Turkey is a beautiful and unique country that bewilders tourists with its rich cultural and historical heritage, fascinating scenery, lively metropolitan lifestyle, delicious Turkish cuisine, and much more. Every year millions of tourists choose to visit Turkey thus it is one of the top travel destinations worldwide. Due to its abundant options for every tourist, from luxurious tours to backpacking, lack of tiresome visa processes, and lovely locals, you should visit Turkey at least once in a lifetime. There are numerous reasons to visit this quintessential country, but we compiled some main reasons why you should visit Turkey in 2023.
Turkey has world-renowned history and culture that dates to 4,000 years, and if you have cultural tourism in mind look no further than Turkey because you will have endless options! Numerous museums, mosques, historical sites, and authentic crafts make Turkey a must-visit country for history and culture enthusiasts. Solely İstanbul has a rich cultural heritage as the capital of Byzantines and Ottomans, hence you should see the beautiful Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Blue Mosque while there. Besides İstanbul, Turkey has many other destinations, such as the historical site of Ephesus in İzmir, Ani ruins in Kars, eccentric Mount Nemrut in Adıyaman, Troy, and, Gallipoli nearby Çanakkale, Sumela Monastery in Trabzon, and perhaps the foremost, Göbekli Tepe in Şanlıurfa, which is one of the oldest temples in the world.
Turkey is also one of the most famous culinary tourism destinations. All seven regions of Turkey have something unique to offer, as Turkish cuisine has a delicious mixture of Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean influences. If you want to lavish your tastebuds Turkey has an abundance of options from street food and traditional dishes, to world-famous Turkish breakfasts, desserts, and appetizers. Adana and Şanlıurfa are famous for their Kebaps, and the Aegean region is well-known for its appetizers. In Black Sea Region, cities like Trabzon and Rize are popular, as their cuisine is heavily focused on fish. When you visit Turkey, do not forget to try world-famous dishes like baklava in Gaziantep, börek (savory pastry), lahmacun (thin and crispy, somehow like pizza), mantı (dumplings), and döner kebap.
Turkey is famous for its crystal-clear beaches on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Each year, millions of tourists choose to spend their summer vacation in coastal Turkey. Muğla, Antalya, Aydın, and İzmir are the most popular destinations for summer, as they offer various luxurious and relaxing options for an ideal vacation. Ölüdeniz Beach in Fethiye, Cleopatra Beach in Alanya, Patara Beach in Antalya, Iztuzu Beach in Dalyan, Kaputaş in Kaş, Yalıkavak in Bodrum, are some of the most popular beaches in Turkey. Each of them is unique in a sense, but all of them provide an excellent experience for their visitors.
Due to its geographical location, Turkey has the best beaches, as well as magnificent mountains. For this reason, there is no off-season in Turkey! While in summer you can chill in coastal destinations, in winter you can head to the ski resorts for a winter vacation. Turkey has some of the best ski resorts due to its captivating mountains, which are worth visiting. The most ski resorts in Turkey are; Uludağ in Bursa, which is at an altitude of 2000 meters with slopes of 30 kilometers, Sarıkamış in Kars, which is at an altitude of 2000 meters with slopes of 20 kilometers, Erciyes in Kayseri which is at an altitude of 3000 meters with slopes of 55 kilometers, and finally, Palandöken in Erzurum, which is at an altitude of 3200 meters with slopes of 43 kilometers.
Rich Turkish culture has so many famous aspects around the world, wellness included. For centuries Turkish baths, hammams, and hot springs in Turkey are notorious, and for the right reasons. Especially hammams are part of the culture not only for cleansing but as a form of socialization. For this reason, solely wellness is a reason to visit Turkey, especially when wellness tourism is one of the top travel trends in 2023. Perhaps the most famous destination is Pamukkale-Hierapolis Thermal Springs in Denizli, as it is a world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site, and used as a spa since the 2nd century BC. Gönen Thermal Resorts in Balıkesir and Ilgın Thermal Spring in Konya are among other popular destinations for wellness tourism. Besides hot springs, numerous hammams are available in many cities in Turkey, as it was vastly used by many throughout the centuries, but the most famous hammam is Cağaloğlu Hammam in Istanbul.