Turkey

Turkey is a country that offers more than you might image, from the bustle of Istanbul through to the peace and quiet of Izmir, and from the grandeur of Ankara through to the wild parties of Marmaris. In short, it's a fantastic place to enjoy your holiday.

Beyond the clichés of beaches and bazaars, Turkey is one of the most diverse and inspiring countries that you could hope to visit. It is a fantastic and ever changing place where you can see entirely different cultures on the same street, and where history is being written every day.

Turkey is truly the place where East and West collide. Straddling Europe and the Middle East, Turkey has always been a place that has fired the imagination of travelers, and traders alike. Everywhere you go in this impossibly enthralling country, you will be able to enjoy the rich culture of Arabia entwined with the modern European way.

Although the capital was moved to Ankara more than half a century ago, Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople and Byzantium is still very much the heart of Turkey. It is a place where the stunning architecture of more than two thousand years of history is on show at every corner. From the towering domes of the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque through to the remarkable Topkapi Palace, the past is always n display in the city.

At ground level, Istanbul is a place where life never stops. With the non stop pace of life of a Far Eastern city like Bangkok, Istanbul is the best place to get a true taste of the very different cultures that make up Turkey. You can hear the Muezzin calling from the mosque and the latest western tracks from loudspeakers on every corner. Shop in old fashioned Middle Eastern boutiques or in glamorous designer boutiques and glitzy shipping malls, to get a true flavour for the different worlds in Turkey.

Away from the city, the long Mediterranean coast of Turkey is home to many of the best beach resorts in Europe as well as plenty of history. In Bodrum and Izmir you can spend the days on the beach or exploring ancient Roman and Greek ruins, and your nights soaking up the atmosphere in the bars and clubs.

Further south, the resorts of Kusadasi and Marmaris close to Dalaman offer visitors quiet beaches and wild nightlife, while for those looking for a glimpse into the ancient past, the ruins of Ephesus and Troy are available on guided tours of the country.

One of the most remarkable things about any visit to Turkey, whether you come for the beaches and the sun or for the chance to experience its unique mix of cultures, is that throughout your stay you will find yourself constantly surprised and thrilled by the country and its amazing people.

Turkey is a place where you will always find much more than you came looking for, and where you quickly discover that the things you did not expect to fall in love with are the ones that you remember the most when you get home.