CUSTOMS & ETIQUETTE Turks value hospitality and will frequently go out of their way to welcome travelers, commonly offering to buy visitors a meal or a cup of çay (tea). Do not refuse tea unless you have very strong objections; it provides a friendly, easy way to converse with locals. If you are invited to
SUFISM Sufism, the mystical Islamic practice in which Muslims seek divine love and knowledge through a direct personal experience with God, has been vitally important in the development of Islam. Islam spread to Turkey thanks to the efforts of traveling Sufi dervishes, who also established the religion in Central Asia, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Sufism
THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF ISLAM Monotheistic Islam met with staunch opposition in 7th-century polytheist Arabia. In 622, Muhammed fled persecution in his native city of Mecca and escaped to nearby Medina, where he was welcomed as a mediator of a long-standing blood feud. This hijra (flight) marks the beginning of the Muslim community and of
RELIGION About 99% of the Turkish population is Muslim. Jews and Orthodox Christians of Greek, Armenian, and Syrian backgrounds compose the remainder. While Turkey does not have an official state religion, every Turkish citizen’s national identification card states his or her creed. Although Atatürk’s reforms aimed to secularize the nation, Islam continues to play a
Have you always dreamed of a beautiful Turkey beach wedding, with the turquoise water of the Mediterranean lapping up onto your private golden sandy beach? Beach weddings in Turkey, we are very lucky to be surrounded by stunning beaches from the picturesque town of Fethiye through to the lively tourist resort of Olu Deniz. Any
The Best Tourist Attractions in Istanbul Istanbul is one city that should not miss in your bucket list. This amazing city boasts of enchanting ancient tradition, a lovely mix of different cultures and a history that will blow your mind away. In a nutshell; it has everything you need for a perfect vacation. Istanbul is
Antalya, the eighth most populous city in Turkey, is located on Anatolia’s flourishing southwest coast and is the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It is the home of almost two million people who are involved in different occupations. If you go there, you will find different activities of the people. I suggest you visit
WOMEN IN TURKEY REPUBLIC Rapid social change in 20th-century Turkey transformed the social roles of Turkish women, particularly members of the urban upper classes. Rural and poor areas, however, remain largely traditional. In the move to create a progressive republic, Atatürk’s reforms gave women nearly the same legal status as men, which included suffrage and
So, you have decided to spend the holiday in Turkey.The good hotel is one of the main components of successful rest. Therefore it is necessary to be in earnest about its choice very much. Today practically any travel agency can offer a considerable quantity of hotels of different categories in this country. Here some practical