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.

Bagla Village on Bodrum Peninsula

Bagla nestles 14 kilometres away from the city of Bodrum in one of the most beautiful coves on the southern peninsula. The dazzling cove to the west of Bağla Cape with its beautiful beaches is popular with boat tours and the region is an excellent place to camp.

Port of the Lycians Göltürkbükü

Midway along the north shore of the peninsula, Göltürkbükü nestles in a pretty bay surrounded by hills. The once separate fishing hamlets of Türkbükü and Gölköy came together a short time ago. It is 20 kilometres away from Bodrum on the northern side of peninsula and is a good spot for a quiet relaxing holiday.

Nysa of Caria

- The Ancient City of Romantic Breeze
The ancient city of Nysa was a famous settlement in Western Anatolia in Roman-Byzantine times. The well known traveller Strabon of Amaseia described Nysa as a kind of double city as it was situated on either sides of a tributary stream.

Selimiye - Another world - the tourist town in Side

Selimiye - The truly tourist district of Selimiye lies on a peninsula near the ruins of the southernmost part of the ancient city of Side. Lot of bars and restaurants, souvenir shops and the harbour make an unbelievable difference to the ancient part of Sides.

Alanya - the pearl of Turkish Riviera

Alanya is a fast growing town about 135 km east of Antalya. Quite often called the pearl of the Turkish Riviera, Alanya has become well known world wide because of its sandy, clean beaches, the crystal clear, deep blue waters and the excellent climate of the Mediterranean area.

Gazipaşa - Serene Paradise

Gazipaşa: Turkey, an ever-shining star in the global tourism market with returning tourists and foreigners deciding to settle by buying houses, continues to attract new tourists every year.

Selinus - The ancient City next to Gazipasa

Selinus - The ancient City of Selinus is about 45 km away from  Alanya and 2 km from the city center of Gazipaşa (follow the signposts). The road follows the river Musa Çay, once called Selinus too.

Syedra - Ancient City on the way to Gazipasa

Syedra - The ancient city of Syedra is situated on a hill between the present day villages of Kargıcak and Seki, about 18 kilometers south-east of Alanya and 24 kilometres north-west of Selinus, today called Gazipaşa.

Alanya Beaches - simply beautiful

Alanya Beaches - To the East and to the West of the castle mountain of Alanya you will see the huge beaches up to 5 kilometers wide. Because of its excellent quality of the water all parts of the beaches have got blue flag. 

Red Tower of Alanya - City symbol from Sultan Keykubat

Red Tower - As the Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, after a five years lasting battle, conquered the city of Alanya in 1226, he started to work on plans how to protect the settlement in the future, within these ideas the Kızılkule was built.

Hamaxia - lost city high above Alanya

Hamaxia - A few years have passed since we were last on the 400-meter-high mountain right next to the new road tunnels near Alanya to visit the Helenistic ruined city of Hamaxia, which is just over half an hour's walk and within sight of Cleopatra's beach.

Hamaxia - The ancient town high above Alanya

Hamaxia - The ancient town, in Turkish called Sinek Kalesi, is situated about 6 km to the West of Alanya city centre. From the coast road, after the 2nd tunnel from Alanya (1st tunnel from Manavgat), turn north by a big board showing the direction to Elikesik Tesisleri and you will notice two cement factories (Atam Hazir and Alanya Hazir).

Patara - Important ancient habour town of Lycia

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.