Travel ideas for Turkey - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Peri Bacasi are amazing geological formations in Cappadocia and they can’t be compared to any other on the planet. In appearance these rock formations with high conical peaks resemble chimneys, which gave such a fairy-tale title to these unusual sights. Since ancient times, locals believed that fairies lived inside pipes and, thus, where afraid to approach them.
Subsequently this beautiful legend was repealed, and people began to build homes in the largest stone formations. Limestone rocks that form high conical pillars are quite soft, so it wasn’t difficult to gouge very cozy and livable caves. As for the theory of pillars origin, it’s quite simple. All landscapes of Pashabaga area are of volcanic origin, and Peri Bacasi, among others, are results of long-term work of wind and water.
However, some pyramids feature so unusual shape that it’s impossible to believe in their natural origin. Maximum height of towers is 40 meters. Given their soft structure, it’s surprising that these fragile large formations have managed to remain intact for millions of years. Today, temples and monasteries are located in some cones, making the walk there even more interesting. Old rock dwellings have also preserved there, and many travelers prefer exploring these places while ballooning. ... Complete sights collection

Turkey or more exactly Atindere valley can boast one of the oldest temples in the world, Sumela Monastery. Unique in all respects, this monastery was carved in the slope of the Black Mountain at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level. According to the legend, monks from Athens called Barnabas and Sophronius were founders of this Christian monastery. They have found an icon of the Virgin Mary in one of the local caves and in 386AD the monastery was founded on that site. The hard-to-get monastery looks fascinating; it seems that it was literally built in the rock.
Once, the monastery was a four-storey complex with 72 cells. In the early 20th century, it was severely damaged by fire. Restoring is going there now. The temple is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Macka village. The road runs wild in dense forests. At the foot of the mountain originates a narrow and steep trail, which has been laid to the holy places by thousands of pilgrims hundreds of years ago.
The path isn’t equipped at all and is incredibly complex, so an average rise from the foot of the mountain to the monastery takes 30 minutes. Many travelers prefer to save power before the rise and overcome the way from the village to the foot of the mountain by car, while the most patient and determined prefer walking all the way and enjoying beauty of these places in full. ... Complete sights collection

Turkey also can boast one of the most extensive and interesting cable cars in the world, Olympos Teleferik. The aerial tramway, which was opened in 2007, originates near Kemer, next to Camyuva and Tekirova villages; its terminal station is on top of Tahtalı mountain. The peak is equipped with circular panoramic area, so in clear weather visitors have an opportunity to enjoy the panoramic view of Side and Finike.
The ropeway was built by the famous Swiss company, Doppelmayr Garaventa Group. The length of construction is 4,350 meters. It’s also worth noting that the cable car is equipped with one of the most spacious cabins in the world, designed for 80 passengers. Cabins move at a speed of 10 m/s, so it takes about 10 minutes to go up.
Teleferik Olympos is an outstanding engineering landmark of Turkey; scale and complexity of the cable car are staggering. More than 400 tons of iron, about 4,500 cubic meters of water, as well as more than 3,500 cubic meters of concrete were used to build this facility. All these materials were transported by a pre-designed cable car, which was dismantled after opening Olympos Teleferik. The cost of trip is about 40 USD for adult, children under the age of 16 years have 50% discount. For children under 7 years old the cable car is free. ... Complete sights collection

From a historical point of view, one of the most interesting cities in Turkey is Gaziantep. According to one version, the city was founded in 3650 BC, but many scientists tend to believe that the age of the ancient city is much more. The Golden Age of the ancient city was the period of the Roman Empire; thousands of years ago Gaziantep has been a thriving center of arts and crafts. Confirmation of this are wonderful Roman mosaics found in its territory, which have been restored and are now stored in one of the city's museums.
Currently, Gaziantep is one of the most modern and fastest growing cities in Turkey; its population is growing steadily and now makes out more than 850,000 people. The most interesting ancient attractions are close to each other and curious tourists may have a fascinating tour to Seleucia. Several thousand years ago, there was a large commercial city of Zeugma on its site; archaeologists have found a significant portion of priceless artifacts in this area.
For thousands of years, the city's appearance has changed beyond recognition, while the lifestyle of indigenous peoples and national traditions largely remained the same. Like many hundreds of years ago, Gaziantep people grow great pistachios and olives, produce wine and make amazingly beautiful hand woven carpets. Since ancient times, the city is known for its craftsmen, braziers and local cooks that bake the best treat in the world, Turkish pizza called lahmacun. ... Complete sights collection

In Turkey which is known for its desert landscapes there is an incredibly beautiful waterfall – Duden. It is located in the immediate neighbourhood of Antalya and formed by the rapid course of the Duden River. The waterfall is notable for its impressive height which is about 50 meters. An excursion to the waterfall can turn into an unforgettable adventure. Tourists are always offered a number of interesting attractions in addition to the standard admiring of the surrounding splendour of nature.
Those who wish can go down into the cave, which is securely hidden behind the waterfall and appreciate its beauty from the back side as well. In the direct vicinity of the attraction there is an incredibly beautiful park with seating areas specially equipped for relaxation, inviting you for a picnic. Those who prefer to take their ease in an atmosphere of an increased comfort have a chance to relax in one of the nearby restaurants and enjoy panoramic views of the waterfall tasting specialties at the same time. Romantic natures can admire the waterfall during a sea voyage. It offers a great view from the shore. ... Complete sights collection

Not everyone knows that the tulip is one of the Turkish traditional symbols. Every spring the annual Istanbul Tulip Festival takes place. The festival is held in April, millions of fragrant flowers are planted everywhere in squares and city avenues forming spectacular landscape compositions. In April lush flower beds in Istanbul are seen literally everywhere you look. They bloom for several weeks and may delight the eye for a month.
Although the festival is held for just a few years, its history dates back to the reign of the Ottoman Empire. In ancient times tulips were considered the flowers of sultans, they were presented in reverence and respect for the nobles and rich people. Luxurious clothes and dishes have been decorated with floral print and paintings with the images of tulips have adorned the walls of mosques.
Modern holiday in Istanbul was first held in 2005, it was a tribute to a beautiful old tradition and has gained worldwide fame for a few years. Emirgan Park appears the centre of events many years already. Here interesting exhibitions, fairs and other thematic activities take place. It is important to note that the tulip festival in Istanbul is visited not only by curious tourists, but also by professional florists. During the festival various tulip species and bulbs of rare varieties are for sale for everyone. Tulip lovers can also learn a lot of interesting and useful information about the methods of cultivation of flowers. ... Complete sights collection

Located in Turkey Kayakoy ghost town is an invaluable architectural complex where each element is the unique embodiment of the Turkish history. Originally built a hundred years ago, the settlement was home to Greek residents and Christians. Kayakoy has grown to considerable proportions. There are more than 3500 ancient buildings across its territory, many of which are built of stones and are perfectly kept up to now.
The empty village is close to the popular Fethiye seaside resort so it is always paid some attention. The city emptied in 1923 during the Greek-Turkish population exchange. After the residents were taken away from the city there were no volunteers to have their places. Thus nobody ever uses the massive stone buildings and they are gradually going to ruins.
Tourists are attracted by the opportunity to stroll through the narrow picturesque streets and to visit the extraordinary religious sites - Taksiyarhis Church and Panaghia Pyrgiotissa Church. The current Government continues to guard the historic complex. At the initiative of the locals and the Government the ruins have been partially re-built. A lot of interesting excursions are organized for foreigners every day. There are some attractive restaurants and shops near the city’s historic area. Once forgotten, Kayakoy town is surely to have found a new life. ... Complete sights collection

In Turkey on the Soruh river, one of the largest dams in the world was built, the height of Deriner dam is 249 meters. The developer of the dam project was the engineer Ibrahim Deriner. Unfortunately, he did not experience the completion of his own project. It has been decided to perpetuate the name of the engineer and to name the dam in his honor. It must be mentioned that the hydroelectric power station on the river Soruh, part of which is the dam, has a very unusual structure. The building of the hydroelectric power station is completely under the ground.
Construction work began in 1998. And already in 2012 the new water basin was filled with water for the first time. According to the approximate calculations, investments in dam construction amounted to about 2 billion US dollars, making this project even more impressive. The dam looks incredibly beautiful, on its crest stretches the highway and the majestic mountain landscapes with steep serpentines frame the dam.
Many tourists visiting this area leave the car in the Vorgebirgsbezirken and walk through the surroundings on foot. At present, Deriner Betonbogendamm is the highest dam in Turkey. One can hardly imagine that it is only a part of the unified huge project, according to which 17 existing power plants on the Soruh river will be built in a few years. ... Complete sights collection

The crystal carcass with the mummy of the extraterrestrial being was discovered by Turkish speleologists. It is a unique artifact that has attracted many quarrels among researchers and ordinary people. The opinion that the transparent sarcophagus is made from the crystal has turned out to be false. The scientists have not succeeded in determining the composition of the translucent high-strength material. According to the approximate calculations the age of the mummy is more than 10,000 years. The size of the being, whose body was preserved in the sarcophagus, formed about 120 centimeters during his lifetime.
The mysterious being has few common features with man. Its main distinguishing feature was the huge transparent wings, which are similar to the insect wings. Despite the impressive age, the mummy has been very well preserved. The scientists have even carried out the analysis of the skin fragments. The skin of the strange being had the unnatural green color. Despite these huge differences with the appearance of man, there are still some similar elements.
Hands and feet, lips and nose and even ears of the unknown being are very similar to the human traits. The main particularity of the mummy face is the extremely large eye sockets, which are about three times as large as the human ones. It must be noted that the mummy discovered in Turkey is not the only artifact of this kind. Previously, the mummies of extraterrestrial beings were found in Egypt. ... Complete sights collection

In Turkey, there is also a curious, mysterious monument - Göbekli Tepe rocky trip, whose name is literally translated as a 'bellied hill'. This most ancient monument is a temple complex built by one of the ancient civilizations. The scientists have been trying to establish the approximate age of the building for several years. And every time the research results are surprising.
All examinations carried out so far show that the temple complex was built no later than the 9th millennium BC. Thus, the age of the voyage is more than 12,000 years. The monument is a complex of twenty concentric circles made up of huge stones. To fully appreciate the uniqueness of the structure, one has to take into account that in the 9th century, agriculture has begun to develop, according to the versions of the scientists. It was impossible to conceive of the complicated construction work with the use of the carefully carved stone.
The extent of the building is simply amazing. The circle diameter is about 30 meters. In the center of each circle there are the sculptures of animals and birds. The unique circles on Göbekli Tepe hill were discovered in the 60s of the last century. The great research was not begun until 1994. To date, archaeologists have only completely excavated 4 out of 20 circles. The excavations of the other complex will take at least 50 years. Perhaps the further researches of the temple complex will throw a hint at the phenomena associated with it. ... Complete sights collection