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Is a trip to the Düden waterfall in Antalya worthwhile? That depends on which one you want to visit. The 30-kilometer-long Düden River plunges down a waterfall twice on its way out of the Taurus Mountains. A waterfall is on the coast of Antalya. There the water falls 40 meters into the sea. The upper Düden waterfall is located 15km north of the coast. It’s located in a small nature park, with a breath-taking cave as its backdrop. The water of the Düden River arises from the Kirkgözler and Pinarbasi springs in the Taurus Mountains. The two watercourses come from the mountains and meet after a few kilometres to become…

In practical terms, the simplest is the Fatih district, which includes all the areas that were once surrounded by the walls of Constantinople. I know dozens of definitions for the old town of Istanbul. Since Constantinople itself had something like an old town or a city centre, the second answer would be Sultanahmet. Sultanahmet is the district at the tip of the peninsula where Constantinople once stood, exactly where the most famous sights in Istanbul are located. Sultanahmet is actually not quite the right answer, as the district is now called Eminönü. Inner old town: Sultanahmet and Eminonu Sultanahmet or Eminönü located in Fatih district is the city centre of…

The most famous resident of the ancient city of Myra is Saint Nicholas of Myra. He is known as St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, Grandfather Frost or  “St. Nicholas”. It all depending on what you want to call him. The most famous sights of Myra is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Nicholas, which was built for the bishop who lived in the 4th century AD. In it you can become familiar with his life story and visit his sarcophagus. Together with the archaeological treasures of the Lycian-Roman city of Myra, you have an excursion full of discoveries ahead of you. Ruins of the Lycian – Roman city The ruins…

Aspendos: The ruins of the theatre and the old trading town. The ruins of Aspendos are located on the south coast of Turkey, between Antalya and Manavgat. In ancient times, the city was one of the region’s most prosperous trading centres. Today Aspendos is best known for its well-preserved amphitheatre. In this post, I would like to give you an overview of Aspendos, its history, sights, the theatre and current events: A trip to the ruins of Aspendos: What to expect In ancient times, the Turkish Riviera was known as “Pamphylia”, “The land of all tribes”. People, most of whom probably came from eastern Turkey, settled along the coast. Greek…

Are you looking for some interesting sights in Cappadocia? Here is my list of the most beautiful natural sights, unique structures such as the Derinkuyu cave city and exciting things to do in Cappadocia. Some of them are clearly among the most beautiful sights in all Turkey. 1. Float over the unique landscape of Cappadocia in a hot air balloon! Just before sunrise, dozens of hot air balloons rise into the air in Cappadocia. They will take you to the most famous sights of Cappadocia in their baskets. Before the one to two hour flights, there is an extensive breakfast buffet so that you can enjoy the sunrise with a…

The ancient city of Simena, sunk into the sea off Kekova. You will be intrigued by the ruins of the ancient city submerged in the sea, just off the coast of the island of Kekova. You can see its undersea walls and ruins on the land with ancient stair steps. Kekova is an island on the Lycian coast, in the province of Antalya. It is famous for its 2,400-year-old town of Simena, which sank into the sea after an earthquake, and for the restaurants in Kaleköy, a tiny settlement with only 18 residents. The trips to Kekova and Kaleköy start from the small port of Ücagiz. Ücagiz is a small…

Topkapi Palace Guide: Ticket, Tour & Entry The Topkapi Palace is one of the main landmarks of Istanbul. For more than 400 years, The Ottoman sultans lived in the palace harem together with their wives, children and the immediate royal household. The palace is now a museum. It’s a good idea to get the best tickets, guided tours and a simple visit to Topkapi Palace. I’ll start with the sights, then come to the tickets and general travel tips. What can I see in the Topkapi Palace? Palace complex: More than 5,000 people lived behind the gates of the 70,000 m² palace complex located directly on the Bosporus. Treasury: In…

The Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul on the Golden Horn: UNSECO world cultural heritage The Suleymaniye Mosque is one of the four UNSECO World Heritage Sites in Istanbul. Together with its surrounding park and striking minarets, it is enthroned on a hill in the southern part of the Golden Horn. From its vantage point, the mosque offers you a wonderful view of the city’s sights. Compared to the Blue Mosque known as Sultanahmet, the Suleymaniye Mosque in the centre of Istanbul’s old town is not nearly as heavily visited by travellers. That makes it an interesting excursion destination in the old town. I brought a few photos from my last visit…

You can find everything under the sun in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul! This is what an old saying from the Ottoman Empire says. Do you think that’s true? The Grand Bazaar is certainly no ordinary market. Kapalı Çarşı – “The Covered Market” – is its name in Turkey. It employs 30,000 people who work in its 4,000 stores. Istanbul has been conducting trade in the 31,000 m² sales area since the 15th century. At that time, all goods in the known world could be found at the Grand Bazaar. How does it look today? And what can be discovered at the Grand Bazaar? This is what it feels like…

Is Istanbul a good travel destination in winter? What is the weather in Istanbul in winter, like in December, January and February? What can I do and not do? How much is going on? Here are my answers about the “cold” season as well as some useful travel tips. I will start with the most frequent question, then come to the most important travel tips, pictures from Istanbul during the winter months and a suggested route through the city. What is the weather like in December, January and February in Istanbul? When I am in Istanbul, I unpack my sweaters in mid-November and put them back in the closet at…