UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Routes
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared more than 1,000 sites around the world to be of outstanding value to humanity.
There are many ruins of ancient settlements spread all over Türkiye. Some of the ruins date back to Neolithic times and most of them were settlements during the time of Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians, Ionians and Urartian time.
Gastronomy
Turkish cuisine is one of the most varied and richest in the world. Türkiye is on the crossroads of Europe and Asia, East and West. This unique location combined with the migration of Turks over the centuries from Central Asia to Europe has shaped the identity of its gastronomy. The great diversity of fauna and flora in Türkiye has also contributed to the great variety in regional cuisines. Almost every region in Türkiye offers its own gastronomic experience and they all await you to discover them!
Cultural Routes
Türkiye is exceptionally rich in archeological heritage boasting 19,475 registered archeological sites. Türkiye’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage is unique in the world. This is a result of the fact that from prehistoric times onwards multiple societies and civilizations have lived, intermingled, and flourished in Anatolia, benefitting from its geographical qualities and its rich natural resources. The geographic location and its various climatic zones have also endowered Türkiye with an extraordinarily rich natural heritage and nine ecological hotspots. Türkiye offers year-round opportunities for sightseeing and recreational activities that cater to a wide range of interests.
Council of Europe Cultural Routes
Launched in 1987, the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe demonstrate, by means of a journey through space and time, how the heritage of the different countries and cultures of Europe contributes to a shared and living cultural heritage.
As a country with a rich and well-established cultural and natural heritage, Türkiye is also a member state of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.
Türkiye’s location between the West and East and its historic and cultural links with neighboring countries offer wonderful and one-of-a-kind opportunities to create and experience interesting and insightful cultural routes.
Faith
Throughout history Türkiye has hosted myriads of people, innumerous cultures, and today, a great array of important monuments are scattered all across the country. From ancient temples to modern-day mosques, Asia Minor has played a significant role in the history of religions with its spiritually and its numerous sacred sites stretching back many centuries.
Architecture
Türkiye is a country which hosted different cultures throughout history due to its unique geographical location as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Every region of Türkiye draws different profiles in terms of both cultural, geographical and climatic conditions which adds richness to the overall character of the country. In such a landscape, which forms a cradle where very different civilizations come together, the richness of different ways of life, art and architecture cannot be overlooked. Especially when it comes to the architectural character and history of Türkiye, one can encounter the architecture with different qualities in the foreground.
Nature
Türkiye invites you on an unforgettable journey into the heart of nature! The first thing that comes to mind when you think of a 5-star hotel is a luxurious room with a beautiful view and all the amenities that you could ever need. But what if we told you there was a place where you could stay in an actual five-star hotel, but it had a million stars instead?
You can literally fall asleep under the stars, wake up with the gentle waves of the sea, have a delicious breakfast reflecting all the vibrant colors of the region, take a boat trip to the hidden corners of hidden coves, hike and bike, and even join an exclusive tea party with locals like never before.
Handcrafts
Turkish culture is rich in terms of traditional handcrafts. Many Turkish Handcrafts have been practised before, during and after modern industrialisation and are mainstays of Turkish Culture. Just think of traditional hand-woven carpets and rugs for one example! Traditional Turkish handcrafts form a rich mosaic by bringing together genuine values with the cultural heritage of the different civilizations which have passed through Anatolia over the millennia.
Turkish Islamic Art
The foundation of the Seljuk and Ottoman Empires set the scene for the developments of Turkish Islamic art. The Seljuks were important patrons of the arts and literature. They developed a flourishing program of decorative arts, forging their own distinctive style. Ottoman Turkish heritage is inseparable from Turkish Islamic art. The Ottoman Empire lasted from the end of the 13th century to the early 20thcentury. This impressive longevity, combined with an immense territory, led naturally to vital and distinctive art, the mass production of tiles and vessels, jewelry, the Turkish art of marbling known as “Ebru”, Turkish carpets and tapestries, and exceptional Ottoman miniatures and decorative Ottoman illumination. The Ottomans are also known for their development of a bright red pigment, İznik red, in ceramics that reached a height in the 16th century. Islamic art is often characterized by recurrent motifs, such as the use of geometrical floral or vegetal designs in a repetition known as an arabesque. The arabesque in Islamic art is often used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible, and infinite nature of God.
Shopping in Türkiye
Visit Türkiye and be swept away into a world of centuries-old bazaars, elegant boutiques, modern shopping malls, centuries-old workshops…
Beyond being the heart of the city and daily life, bazaars are a shopping destination and a hub, bringing residents of the city together for centuries. Whether at a neighborhood market or your district bazaar, at a glamorous boutique or a luminous shopping mall, the experience is never the same when shopping in this unique, beautiful country!
