions merged, and with the addition of the Moslem concern for cleanliness and its concomitant respect for the uses of water, there arose an entirely new concept, that of the Turkish Bath. In time it

The city is often called Zeuma. A bridge uniting the two banks of the Euphrates (Firat) suggested the name, the Greek work meaning "a yoke", or stands for a term like "bridge head" or "passage location". Pliny (historian) says that Alexander the Great was the first to build a bridge at this point, no doubt a pontoon bridge. Seleucus Nicator repaired it. The Parthians were accustomed to cross the river at this place being the easiest crossing. Cassius camped here in his campai

The Byzantine Empire is also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, for it was in fact a continuation of the Roman Empire into its eastern part. At its greatest size, during the 500's AD, Byzantine included parts of southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. The Byzantine people called themselves Romans although they were actually descendants of various ancient peoples and they spoke Greek. The word Byzantine, in fact, comes from "Byzantium," which is the

Winter sports resorts in Turkey are generally located in forested mountains of average height. The following ski centers are easily accessible by road or by Turkish Airlines or by other low cost flights.   Bursa - Uludag: This ski center 36 km south of Bursa and 150 km from Istanbul is accessible along a good asphalt road or by cable-car. The ski area lies between 1800-2500 meters and the best season is from December to April. A wide range of accommodation is available in hot