Nature's Ball

Turkey not only lies at the crossroads of two continents but is also where the magical meets the mythical. With its misty mountains, dramatic coastline and enchanting forests, can the land of Homer’s Illiad boast anything less than epic beauty.

Cappadocia

It is easy to see why Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia make it to the UNESCO World Heritage list. This region in Central Anatolia is characterised by fascinating geological features and a unique historical and cultural heritage. It is a popular tourist destination with hot-air ballooning offering inimitable views of rocks that have eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars and minaret-like forms or ‘fairy chimneys’. Göreme was a monastic centre from 300-1200 AD, and people of the villages carved out houses, churches and monasteries from these soft rocks of volcanic deposits. The nearby Erciyes volcano is still active with occasional minor eruptions. The site has more than 30 cave churches and chapels, some having superb frescoes inside, dating from the 9th to the 11th century.

Pamukkale, meaning ‘cotton castle’ in Turkish, is a natural site in the valley of the river Menderes in southwestern Turkey. It is a breathtaking white world of travertines surrounding cascading shallow pools filled with waters from hot springs. Travertines are terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. The ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white ‘castle’ which is in total about 2,700 m long, 600 m wide and 160 m high. One can see it from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli. Tourism is and has been a major industry. People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years. As recently as the mid-20th century, hotels were built over the ruins of Hieropolis. A road was also built from the valley over the terraces, and motorbikes were allowed to go up and down the slopes. When Hierapolis-Pamukkale was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, the hotels were demolished and the road was replaced with artificial pools.

Antalya

Located on the Turquoise coast, Antalya was the world’s third most visited city in 2011, displacing New York. The Taurus mountains run parallel to the Mediterranean, resulting in the formation of coastal plains surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on the fourth. Some parts of the coast feature mountains plunging sharply into the sea, forming small natural bays and peninsulas. Antalya is situated on one such plain where the mountains recede from the shore. Rat island (in the pic) nearby is a hotspot for diving and yachting.

Alanya

Alanya is a beach resort city in Antalya province. Because of its natural strategic position on a small peninsula in the Mediterranean below the Taurus mountains, Alanya has been a local stronghold for many empires including the Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman. Alanya’s greatest political importance came in the Middle Ages, with the Seljuq Sultanate of Rûm under the rule of Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh I from whom the city derives its name. The warm climate, picturesque beauty, and historic heritage makes Alanya a popular destination for tourism. Sporting events and cultural festivals take place annually here.

Kemer

This seaside resort lies at the foot of the Taurus mountains in Antalya province on the Mediterranean coast. Until the early 80s, this was a quiet rural district but today it is a popular getaway. The infrastructure and the hotels and holiday villages on the 50 km stretch of land between Beldibi and Tekirova in Kemer were built according to a prepared plan. The natural environment was preserved, with eco-friendly hotels being built among the vernal pine forest that cascade to the beach from the mountains.

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