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Greek Gods, Mythology

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Homer the name traditionally attributed to the renowned author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the two great epics of Greek antiquity. Nothing is known about Homer as an individual. In fact, the question of whether a person can be responsible for the creation of the two epics is still controversial. However, linguistic and historical data suggests that the poems were composed in the Greek colonies on the west coast of Asia Minor during the ninth century BC.

Electra was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, the king and queen of Mycenae. When Elektra’s father came home from the Trojan War, his mother, Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus killed. They also killed Cassandra, a concubine of Agamemnon and the Trojan War

Antigone in ancient Greece, Antigone is mostly linked to the myth that told of ancient greek playwright Sophocles, although it refers to different Antigone in the ancient greek world. Antigone was the daughter of the king of Thebes, Oedipus and Jocasta. It tells the story, Oedipus, the son of Laius and Jocasta killed his father Laius and became king of Thebes. Oedipus unknowingly married his mother Jocasta and had children with her.

Jason is a history of ancient Greek myth, a story that is passed from generation to generation. About a hero who went on a journey in search of the Golden Fleece so that he could help his father regain his kingdom of King Pelias. Aeson Jason’s father was king of Lolcus Alcimed and mother. Aeson half brother Pelias was eager for the throne of Lolcus while in battle, took the power Aeson and became king. Aeson Pelias and shared a common mother, Tyro. She was the daughter of Salmoneus and the sea god Poseidon. Pelias, to ensure that no family could challenge Aeson killed his family. Alcimed but saved her baby, Jason. To avoid your baby Alcimed said Chiron, who became his guardian.

Chaos – in an ancient Greek myth of creation, the dark, silent abyss from which all things were made. According to the Theogony of Hesiod, Chaos generated the solid Earth, from which emerged starry, cloud filled the sky. Mother Earth and Father Sky, embodied respectively Gaea and Uranus his descendants were the Titans parents. In a later theory, Chaos is the formless matter from which the cosmos, or harmonious order, was created.

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Gaea – She was the mother and wife of Father Heaven, Uranus. They were the parents of the creatures first, the Titans, the Cyclopes and the Giants – Hecatonchires (Hundred – headers). Uranus hated the monsters, and even if they were his children, locked them in a secret location on the ground. Gaea was enraged at this favoritism and persuaded their son Cronos to overthrow his father. The castrated Uranus, and his blood Gaea gave birth to the Giants, and the three avenging goddesses the Erinyes. Their children more and more terrible was Typhon, a monster of 100 head, which, though defeated by the god Zeus, was believed to Etna volcano spewing lava.

Tartarus - The lowest region of the underworld. Hesiod claimed that a brazen anvil would take several days and nights to fall from heaven to earth, and nine days and nights to fall from earth to Tartarus. Tartarus rose out of chaos and has been the destination of wicked souls. Uranus banished his children and Cyclops Hecatonchires in Tartarus, as Zeus also did to the Titans. Other famous inhabitants of Tartarus include Sisyphus, Ixion, Tantalus, Salmoneus, Tityus, Ophion and daughters of Danaus.

Eros – The god of love. It was considered a handsome and intense, attended by Pothos (“longing”) or Himeros (“desire”). Later mythology made him the constant agent of his mother, Aphrodite, goddess of love.

Erebus – Personification of the darkness of the underworld and the children of Chaos. . In later myth, Erebus is the dark region beneath the earth through the shadows that must go to Hades below. It is often used metaphorically for Hades itself.

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Uranus – Gaea – The personification of the sky, the sky god and husband of Gaia, the goddess land. . Their children are Hecatonchires, Cyclops and the Titans.

Hecatonchires – Three son of Uranus and Gaia. There were three of them: Briareus also called Aegaeon, Cottus and Gyges also called Gyges. They were gigantic and had fifty heads and one hundred arms each of great strength. They had 100 hands and helped Zeus in his war against the Titans.

Cronus – Rhea – Cronus was a ruler of the universe during the Golden Age. It was one of the 12 Titans and the youngest son of Uranus and Gaia, Cronus and his sister-queen, Rhea, became the parents of 6 of the 12 gods and goddesses known as the Olympians. Cronus had been warned that he would be overthrown by one of his own children. To avoid this, he swallowed his first five children when they were born. Rhea did not like it. She substituted a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes for their sixth child, Zeus. It was hidden in Crete, and as he grew older, he returned and forced Cronos to return all the other children who grew up within him. Zeus and his brothers and sisters have waged war against Cronos and the Titans. Zeus won, and the Titans were imprisoned in Tartarus, a cave in the deepest part of the underworld.

Coeus – Phoebe – Coeus was a titan of Intelligence, the father of Leto, husband of Phoebe

Oceanus – Tethys – the personification of the vast ocean. With his wife Tethys, they produced the rivers and six thousand children Oceanides called. He ruled over the ocean, a great river encircling the earth, which we thought was a flat circle. The nymphs of this great river, Oceanides, their daughters, and the gods of all the rivers on earth were their son.

Hestia – Virgin goddess of hearth. It was symbolic of the house around which a newborn was carried out before being received into the family. Even if it appears in very few myths, most cities have a common home where her sacred fire burned.

Hades – He was the lord of the underworld, ruler of the dead. He is a greedy god is very concerned about increasing his subjects. Those whose calling increase the number of dead were seen favorably by him. He was also the god of wealth because of the precious metals mined from the earth. His wife was Persephone that Hades abducted. The underworld itself was often called Hades. It was divided into two regions: Erebus, where the dead once they die, and Tartarus, the deeper region where the Titans were imprisoned. It was a dark and miserable, inhabited by vague forms and shadows and guarded by Cerberus, the three heads of families, dog dragon’s tail. Sinister rivers separated the underworld from the world and the old ferryman Charon transported the souls of the dead in these waters.

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Poseidon – god of the sea. Trident is a weapon that could shake the earth and destroy any object. He was second only to Zeus in power amongst the gods. Beneath the ocean, was a brilliant golden palace. Poseidon was the husband of a Nereid Amphitrite, with whom he had a son, Triton. Poseidon had numerous other love stories. At one point, he wanted to Demeter. You can put it to Demeter asked him to make the animal more beautiful than the world had ever seen. To impress her, Poseidon created the first horse. In some accounts his first attempts were unsucessful and created a number of other animals in his research. At a time when the horse was created his passion for Demeter had cooled.

Zeus – Hera – The god of heaven and ruler of the Olympian gods. He displaced his father and became chief of the gods of Olympus. Zeus was considered the father of gods and mortals. That does not create gods or death, he was her father in the sense of being the protector and ruler both of the Olympic family and the human race. His weapon was a thunderbolt. His breastplate was the aegis, his bird the eagle, his tree the oak. He was married to Hera, but is famous for his many affairs, which led to many kids know and probably many more that are not known to be. Athena was his favorite child. He wore only his head. One of the biggest festivals of Zeus was the Olympics. They were held in Olympia every four years. Even if there was a war between the city states of Greece were to stop the war to take part in this game.

Hera’s marriage was founded in conflict with Zeus and continued in the war. Writers represented Hera as always jealous of Zeus’s many lovers. It punishes rivals and their children, among both goddesses and mortals, with implacable fury. The peacock (symbol of pride, a carriage pulled by peacocks) and cow (which was also known as Bopis, which means “cow-eyed”, which was later translated as “with big eyes” were her sacred animals . Her favorite city is Argos.

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Demeter – Zeus – Goddess of maize and yield. He has taught man the art of plowing and sowing, so that they can end their nomadic existence. He was serious, beautiful hair almost relieved. that was as beautiful as the corn ripens. Poseidon his field, but Demeter refused to own him. To escape he fled to Arkadia, assuming the latter form of the mare, she mingled with herds of King Oncus. Poseidon, however, was able to see him, became a stallion and became her mother’s horse Arion.

When her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld, Demeter’s grief was so great that she neglected the land, the plants grew, and famine devastated the land. Appalled by this situation, Zeus, demanded that his brother Hades return Persephone to her mother. Hades agreed, but before he released the girl, made her eat some pomegranate seeds that requiring it to return with him for four months a year. In his joy at being reunited with her daughter, Demeter caused the earth to produce bright spring flowers and abundant fruit and grain for harvest. However, her pain returned each fall when Persephone had to go to hell. The bleakness of winter and death of vegetation is considered as the annual event of the pain of Demeter when her daughter was wearing. Demeter and Persephone were worshiped in the rites of the Mysteries of Eleusis.

Persephone - Persephone was Queen of the Underworld and the daughter of Demeter. Persephone is the goddess of the underworld in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Persephone was a beautiful girl that everyone loved him, even Hades wanted her for himself. Although Zeus gave his consent, Demeter was unwilling. Hades, therefore, grabbed the girl while she was picking flowers and carried him out of his kingdom. Persephone was the personification of the recovery of habitat in the spring. His attributes in iconography can be a torch, crown, scepter, and the stalks of wheat.

Leto – Zeus – The mother of Artemis, the goddess of the bow and hunting. He was loved by the god Zeus who, fearing the jealousy of his wife, Hera, banished Leto when she was about to give your child. All countries and islands were also afraid of Hera’s wrath and refused the desperate Leto a home where the child could be born. Finally, in his wanderings, he stepped on a small island floating in the Aegean Sea, which was called Delos.

Iapetus – The son of  Uranus and Gaia. The wife of Iapetus was Clymene.

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Athena – or Pallas Athena is one of the most important goddesses in Greek mythology. Goddess of wisdom, war, art, industry, justice and skill. Athena ran an adult and armored from the forehead and Zeus and was his favorite. It’s been a proud and brave in battle, but fights only to protect the state and home from outside enemies. She was the goddess of the city, handicrafts and agriculture. She invented the bridle, which makes a man to tame horses, trumpet, flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and floats. His attributes in iconography are the aegis (fringed cloak, sometimes decorated with a Gorgon’s head), a helmet and a spear.

Ares - God of War. He was very aggressive. He was unpopular with the gods and humans. Ares was not invincible, even against mortals. He personified the brutal nature of war. He was immortal, but every time he gets hurt, he would go to his father, Zeus and was healed. Ares was worshiped mainly in Thrace.

Hebe - goddess of youth. She, along with Ganymede was the cupbearer of the gods, serving their nectar and ambrosia. It also prepared the bath Ares and helped Hera to her chariot. Hebe was the wife of  Hercules.

Hephaestus - god of fire and metal. He was born lame and weak, and shortly after his birth, was thrown out of Olympus. In most legends, but was honored again as soon as the Olympus, and was married to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Aglaia, one of three feet. His laboratory was believed buried under Mount Etna in Sicily. He has done great things and the gods, including the twelve golden thrones, weapons and treasures of the gods.

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Apollo – Apollo was primarily a god of prophecy. Sometimes it was given the gift of prophecy to mortals whom he loved, as the Trojan princess Cassandra. As a prophet and a magician, who is the patron of medicine and healing. He was a talented musician who delighted the gods with his performance on the lyre. He was also a master archer and a fast athlete, credited with being the first winner in the Olympics. Her twin sister was Artemis. He was famous for his oracle at Delphi. People traveled to it from anywhere in the Greek world to divine the future. He was also the god of agriculture and livestock, and light and truth.

Artemis – Artemis was the goddess of hunting and animals, as well as delivery. His twin brother Apollo. As the goddess of the moon, sometimes identified with the goddesses Selene and Hecate.Her attributes are the bow and arrow, while dogs, deer and goose are her sacred animals. Her temple at Ephesus was more complex.

Atlas – Son of the Titan Iapetus and the nymph Clymene, and brother of Prometheus. Atlas fought with the Titans in the war against the gods of Olympus. Atlas took by assault the heavens and Zeus punished him for this fact by condemning him to forever bear the earth and the sky on his shoulders. He was the father of the Hesperides, the nymphs who guarded the tree of golden apples, and Heracles (Hercules).

Prometheus - Prometheus was the wisest Titan, known as the friend and benefactor humanity.He stole the sacred fire from Zeus and the gods. He also deceived the gods, they should get more parts of any animal sacrificed to them, and people better. Zeus ordered Prometheus chained be for eternity in the Caucasus. It would be an eagle eating his liver every day and the liver would be renewed. So the punishment was endless, until Heracles finally killed the bird.

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Epimetheus - Epimetheus was a Titan, whose name means “afterthought”.  In some accounts, he was transferred with his brother Prometheus by Zeus to create mankind. He foolishly ignored his brother Prometheus’ warnings to be wary of all the gifts of Zeus. He accepted Pandora as his wife, bringing the aches and pains in the world.

Maia – Zeus – Maia was the daughter of Atlas. She was one of the lovers of Zeus. She and Zeus was the mother of Hermes.

Dione - Zeus – The goddess Dione titánide or Zeus became the mother of Aphrodite.

Hermes – Hermes’s main role was as a messenger. As a special civil servant and messenger of Zeus, Hermes had winged sandals and a winged hat and bore a golden caduceus or magic wand, entwined with snakes and surmounted by wings. He led the souls of the dead to the underworld and was believed to possess magical powers over sleep and dreams. Five minutes after he was born, he stole a herd of cows from Apollo. He invented the lyre from a cow’s internal fibers. After Apollo learned what happened, he knew that his half-brother would he one of the Pantheon. Hermes was the patron of trickster and thieves because of his actions early in life. His attributes in iconography include kerykeion (personal messenger), winged boots, and petassos (CAP).

Aphrodite – Goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite loved and was loved by many gods and mortals. Among her mortal lovers, the most famous was perhaps Adonis. Some of her sons are Eros, Anteros, Hymenaios and Aeneas (the Trojan lover Anchises). Perhaps the most famous legend of Aphrodite in the Trojan War, in September. She was the wife of Hephaestus. Myrtle was her tree. Dove, swan, and sparrow were her birds.

Zeus - First the Greek pantheon of gods are known to close the top of Olympus, a generation previous gods called Titans, to be held. The ruler of the angels Cronus was the son of Gaia (Mother Earth). Chrono mother had told him he had stolen one of his descendants, which would be extremely effective. Therefore, whenever the wife of Cronus, Rhea gave birth to a child, he swallowed the god of the newborn to prevent them from turning over his powers …

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Turkey Travel

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It’s friendly, beautiful, culturally rich and good value for money. It’s modern enough to be comfortable yet traditional enough to be interesting.Turkey is one of the world’s top 10 travel destinations, welcoming more than 23 million visitors every year.

Culture & Art: Turkey’s history of human habitation goes back 25,000 years. Some of the earliest-known human communities are here. Hittites, Phrygians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Seljuks, Mongols, Ottomans and others have all left their works of art and culture in what is now the Turkish homeland. Modern Turkey has all this—and more mobile phones than you’ve ever seen in one place before.

Special-Interest Activities: With nearly 8400 km (5200 mi) of coastline, water sports and yachting are big favorites. Hiking, white-water rafting, mountain-climbing and bicycling are all important, and growing, as is skiing. My favorite of all is hot-air ballooning.

Cuisine: Turkish food is now world-famous, and rightly so. The abundance of its fields, farms, orchards, flocks and fishing boats is exceptional, and Turkish chefs take full advantage of this bounty. Everyone comments on how good the food is. Then there’s Turkish tea.

Good Times: Sit at a long table in a meyhane (taverna) in Istanbul, Kuşadası, Bodrum, Antalya, order a glass of beer, wine or pungent rakı and join in the songs and stories. Turks revel in good food, good friends, good times, and good nightlife.For stories of life and travel in Turkey, read the excerpts from my travel memoir Bright Sun, Strong Tea.

What to See & Do in Istanbul

Istanbul’s Top Sights

These are the sights you should be sure to see, ranked in order of importance and ease of access. Luckily, the first six are close together near Sultanahmet Square. You can visit them on your own, or on Backpackers Travel’s value-for-money Old Istanbul Guided Walking Tour.

I’ve also made up self-guided walking tours.

  1. Topkapı Palace: Home (and Harem!) of the sultans
  2. Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia): Changed the course of Western architecture; greatest church in Christendom for 1000 years
  3. Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque: Islam’s elegant answer to Ayasofya, with six minarets and blue interior tiles
  4. Byzantine Hippodrome: The political and recreational heart of Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman Istanbul
  5. Turkish & Islamic Arts Museum: facing the Blue Mosque on the Hippodrome, a treasure-house of 1000 years of fine art
  6. Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıçı): An eerie subterranean “sunken palace” of 336 marble columns which could hold 80,000 cubic feet of water in case of drought or siege
  7. Grand Bazaar: The ultimate medieval “shopping center,” with 4000 shops, fun whether you buy or just browse
  8. Egyptian (Spice) Market: Food, spices, coffee, snacks and some touristy stuff
    Click here for hotels in Turkey
  9. Beyoğlu: The romance of 19th-century Istanbul
  10. Dolmabahçe Palace: The sultan’s sumptuous new (1856) European-style palace on the Bosphorus
  11. Bosphorus Cruise: The perfect 90-minute, half-day or full-day Istanbul excursion, up toward the Black Sea past castles, palaces and Ottoman-Victorian villages
  12. Princes’ Islands: Get away to islands with Victorian-era towns free of motor vehicles: walk, bicycle, or take a horse-drawn carriage tour

Turkey’s Aegean coast is beautiful, historic and agriculturally rich. Here are the highlights of both the coast and the interior, in alphabetical order:

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Afyon
The center of Turkey’s legal opium trade, a dramatic hilltop fortress stands at the center of Afyon. At its feet are some historic buildings and lots of pastry shops serving the region’s renowned clotted cream.

Alaçatı
This charming small town west of Izmir near Çeşme is yet unspoiled, visited by local vacationers in the know, but nearly unknown to foreign visitors except for passionate windsurfers.

Aphrodisias
The city of Aphrodite, Roman goddess of Love, is among Turkey’s most interesting ancient ruins. Detour to it on your way between Pamukkale and Ephesus.

Assos (Behramkale)
Charming seaside hamlet facing lesvos in the shadow of a hilltop Temple to Athena—perfect for a getaway.

Aydın
Ancient Tralleis, chief city of the Meander River valley, it has little to see today, but you may have to change buses here.

Ayvalık
This North Aegean seacoast resort town is popular with Turkish vacationers.

Bergama (Pergamum)
Famous for its ancient library and medical center, an attractive farming town with lots to see.

Bodrum
Picturesque resort on two small bays divided by a crusader castle, a favorite yachting port noted for its exuberant nightlife .

Çanakkale
On the Dardanelles, your base for visits to Troy and the Gallipoli battlefields.

Çeşme
The peninsula extending westward from Izmir into the Aegean is a traditional summer vacation land for Izmirlis, but in recent years it has begun to attract visitors from around the world.

Denizli
This modern city near Pamukkale has all the transport connections (air, bus, rail) for the warm mineral springs resort.

Ephesus (Selçuk)
The best-preserved classical city on the Mediterranean, a must-see . The town of Selçuk makes a good base for exploring lots of other ancient cities, as well as hill towns and beaches.

Eskişehir
Though mainly a center of transport and industry, this is where most of the world’s meerschaum—and pipes—comes from.

Euromos
A Greek temple perfect as a Hollywood set, right on the road between Ephesus, Milas and Bodrum.

Foça
Ancient Phocaea is now a nice resort town—actually, two resort towns, with swimming, windsurfing, restauranting and other pleasures.

Gallipoli
Momentous battles during World War I, and poignant monument-strewn battlefields today.

Izmir
Turkey’s third largest city is mostly modern, with good hotels, great seaside restaurants, an interesting bazaar, a few museums and archeological remains .

Kuşadası
Bustling seaside resort and cruise ship port near Ephesus .

Kütahya
Known for its beautiful colored glazed tiles and pottery, this city also has several fine old buildings and, on its outskirts, a well-preserved Roman temple at Aizanoi.

Milas
A carpet-weaving center with a scale model (in marble) of the grandest tomb of ancient times: the Mausoleum .

Pamukkale
Hot calcium-laden mineral waters ripple over a cliff to form cascades of gleaming white stone at this spa inland near Denizli. You can even swim in the water! Stop at Roman Aphrodisias, City of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, on the way to Pamukkale from Ephesus.

Phrygia
North of Afyon among the low hills at Aslankaya and Midas Şehri are remains of King Midas’s ancient kingdom, 2700 years old.

Sardis
An easy ride east of Izmir are these impressive ruins, with a fine Roman gymnasium and synagogue, and Byzantine churches.

Şirince
This little hill town close to Selçuk and Ephesus is straight out of Tuscany…or the Turkish equivalent.

Troy (Truva)
Once thought to exist only in legend, the walls of Troy have been excavated and restored—and made into a movie.

Turkey’s Mediterranean shore, called the Turquoise Coast, is nearly 1600 km (994 miles) long, scattered with fine-sand beaches and sprinkled abundantly with classical cities turned to picturesque ruins.

The Turquoise Coast is the first place to think of when you’re considering a seaside vacation in Turkey. It has more and better beaches and resorts than does the Aegean coast, and warmer, saltier water than the Black Sea coast.The Taurus (Toros) Mountains form a dramatic backdrop along much of the coast, often dropping steeply right into the sea, but in some places rivers have washed down enough sediment over the ages to form beaches backed by fertile alluvial plains good for growing cotton, vegetables, and even tropical fruits like bananas.

Bodrum
Whether you consider Bodrum the south end of the Aegean or the west end of the Mediterranean, it is still Turkey’s foremost chic seaside resort, with two perfect bays framing a noble crusader castle, and the flashiest discos in the land.

Marmaris
“Green Marmaris” is Turkey’s most active yachting port, and a likely departure point for your Blue Voyage yacht cruise.

Köyceğiz
Peaceful and quiet, this traditional town sits on the shore of large, placid Köyceğiz Lake connected to the Mediterranean by the reedy Dalyan River. Hot springs are nearby.

Dalyan
This river town in the shadow of dramatic rock tombs cut into a sheer cliff is near the ruins of ancient Caunos and wide Iztuzu Beach, both reached by riverboat.

Dalaman
Not much of a place to visit on its own, Dalaman is home to the western Med coast’s largest airport, with regular service from Istanbul and Ankara, and several international flights.

Göcek
Small, pristine and charming, this is primarily a nice port of call for yachters, but you can stop and enjoy it even if you’re only the captain of a Toyota.

Fethiye
Built on the ruins of an ancient city, Fethiye has age-old stone sarcophagi in its streets and gardens, rock-hewn tombs in a cliff above the town, an active yacht harbor, a vast bay dotted with islands, and all tourist services.

Ölüdeniz
Over the mountains south of Fethiye, this is perhaps Turkey’s most beautiful beach, and also its most popular.

Patara
St Nicholas (“Santa Claus”) was born here, but visitors now come for the spacious, very long, very uncrowded beach as well as the sand-covered ruins of St Nick’s Roman town.

Kalkan
A tiny charming fishing village has become a yacht port with nice little restaurants.

Kaş
A lazy pace governs this nice little resort town far enough from the airports to preserve a lot of its charm.

Üçağız/Kale
Close to Kas, Üçagiz is a tiny village on a cove with a sunken Roman city and an island (Kekova) with a Byzantine one.

Demre/Myra
Dramatic cliff tombs loom above a huge Roman theater, and vegetables grow everywhere in the rich alluvial soil. This is where St Nicholas did his good works, and where he is buried. Stop and say “Hi!” to Santa!

Finike
Once called Phoenicus, Finike is now a sleepy fishing town with a long pebble beach nearby.

Olimpos & Çıralı
Roman ruins scattered in a pine forest, a secluded beach, fertile fields, and the Chimaera, the world’s oldest and best-known natural “eternal flame,” make Olimpos and Çirali great places to spend a few days.

Phaselis
Once a thriving port shipping timber and rose oil, Phaselis is now a beatiful park backing its three perfect little bays good for a swim.

Kemer
Built as a modern Mediterranean-style resort in the 1980s, Kemer is filled with group tours. it boasts all sorts of hotels and restaurants, a beach, yacht marina, and a park with a Yörük (Turkoman nomad) theme.

Beldibi
The coast north of Kemer is lined with posh self-contained resort complexes.

Antalya
The “capital” of the Turquoise Coast, Antalya has a charming old quarter surrounding its Roman harbor, though most of the sprawling city is modern. Most importantly, it’s the coast’s transportation hub, with a huge, busy bus terminal and a large, modern international airport.

Belek
This planned resort district 36 km (22 miles) east of Antalya is still under development and will be for years to come, though some of its sprawling resort hotels are finished, complete with golf courses. If you like large resort hotels with many activities, this may be the place for you.

Side/Manavgat
Imagine a traditional Turkish village scattered among the extensive ruins of a Hellenistic-Roman city: that’s Side (SEE-deh), and it has a kilometer of fine sand beach on either side. Neighboring Manavgat has a nice waterfall and more practical shopping.

Alanya
Once a small, quiet town favored by Seljuk Turkish sultans on vacation, it’s now a large and fast-growing resort for package-tour beach-goers. The promontory at its center is topped by a dramatic Seljuk fortress. Its beaches go on for miles.

Anamur
A craggy fortress with one foot in the sea guards a spooky Byzantine ghost town in this undiscovered beachfront town.

Silifke/Tasucu
Ancient Seleukia is a thriving market town with a few interesting old ruins. Just south,Tasucu is the port for fast ferries to Turkish Cyprus.

Kızkalesi
A simple seaside village has grown into a resort town mostly because of two medieval fortresses, a fine small beach, and interesting ancient ruins in the hills inland.

Mersin (Içel)
A modern commercial port city, Mersin has ferries to Turkish Cyprus.

Tarsus
The birthplace of St Paul is mostly modern, but you can visit the ancient well said to be St Paul’s, and a Roman gate named for Cleopatra.

Adana
Turkey’s fourth largest city is fast-growing because of the local agriculture (think cotton) and light industry, but not all that interesting for tourists.

Iskenderun
Formerly Alexandretta, this mostly modern port town has a few interesting sights on its outskirts.

Antakya (Hatay)
Set back from the coast, this ancient city has Roman remains, particularly its incomparable mosaics, as well as a cave said to be the oldest Christian church. There’s a beach and more ancient relics at Samandag.

You need a passport and visa to travel to Turkey. If you are traveling as a tourist, you can purchase a 90-day sticker visa at the port of entry for $20 (U.S.) cash. There is one exception: If you are arriving by cruise ship for a day trip to Turkey, you do not require a visa as long as you are not staying on shore overnight. Official and diplomatic passports holders traveling on official business must obtain a visa from a Turkish Embassy or Consulate before arriving in Turkey.

If you are planning to work, study, or conduct academic or scientific research in Turkey, you should apply for a visa from a Turkish Embassy or Consulate before arriving in Turkey. Doing these activities while on a tourist visa in Turkey could lead to deportation.

If you are planning to stay more than three months for any purpose, you must obtain a visa from a Turkish Embassy or Consulate. You must also apply for a residence/work permit or Turkish ID card within the first month of your arrival in Turkey. This includes anyone who plans to spend more than three months doing research, studying, or working in Turkey.

You should get entry stamps on the passport page containing your visa at the first port of entry before transferring to domestic flights. If you don’t, it may cause serious difficulties for you when you leave Turkey. On multiple occasions, Turkish authorities have detained travelers overnight in such situations.

Due to a revision of Turkish residency requirements in 2008, you should not stay beyond the date permitted on your visa or residency permit. You run the risk of being deported, fined and kept out of Turkey for three months to five years. The length of the ban is determined by the length of the “overstay.”

Visit the Embassy of Turkey website for the most current visa information.Crossing the border with Iraq can be time-consuming as the Turkish government tightly controls entry and exit. Anyone wishing to cross into Iraq from Turkey must have a valid travel document, such as a passport.The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any specific HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or for foreign residents of Turkey; however, Turkey will generally deport foreigners once their HIV positive status is discovered.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.

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