Popular districts more famous than provinces
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 07, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - The popular districts of Turkey are more famous compared to their provinces. Known as tourist centers, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kuşadası and natural beauties Safranbolu, Amasra, İskenderun and Midyat are among this category
Bigger doesn’t always mean better known in Turkey, where some districts are more famous than the larger provinces to which they belong.
The world-renown tourist centers of Bodrum, Marmaris and Kuşadası fall into this category, as do Safranbolu, Amasra, İskenderun and Midyat, the Anatolia news agency has reported.
Bodrum is one of the best examples of this trend. The touristy city is alive with activity 24 hours a day during the summer and favored by British visitors, some of whom even decide to settle there. But many tourists do not visit the rest of Muğla province at all, and do not even know that Bodrum is part of Muğla. The beaches of Gümbet, Turgutreis, Yalıkavak, Gümüşlük, Yalıçiftlik and Türkbükü Ğ all former villages of Bodrum that have grown into their own towns Ğ are all far better-known than the province itself.
The same is the case for Marmaris, another district in Muğla, which is known worldwide for the year-round beauty of its seas, resplendent in every shade of green and blue. Considered a holiday paradise for its long shoreline, secluded bay, natural beauty, modern marinas, water-sport opportunities and wide range of accommodation, from small pensions to five-star hotels, Marmaris attracts hordes of foreign visitors every year. Not too long ago, Marmaris was known for its fishery and its aromatic plants, but today it is a capital of tourism.
As a district, Alanya is almost as famous as the province it is attached to, Antalya. A perfect holiday spot with its wide beaches, historic artifacts, modern hotels and countless fish restaurants, bars and cafes, Alanya is a favorite destination among German and Russian tourists. The Alanya Castle, Kızıl Kule and Damlataş Cave are among the most important historic places in the district, which has a history dating back to ancient times. For today’s visitors, tasting the local fish and buying a silk scarf are recommended activities.
The Kuşadası district of Aydın is another popular holiday spot that has earned worldwide fame for its marinas and natural qualities.
Districts with domestic fame
While these seaside destinations draw many foreign tourists, other districts are popular with domestic tourists. While the province of Karabük is mostly known for the Karabük Iron Steel Works Factory, its Safranbolu district, famous for its historic houses, welcomes visitors from all parts of Turkey for weekend visits.
Likewise, few people know the province of Bartın, but every weekend, many tourists from Ankara and Istanbul visit its district of Amasra, which boasts 3,000 years of history. Located on a cape extending to the sea with two bays on each side and various islands, Amasra has an unparalleled geographic beauty and makes a fine contribution to Turkish tourism with its unique fish restaurants, clean hotels and countless home-stay pensions.
Beach and sea
İskenderun, in the province of Hatay, attracts attention with its bay of the same name and its modern architecture. Within İskenderun, Arsuz’s beach and sea make it an important tourist spot. Sütunlu Port, Frank Port, Karakol Castle, Şalen Castle, Sarıseki Castle, Bakras Castle and Mancınık Church are places in İskenderun that are popular with tourists.
Though Mardin is a well-known province of Turkey, its district of Midyat can certainly compete with it on name recognition. Famous for its stone villas, archways and Assyrian churches, Midyat looks like a town from the Middle Ages and offers fine examples of stonework. A few surviving filigree-makers still practice their profession at the Midyat Bazaar. The district is also known for its silver work.
Hasankeyf, in Batman province, is much more famous than the city itself. Situated next to the Tigris River, Hasankeyf was once the scientific and cultural center of the area with its university, observatory and hospital. Its name has become known once again due to the Ilısu Dam project, whose construction threatens to submerge it.
The Çankaya district of Ankara is also famous, but for a very different reason: It is where the president of the Republic of Turkey resides, and is thus also home to many other members of Turkish political circles.
And then there is Cappadocia, where nature and history meet in one of the best-known districts in all of Turkey. Spanning the provinces of Nevşehir, Aksaray, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir, its geographical borders Ğ as determined in a book by Strabon, a writer from the ancient age of the Roman Emperor Augustus Ğ lie between the Toros Mountains in the south, Aksaray in the west, Malatya in the east and the shores of the eastern Black Sea in the north. The really famous part, though, is a smaller area, the rocky Cappadocia territory, consisting of Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos, Göreme, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Ihlara.
Cappadocia’s "fairy chimneys," products of both natural and human forces, and its traditional houses carved into the rocks are its most popular attractions. It is also home to traditional villas and underground cities.
The world-renown tourist centers of Bodrum, Marmaris and Kuşadası fall into this category, as do Safranbolu, Amasra, İskenderun and Midyat, the Anatolia news agency has reported.
Bodrum is one of the best examples of this trend. The touristy city is alive with activity 24 hours a day during the summer and favored by British visitors, some of whom even decide to settle there. But many tourists do not visit the rest of Muğla province at all, and do not even know that Bodrum is part of Muğla. The beaches of Gümbet, Turgutreis, Yalıkavak, Gümüşlük, Yalıçiftlik and Türkbükü Ğ all former villages of Bodrum that have grown into their own towns Ğ are all far better-known than the province itself.
The same is the case for Marmaris, another district in Muğla, which is known worldwide for the year-round beauty of its seas, resplendent in every shade of green and blue. Considered a holiday paradise for its long shoreline, secluded bay, natural beauty, modern marinas, water-sport opportunities and wide range of accommodation, from small pensions to five-star hotels, Marmaris attracts hordes of foreign visitors every year. Not too long ago, Marmaris was known for its fishery and its aromatic plants, but today it is a capital of tourism.
As a district, Alanya is almost as famous as the province it is attached to, Antalya. A perfect holiday spot with its wide beaches, historic artifacts, modern hotels and countless fish restaurants, bars and cafes, Alanya is a favorite destination among German and Russian tourists. The Alanya Castle, Kızıl Kule and Damlataş Cave are among the most important historic places in the district, which has a history dating back to ancient times. For today’s visitors, tasting the local fish and buying a silk scarf are recommended activities.
The Kuşadası district of Aydın is another popular holiday spot that has earned worldwide fame for its marinas and natural qualities.
Districts with domestic fame
While these seaside destinations draw many foreign tourists, other districts are popular with domestic tourists. While the province of Karabük is mostly known for the Karabük Iron Steel Works Factory, its Safranbolu district, famous for its historic houses, welcomes visitors from all parts of Turkey for weekend visits.
Likewise, few people know the province of Bartın, but every weekend, many tourists from Ankara and Istanbul visit its district of Amasra, which boasts 3,000 years of history. Located on a cape extending to the sea with two bays on each side and various islands, Amasra has an unparalleled geographic beauty and makes a fine contribution to Turkish tourism with its unique fish restaurants, clean hotels and countless home-stay pensions.
Beach and sea
İskenderun, in the province of Hatay, attracts attention with its bay of the same name and its modern architecture. Within İskenderun, Arsuz’s beach and sea make it an important tourist spot. Sütunlu Port, Frank Port, Karakol Castle, Şalen Castle, Sarıseki Castle, Bakras Castle and Mancınık Church are places in İskenderun that are popular with tourists.
Though Mardin is a well-known province of Turkey, its district of Midyat can certainly compete with it on name recognition. Famous for its stone villas, archways and Assyrian churches, Midyat looks like a town from the Middle Ages and offers fine examples of stonework. A few surviving filigree-makers still practice their profession at the Midyat Bazaar. The district is also known for its silver work.
Hasankeyf, in Batman province, is much more famous than the city itself. Situated next to the Tigris River, Hasankeyf was once the scientific and cultural center of the area with its university, observatory and hospital. Its name has become known once again due to the Ilısu Dam project, whose construction threatens to submerge it.
The Çankaya district of Ankara is also famous, but for a very different reason: It is where the president of the Republic of Turkey resides, and is thus also home to many other members of Turkish political circles.
And then there is Cappadocia, where nature and history meet in one of the best-known districts in all of Turkey. Spanning the provinces of Nevşehir, Aksaray, Niğde, Kayseri and Kırşehir, its geographical borders Ğ as determined in a book by Strabon, a writer from the ancient age of the Roman Emperor Augustus Ğ lie between the Toros Mountains in the south, Aksaray in the west, Malatya in the east and the shores of the eastern Black Sea in the north. The really famous part, though, is a smaller area, the rocky Cappadocia territory, consisting of Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos, Göreme, Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Ihlara.
Cappadocia’s "fairy chimneys," products of both natural and human forces, and its traditional houses carved into the rocks are its most popular attractions. It is also home to traditional villas and underground cities.