Turkey truly is a paradise waiting to be discovered. An incredible varied and bountiful land offering you a breathtaking array of experiences and wonderful contrasts.

To begin with, it's right at the heart of the world being at the crossroads of three geographical regions:

Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Not forgetting that Africa is also just a short journey across the Mediterranean. With a population of 65 million , Turkey covers an area of some 800.000 square kilometers and is surrounded by no less than four seas : the Mediterranean in the south, the Aegean Sea in the west, the Marmara sea to the north west, and the black sea to the north. No wonder then that it can boast coastline stretching for over 8.000 kilometers.

Abundant in flora and fauna, Turkey offers a wide ranging and absorbing variety of landscapes. You can stroll along golden palm fringed beaches, sail in the morning, ski in the afternoon, discover rivers, lakes, dams, secret coves and plains. Remarkably, and this is why Turkey can offer such a rich tapestry of natural wonders, the country is also mountainous. The Pontic Mountains follow the black sea, the Taurus Mountains flank the Mediterranean to the south, while Mount Ararat in the east, where Noah's Ark is said to have come to rest, is 5,137 meters above the sea level. There are also two more historic names from biblical times, the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, which start from Central Anatolia and flow to the Gulf of Persia. Lakes abound inland with around 200 covering some 9.200 square kilometers. And if this wasn't enough, this breathtaking country can truly be described as the cradle of civilization.

The first known settlement in the world was found at Catalhoyuk, northeast from Konya, dating back to an astonishing 6.500BC. Two of the Seven Wonders of the world are to be found in Turkey: the Artemis Temple in Efes and the Halikarnassos Mausoleum in Bodrum. In fact, being heir to the history of human development makes Turkey a treasure trove of historical and cultural artifacts. Hattis , Hittitis, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lonians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans have all left their mark on this region.

Evidence of Turkey's vibrant and fascinating past can still be seen today in the wealth of statues of gods and goddesses, temples, theatres, agoras, churches, mosques, medresseh, and palaces which scatter the towns and countryside. In fact, Turkey is the proud possessor of more recognized historical and archaeological sites than any other country in the world.

But Turkey isn't just a treasure house of historic artifacts, it's thriving, bustling, energetic modern country, with cosmopolitan cities, dazzling marinas, first class hotels and restaurants, and nightclubs which are open throughout the night. Wonderful climate, friendly, hospitable people, world class cuisine, every kind of sport and leisure activity, great service and reasonable prices make Turkey just about the perfect place to visit, to holiday in or to live all year round.

And best of all, it's no further than other popular Mediterranean destinations, being only 3,5 hours flight from any European capital.