If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul. — Alphonse de Lamartine
- İstanbul, Turkey's largest city, has many claims to uniqueness. It is the only city in the world to straddle two continents and the only one to have played capital to consecutive Christian and Islamic empires. Modern-day İstanbul is a buzzing metropolis where hip restaurants and bars stand cheek-by-jowl with historic churches and mosques.
For a small town near the Aegean coast, Selçuk has more than the usual share of worthwhile attractions. However, its main draw is its proximity to ruins of Ephesus, the the ancient Greco-Roman city.
Predominantly Kurdish, Southeast Turkey is chock-full of historic and cultural attractions including: the world's oldest place of worship, one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots on earth, the birthplace of baklava, world-class museums, Muslim holy cities, Armenian architectural gems, and Syriac Christian monasteries.
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Northeast Turkey is home to such stalwart attractions as the haunting ruins of the Armenian capital Ani, the İshak Paşa palace near the border town of Doğubeyazıt, and the cliff-hugging Greek Orthodox monastery at Sumela.
Having left the troubles following the collapse of Soviet rule behind, Georgia is fast becoming a popular travel destination. The charming capital city of Tbilisi, wonderful mountain scenery, historic churches and monasteries, ancient wine-making tradition, and a great welcoming spirit are the main draws.
It is better to travel well than to arrive. — Buddha