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Culture Turkey One of the most important cross roads between the East and West, Turkey straddles a bizarre combination of mosques and cathedrals, Western liberal values and traditional Eastern lore. The direct, forward attitudes of Turkish people, and the intensely Mediterranean feel to the country, combined with its architectural splendor dating back to Byzantine, Seljuk, Roman, Ottaman empires and more, plus its intensely diverse confluence of cultures, leaves tourists both speechless and ultimately enamored of Turkey.
In many ways, Turkey is still somewhat of an undiscovered outpost as far as tourism is concerned. While better-marketed countries such as Spain and Greece have been flashy destinations for western vacationers with trepidations about Turkey, this exotic nation has developed at a slower pace and therefore been able to preserve its native charm much more effectively. Yes, there are high rise hotels looming over white sand beaches, scantily clad sun worshipers and modern facilities, but in Turkey unlike anywhere else it is extremely easy to venture off the beaten path and discover ancient ruins and fishing villages, talk with the people and see them in their element, getting a taste for a way of life that dates back centuries, if not millennia.
But while locals live very much traditional lives on, say, the Turkish Riviera (also known as the Turquoise Coast), Turkish inhabitants are accustomed to a steady trickle of tourists and are therefore understanding of your status as a traveler, and often extremely hospitable.
In the big cities like Istanbul, the fast pace life makes the open-arms attitude of the villages a distant memory, but is replaced instead with a charming chaos wherein fine luxury cars zoom by on four-lane highways trafficked by donkeys and carriages, vendors selling their wares and delicious food and beverage available at street stands everywhere – the baklava in Turkey, its place of origin, is to die for. Indeed, Istanbul is a perfect starting point to explore the rich, cultural heritage of Turkey that is evident in the people and their customs as well as the grand architectural footprints left behind by some of the world’s most influential societies.
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