Activities and attractions in Turkey

Turkey has vast plains and forests, soaring mountain ranges and thousands of miles of coastline, much of it as yet undeveloped. Apart from drinking in the beauty of its landscapes, there’s so much to see and do here, there’s no possibility of being bored.

As well as cosmopolitan cities and bustling holiday resorts it also has very many fishing, rural and high up mountain villages.

So, whether you’re an art, history or archaeology buff, nature lover, sporty soul or just looking for new ways and places to relax, Turkey offers endless possibilities at any time of year. With so much to describe, all we can do here is to give you a taster of what to expect:

Shopping

You really can shop here until you drop, whether you prefer traditional markets, buzzing bazaars, chic designer city shops or the whole lot. And, if you love a bargain you’ll enjoy practicing your haggling skills for fantastic pieces of jewellery, silk, wood and ceramics or some fine leather goods.

You can also pick up sumptuous Egyptian cotton bath towels and colourful woolen rugs or wall hangings at a fraction of the price you’d pay back home.

Visit, the oldest and largest covered bazaar in the world in the heart of Istanbul, but you’ll have to start early if you’re going to visit all sixty lanes and their 3000 shops!

Beaches

Turkey has a treasure trove of fine sandy beaches, wild craggy coves, deep blue lagoons and graceful sweeping bays. Lapping the shores, the crystal clear, turquoise waters are perfect for a cooling dip on a baking hot day and many offer the perfect setting for a number of watersports including:

Windsurfing
Kayaking and cruising the south west coast
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Paragliding
White water rafting

Island hopping

People often think that Turkey is a long way from the UK but it’s actually closer than Cyprus and the Greek Islands, most of which are nearer to Turkey than to the Greek mainland. You can easily hop on a ferry for a day out on Kos or Rhodes from here.

A one-day boat tour or three to four day cruise of the twelve islands of Fethiye will take you to areas tourists often don’t see. You can stop off for swim or snorkel and a surreal swim through the underwater ancient ruins of Cleopatra’s Bath.

Nightlife

Nightlife can be as lively, or a relaxing, as you like. Gumbet has the liveliest nights, where you'll find loads of bars and clubs open until the early hours while Bodrum and Marmaris both have lots of pubs, clubs and bars while Altinkum also has a growing café culture.

All the resorts have bars and restaurants where it’s possible to enjoy relaxed evenings over a meal, or a quiet drink overlooking the sea – a perfect end to a hard day spent on the beach.

Ancient Monuments and Wonders

A land steeped in history, Turkey has a wealth of ancient ruins and moments and more than its fair share of amazing historic sites of which just a few are:

Ephasus, once one of the greatest cities of the western world
The Roman theatre at Aspendos
The Acropolis of ancient Pergammon
The underground city of Kaymakli
Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ancient health spa of Hierapolis

Getting back to nature

Turkey has over 9,000 species of flora, including as many species of wildflower as the rest of Europe combined and in fact many of Europe’s cultivated flowers like tulips and crocus were originally first discovered growing wild here.

Pick some wild thyme or sage you can find growing under trees in a country wood
Climb every mountain and see beautiful wild dahlias, lilies and irises

When it comes to wildlife, Turkey has a staggering 80,000 species of fauna including untouched corners where jackals, wolves, bears and boards still live.

Spot fallow deer and pheasants in the countryside and spy turtles and seals along the Aegean coast
Stare up at the spectacular sight of huge dark clouds formed by a quarter million storks migrating down the Bosphorus each Spring and Autumn

Also, the largest migratory group of birds of prey in the world can be witnessed in Turkey as around 250,000 birds of prey take a route through the Çoruh River valley.

Cultural pursuits

Visit a hamam and lie on a huge heated stone while you enjoy one of the traditional sensuous comforts of Turkey
Sit in a tea house and enjoy glasses of warm, sweet tea over a game of backgammon
Take a hot air balloon ride for an unrivalled view of the ‘fairy chimneys’ of Cappadocia.
Watch the slippery, olive oil coated wrestlers try to get a grip on each other at Edime’s Kirkpinar Festival
Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations at Ankara to see rare finds from native cultures from the Stone Age to about 700 BC
Watch two male camels in rut, wrestling in front of crowds at Mugla or Selcuk.
When you’re tired of all the doing and seeing, enjoy a long drawn out outdoors meal with friends just chatting and watching the world go by Quick Facts:
There are no less than fifty fish restaurants in Kumkapi
Between May and September, huge storks nests are precariously balanced on top of domes, utility poles and dead trees
Camel wrestling takes place at Selcuk in mid January
One of the few occasions when the so called “Whirling Dirvishes” appear in public is at the Mevlana (Dervish) Festival at Konya in mid December

You see more of Turkey’s wonders when you live here - why not arrange to come out on one of our Area and Property Tours and find out how different life can be.

And remember, Masa has over 25 years experience of helping people to buy property abroad and can offer an unrivalled selection of homes in Turkey to suit all budgets.

We know how to make sure that you have an enjoyable and rewarding experience when you buy in Turkey. If you want to know more about what we can do for you, give us a call on 0800 955 5266.