Turkey has recently experienced a boom in its tourism industry and many holidaymakers from the west who once went to the Greek Islands now favour the Turkish Mediterranean shores.
Beaches, boat trips, scenic ruins and natural countryside are just some of the attractions; good food, low budget accommodation and generous hospitality follow closely behind. The country has a high rural population and travelling around remote villages is like stepping back in time: farming methods rely on the wooden plough and the hand scythe, and many of the old traditions and crafts such as carpet making and weaving are still a way of life. In tourist centres and major cities the atmosphere is more Western and the regular cry of the müezzin is one of the few reminders that Turkey is an Islamic country with a 99 per cent Moslem faith.
This blog is divided into ten interconnecting routes which cover the chief places of interest as well as lesser known attractions. Each route is subdivided into stages; each stage can usually be covered in the day, and ends in a place where overnight accommodation is availlable. It requires at least 6 weeks to get around the entire country. Most visitors on a short holiday break limit their travel to the beaches andd classical ruins along the south coast but an increasing number of people are also exploring the central and eastern areas as they lowly become more developed.
The Weather and Seasons
