Istanbul:
The city consists of three separate elements - the old Turkish town (Eminönöü,
Aksaray, Fatih), in the form of an almost equilateral triangle, which
extends from the right bank of the Golden Horn to the Sea of Marmara; linked
with the old town by the Galata and Atatürk Bridges, the district of
Beyoglu with its suburbs of Galata and Harbiye, largely inhabited by
foreigners, on the slopes between the Golden Horn and the Bosporus; and the
district of Üsküdar, with its suburbs, on the Asiatic side of the
Bosporus. Istanbul is a unique and unforgettable sight with its towers and
its palaces and the numerous domes and minarets of the 35 large and over a
hundred smaller mosques rising above the water. Little is left of the
colorful Oriental life of the old capital of the Sultans, and the people now
wear European dress. Street names and shop signs are in the Latin alphabet;
and the old rows of brown timber houses with red roofs and latticed kafes
(bow-windows) have given place in the central areas to stone and
reinforced-concrete blocks.
Cappadocia: Cappadocia named after the Cappadocians who settled here
ca. 700 B.C., is generally regarded as the plains and the mountainous region
of eastern central Anatolia around the upper and middle reaches of the River
K›z›l›rmak. It was here that several ancient highways crossed
and different cultures came into contact with each other. It was also the
land of the Hittites. The sparsely inhabited landscape of Cappadocia is
characterized by red sandstone and salt deposits of the Miocene (Tertiary)
period. But the high plains of Bozok Yaylas, the karst regions of Sivas and
the pastures of Uzun Yayla are also regarded as Cappadocia. However, the
relatively small areas of fertile soil on volcanic tuff is where the
population tends to concentrate. This southern part of Cappadocia, the more
densely populated, is often spoken of as the heart of the region and yet it
lies in the extreme southwestern corner. As well as cereals, Cappadocia is
best known for potatoes and fruit.
Kusadasi Situated 17km/10.5mi south of Ephesus on the wide Gulf of
Kusadasi, facing the Greek island of Samos (Turkish Sisam; ferry service),
Kusadasi is one of the oldest and most popular holiday centers in Turkey.
Long sandy beaches (modern holiday villages), the well-equipped "Turban
Marina" and the old harbor (port of call for cruise ships and regular
shipping lines) are among the many attractions of this leading resort.
The present town was founded in the 13th century by merchants from Genoa
and Venice. Since the harbor of nearby Ephesus had silted up, the new port
was named Scala Nova (in Greek, Neo Ephesos). In the Ottoman period the name
of the town was changed to Kusadasi (Bird Island).
Istanbul
( 03 Night’s / 04 Days )
