For some travelers, the best time to visit Turkey is early summer in May–June when you can enjoy a beach vacation with smaller tourist crowds, or go trekking. This time usually is about Ramadan celebrations, so you can learn more about Muslim traditions. July and August might be too hot and too crowded. September is also great as it’s still warm enough for a seaside and cool enough for exploring the cities. Others prefer early winter, namely December—no heat, fewer tourists, and great traditional hamams. This season is also good for watching whirling dervishes at the Mevlana Festival and attending the camel wrestling events with famous camel sausages on sale.
Though ecstatic whirling ceremonies might be experienced in many cities of Turkey, the rite's birthplace city of Konya is unmissable one
Two boys fighting for a girl—that old scenario works in animal world too,—it's enough to parade a cow in front of two bulls and recently calm camels are already determined enemies
Istanbul is truly the city of pomegranate delight.
Want to feel like Sultan Süleyman or his beloved Hürrem? Centuries-old hamams and professional masseurs and masseuses do miracles
A hot drink made from milk and wild orchids' roots powder is hard to find outside of Turkey
Don't get scared if you hear a street vendor crying out "Booozaaa!"—this tradition, as well as the recipe, has survived since the Ottoman Empire!
Sailing in the Bosphorus means comfortable yachts, scenic minarets towering afar, and the pleasant company of gulls and dolphins
This gem of Byzantine architecture was once a Christian basilica, later an imperial mosque, and today is the most outstanding museum in Istanbul and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Unlike usual strawberry, this rare type grows only in the mountains, on a strawberry tree
Turkey is not one of world's top skiing destination, yet it has a dozen of decent resorts and even heli-skiing available
Camel wrestling festivals cannot do without the stalls lavished with Turkish "deve sucuk"—actually, this snack is mostly eaten during the camel wrestling season
It is not a good idea to cheer 'away' teams playing in Istanbul,—Turkish Süper Lig is both exciting and safe to watch
A sacred pool of fish with a biblical history
A fruit that is believed to have originated in Anatolia comes in lots of varieties and boasts a wide use in Turkish cuisine
Wild animals could still be observed at some of Cappadoccia's valleys
In Turkey, it's hurma or "cennet hurması" meaning "paradise fruit"—perhaps, we have confused the true forbidden fruit?
Swimming from one continent to another—sounds challenging but it's a totally real accomplishment
A unique occasion to enjoy world's best classic repertoire in likewise best-preserved ancient amphitheatre
Thousands arrive in Turkey especially to witness professional competition and the rest of the world follow the race on popular sport channels
Join for the three different races organized in a UNESCO heritage site of Cappadocia!
The world's longest-running sport besides the Olympics was initiated by Ottoman warriors who once started a wrestle in a camp just out of boredom but took it too seriously to give in and fought to death
Discover Cappadocia's lush valleys while cycling on two wheels
Join over 30,000 people at one of the world's biggest coffee festivals
Charming and relaxing. Cotton castle welcomes everyone to enjoy bathing in its stunning pools
Tables will bend under the weight of meat dishes during the four festive days
The abundance of Turkish sweets, illuminated mosques, and traditional puppet plays highlight the end of Ramadan
Visit town of Goreme in spring to see the multitude of colours and feel the amazing flower scents
A Turkish ice-cream man is a kind of a troll—you'll be involved in a lasting trick show until he finally hands you the treat
Ramadan drummers traditionally wake up the neighborhood at dawn for an early meal, and the next meal is to happen only after sunset
The fights between uneducated yet witty Karagoz and literate Hacivat used to make even the very Sultan laugh
The celebration of music, arts, gastronomy, and outdoor activities in the beautiful setting will capture all your senses
In Turkey's southern coastline summer arrives earlier than in its northern counterpart and leaves later as well, so you have a plenty of time to enjoy the extended beach season
Small, tart "erik" is a real passion of Istanbulites, who eat them raw and add them to soups, stews, sauces, and salads
Turkey is known to be one of the biggest exporters of dried fruit. Cappadocia is one of the largest regions that produce sun-dried apricots in a unique way
From the Black Sea coast up and across Taurus mountains, then down through to Anatolian plateau and again up to Kaçkar range, and down to the Mediterranean coast—Turkey is a great area for hiking
Cappadocia is known as one of the oldest and the best wine centers in Turkey
If you are hot and bored, Ayran will help
Local produce must be enough to feed half of the world if not less, as Turkey is renowned as the world's largest producer of figs
On the tenth day of Muharram, every Turkish household is preoccupied with cooking Aşure,—imitating the dish the very Noah once cooked in his ark at the Mount of Ararat
Try delicious sun-dried raisins—a true specialty of Cappadocia
Spring delicacies of Istanbul prove that the human body can get used to anything—food adventurers will rejoice here.
Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on the beaches of Turkey’s Eastern Mediterranean region during the summer
For over two weeks in fall, Turkish and international jazz will ring throughout Istanbul
Turkey's beautiful landscapes are even better when viewed from above
If you travel around Turkey in spring, prepare for lots of forced stops, flowered landscapes are too captivating not to take a few snapshots
Pure waters and perfect winds make Turkish beaches a great kiting destination
Locals name this fake cherry "kizilcik" or more mystically "Şeytan aldatan ağaci"—the tree that deceived Satan
Istanbul offers all the pearls of the Turkish millennial wine industry, including world-known sorts and local exclusives.
Common chill and rain are replaced with semi-tropical heat during summer months making for a perfect beach holiday
The community rejoices, celebrating the birthday of their country through parades and torchlight processions.
Some believe that this is the place where Noah landed after the flood
To celebrate the end of the War of Independence, the Turks hold extravagent parades across the city streets
The holiday celebrates the beginning of the Turkish Republic and its future, embodied by the country's lively energetic youth
Turkey lies on a migration route of many birds making their journey between Europe and Africa. Amazing birds complete unique Cappadocian landscape with their colour and beauty
For one day a year, kids are allowed to sit in parliament and rule the Turkish Republic
One of the largest international air shows in Turkey