Turkey holidays have been popular with the people of Western Europe since the 1960s and 1970s, when they began to discover the beauty and warmth of its beaches along the Turquoise Coast that stretches 1,000 miles from roughly Izmir in the north to Alanya in the south. They continue to make up the largest percentage of people who enjoy beach holidays to Turkey and these kinds of Turkish holidays make up the largest percentage of visitors to the country.

You will find beach vacation packages heavily advertised in many European newspapers and travel industry publications, especially in Germany and England. These two countries are only a three- or four-hour flight away, and the large number of Turkey holidays on the beaches are the reason that several international airlines to Turkey fly directly from Europe to a couple of the coastal airports during the peak summer months. The two airports that are most often used for this are the airports at Dalaman and Antalya.

As it turns out, Antalya is the center of another top reason that people come to enjoy Turkish holidays—sailing. The mariners of the ancient world often sailed along this coast, from the ancient empire of Greece to that of Rome. Marc Antony sailed here with his bride Cleopatra, and she so loved the coast that he gave a large portion of it to her as a wedding gift. In the 1920s, a famous Turkish author based in Marmaris popularized Turkey holidays that sailed the coastal waters in traditional Turkish gulets (motor sailing yachts). These are still called "Blue Cruises," and began to be discovered by tourists from the United States in the 1980s. Today, holidays to Turkey strictly for sailing is one of the top tourist industries in the country.

Turkey Map

Both a romantic holiday in Turkey and family holidays to Turkey happen to be perfect fits both for the beaches and for sailing. It is possible for a couple to book a romantic cruise on a gulet and spend a week exploring deserted beaches completely alone. Or the couple can easily find luxurious secluded beach resorts complete with spas for pampering for their honeymoons. Some beach resorts cater to families with children, and several even have programs designed for young people—from water parks to teen discos.

Other holidays to Turkey consist of grand tours of the major sights and attractions in all regions of the country, including places in the remote interior like Mount Nemrut and the Cappadocia cave churches and monasteries. At least a couple days are generally spent in the magnificent city of Istanbul, touring the grand mosques, palaces, bazaars, and other sights. These generally are fairly all-inclusive vacation packages that last from 10 to 14 days. Often they include international airfare, and almost always include airport shuttle service, hotel accommodations, most meals, tours at attractions, and the services of a tour leader and professional local guides.

Sometimes, these Turkish holidays are geared towards religious sites, as there are many in the country. All Seven Churches from the Book of Revelations are located here, one of which is actually in the incredible ruins of Ephesus. There is a large and vibrant Jewish Quarter in the Istanbul Old City, and tours of the important synagogues are included. Several of the most beautiful mosques in the world, most notably the magnificent Blue Mosque in Istanbul, can be found in Turkey. So the religious significance of the country is important to history of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.