Fodor's Turkey, 4th Edition: The Complete Guide with Ottoman Sites, Ancient Ruins and the Best Beach Resorts

Examines Turkey as a frontier land of contrasts, antiquity and crosscultural influences, and offers practical information on accommodations, restaurants, shopping, and unusual sights and activities.

This excerpt, from the Pleasures and Pastimes section, gives you a taste of what Turkey has to offer and the sights and scenes that make it a great place to visit.
Architecture and Ruins

With more than 2,000 archaeological sites and historical monuments spanning more than 10,000 years, Turkey is a repository of much history, from the Stone Age settlements of Çatalhöyük, the ruins of once-thriving Greek cities on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, Armenian and Georgian cities and churches that stand in the sparsely populated east, and the troglodyte warrens of Cappadocia, to the architectural splendors of the major cities, with their magnificent Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques.
Beaches

Turkey's best beaches are on the Mediterranean Coast. From Bodrum, as you head east, top choices include the shores of Sedir Island; Îztuzu Beach near Dalyan, a sweeping strand around a lagoon; the Gemiler Island beaches; the placid, deep blue bay of ölü Deniz; Patara, with its endless stretch of dazzling white sand; the private coves along the Kekova Sound; the strand among the Roman ruins at Phaselis; and Ulas Beach, near Alanya.
Boating and Sailing

Boating the Aegean or Mediterranean coasts opens up otherwise inaccessible sights and bypasses the bumps and bustle of travel by road. You can choose from an array of boats, from sleek, modern yachts, which can be chartered bare or with crew, to traditional wooden boats, called gulets, always with crew and often a knowledgeable guide.
Dining
Cuisine

Turkey is not just a geographic bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East; it's a gastronomic one as well. Its cuisine reflects the long history of a people who emigrated from the borders of China to a land mass known as Asia Minor and built an empire that encompassed Arab, Asian, and European lands.
Turkish cuisine is full of vegetables, grains, fresh fish, and seemingly infinite varieties of lamb. Fish and meat are typically served grilled or roasted, although often with inordinate amounts of yag (oil). The core group of seasonings is garlic, sage, oregano, cumin, mint, dill, lemon, and yogurt, always more yogurt. Turkish yogurt is among the tastiest in the world: Many travelers swear it helps keep their stomachs calm and stable while on the road.
Types of Restaurants

The simplest establishments, Turkey's fast-food joints, are the kebapç, the dönerçi, and the pideç. The first specializes in kebabs -- marinated cubes of meat (generally lamb), usually grilled and cooked with vegetables on a skewer. Dönerçs provide a quick meal of spicy, spit-roasted sliced lamb, served either as a sandwich or with rice.
Lokantas are unpretentious neighborhood spots that make up the vast majority of Turkish restaurants. In smaller cities there may well be three or four in a row, each with simple wooden chairs and tables and paper napkins. In towns, villages, and any city with a harbor, lokantas are often open-air, the better to take advantage of the waterfront and sky, or are surrounded by flower-filled trellises. Often you serve yourself cafeteria style from big display cases full of hot and cold dishes -- a relief if you don't speak Turkish. If there is no menu, it is because the chef only serves what is fresh, and that changes from day to day.
Wine, Beer, and Spirits

Alcohol is readily available and widely consumed, despite Turkey's predominantly Muslim culture. Among the perfectly acceptable, inexpensive local wines, the best are Villa Doluca and Kavaklidere, available in beyaz (white) and krmz (red). The national drink is rak, a relative of the Greek ouzo, made from grapes and aniseed. Usually it's mixed with water or ice, though many connoisseurs insist that it's best drunk neat, with each sip of rak followed immediately by a sip of cold water. People drink it throughout their meal or as an aperitif.
Hiking

Turkey has stunning national parks with sweeping vistas on high grassy plateaus: Uludag, near Bursa; Kovada Gölü, near Isparta, off the E24 toward Konya; Güllük Dag, at Termessos; the many trails throughout Cappadocia; and Yedigöller (Seven Lakes), north of Bolu. Even more exceptional for hikers are Turkey's ancient cities. Ruins lie up and down the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts; some (Termessos, Pergamum) are atop cliffs, some (Patara, Phaselis) along beaches. At many smaller sites, you will find few -- if any -- other visitors. Yellow signs mark archaeological sites, both major and obscure.
Shopping

The bazaars, all brimming with copper and brassware, hand-painted ceramics, carved alabaster and onyx, fabrics, richly colored carpets, and (truth be told) tons of tourist junk, are the main places to shop in Turkey. You won't roam the bazaars too long before someone tries to lure you in with a free glass of çay (tea), whether you're a serious shopper or are just browsing. Remember that bargaining is essential.
Rugs

No matter what you've planned, sooner or later you'll end up in the cool of a carpet shop listening to a sales rap. Regardless of how many cups of tea you drink and how persistent the salesmen may be, do not let yourself be pressured into making a purchase you do not want. Patterns and colors vary by region. The best prices and the best selection are in smaller villages. Salesmen will insist they can't lower the price, but they almost always do.
Other Local Specialties

Made of a light, porous stone found only in Turkey, meerschaum pipes are prized for their cool smoke; look for a centered hole and even walls. You can also buy tiles and porcelain, though modern work doesn't compare with older craftsmanship. Some spices, saffron foremost among them, can be purchased for a fraction of their cost back home. Another good deal is jewelry, because you pay by weight and not for design.
This excerpt, from the Pleasures and Pastimes section, gives you a taste of what The U.S. & British Virgin Islands have to offer and the sights and scenes that make them a great place to visit.
Beaches

With their warm, clear days, unspoiled sandy strands, and beautiful turquoise water, the Virgin Islands are a beach bum's paradise. Even if you're not a connoisseur, a day or two at the beach is central to a complete vacation here.
Your accommodation may border a beach or provide transportation to one nearby, but you have other options. You could spend one day at a lively, touristy beach that has plenty of water-sports facilities and is backed by a bar and another at an isolated cove that offers nothing but seclusion. Of course, these beaches are just jumping-off points to the underwater world.
In the USVI, public access to beach waters is guaranteed but land access to them is not, effectively restricting some areas to resort guests. On St. Thomas, Magens Bay is among the prettiest (but also the liveliest) public beaches, and Hull Bay is the only place to surf. St. Croix's west-end beaches are popular, and the calm waters of Isaac Bay, on the more isolated east end, can give you a stretch all to yourself.
Nowhere in the BVI will you find crowds to match those at the most popular USVI beaches, but Cane Garden Bay on Tortola probably comes the closest. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay, also on Tortola, are good for surfing, and Long Bay (West) is quieter.
Boating and Sailing

With a sailing fleet of several hundred boats, based mostly on St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda, access to island attractions is remarkably easy -- year-round and from all directions. You can sail independently on a bare-boat charter or aboard a fully crewed boat with an experienced captain and cook. The Virgin Islands can match every sailor's wish list: sunny days in the 70°F to 80°F range; dependable trade winds of 12 to 20 knots from the east--southeast; varied, exotic scenery; protected anchorages that are free and slip and mooring rentals that are affordable; tides of less than 2 ft and generally predictable currents; short passages between islands; and easy access to on-shore sights.
Not for beginning sailors, bare boating is an excellent way to graduate from a boat of 20-odd feet at home to spending two weeks on a 32-ft cruiser. Many sailors quickly move up to the most popular cruising setup -- a 42-ft boat, with six people sharing the cost, the planning, the work, and the fun. Most sailors select a boat and make reservations at least six months in advance for high-season charters (earlier to guarantee holiday dates). Cruising in style costs about the same as staying in a mid-range resort.
If you're not a salty dog, another option is a crewed charter. Costs run between $1,000 and $2,000 per person a week, with all the food, beverages, water-sports equipment, and port fees included. A tip of 10%--15% is appreciated for the captain and crew. Brokers are extremely important when it comes to selecting a fully crewed vessel. Make sure yours attends the annual Caribbean charter yacht "viewing" shows on Tortola and St. Thomas and has actually been aboard the vessels that he or she represents. The best brokers are on a first-name basis with their captains.
Another interesting way to see the islands is by small rental powerboat. Most companies require you to top off the fuel tanks at the end of the day -- remember, marina fuel is very expensive here. Slower boats are safer and more economical, but generally considered not as much fun.
Historic Sites

Columbus, pirates, European colonizers, and plantation farmers and their slaves are among the people who have left their marks on these islands, all of which are benefiting the tourism industry, a relatively recent development.
In Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Fort Christian (1672), Blackbeard's Castle (1679), the Synagogue of Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim (1833), and the Danish Consulate (1830) are some noteworthy sites that give glimpses into the town's past. St. Croix's countryside is dotted with ruins of plantation great houses and sugar mills. St. John, too, has several plantations in varying degrees of decay.
Die-hard sightseers will find less to keep them busy in the British Virgin Islands. Numbering among historic sites, however, are Tortola's Mt. Healthy National Park, an old plantation site, and Copper Mine Point, the ruins of a 400-year-old mine on Virgin Gorda.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Reefs, wrecks, and rife vegetation make the islands as interesting underwater as above. Convenient anchorages, conditions suitable to different levels of ability, and a plethora of outfitters add to the appeal of diving and snorkeling here.
Physical requirements for diving are general fitness and the ability to swim comfortably. You can accomplish the entire 32- to 40-hour open-water certification course in as few as three days of vacation, but it's hard work. Professionals suggest that you take a two-part approach: Do the classroom study and pool exercises (basic swimming and equipment skills) through a dive school or a YMCA program at home. Then, with a transfer form from your home instructor, certified Virgin Islands dive instructors will lead you through four open-water dives and check your qualifications for a C-card.
Scuba diving always requires advance planning; snorkeling, on the other hand, can be a far more casual affair. There's no heavy, expensive, complicated equipment involved. There's usually no need for a boat, since many of the finest snorkel sites are adjacent to a beach. Because most tropical marine life lives fairly near the water's surface, there's no link between the depth of a dive and your enjoyment. The Silent World is even quieter without the hiss of a two-stage regulator.
Few places on this planet are as convenient to snorkel as the Virgin Islands, and many dive shops rent snorkeling gear and offer some training. The dangers of snorkeling are few and easily avoided.