From chicken-infused desserts to oiled up wrestlers, here are 10 surprising facts you likely didn’t know about Turkey:
While Istanbul is considered Europe’s largest city, half of it actually extends into Asia. For unique bragging rights, buy a ticket for the Marmaray metro line and ride from one continent to the next under the Bosphorus Strait. Bonus: take a ride on the Tünel, a short funicular that’s the second-oldest continuously running underground railway (after London’s).
Get those bucket lists ready: there are 18-plus spots in Turkey inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.
Visit the archaeological site at Troy, then the Biblical city of Ephesus; ride a hot air balloon over the Göreme National Park and the “fairy chimneys” of Cappadocia, then take a dip in the hot springs of the petrified waterfalls and terraced basins at Pamukkale.
>> READ: 5 incredible places in Turkey you need to see to believe
It seems all roads lead to (and from) the new Istanbul Airport thanks to the country’s award-winning carrier, Turkish Airlines.
We reckon the best part of booking a trip with Turkish Airlines is their free stopover offers, ranging from five-star hotels to city tours depending on your class of travel. Although stopover specials have been temporarily put on hold due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, this great deal will no doubt be reinstated soon – watch this space!
>> READ: 10 reasons to stop over in Istanbul
According to historians, the roots of agriculture began in these lands some 11,000 years ago. There’s even evidence that residents of Çatalhöyük (in south-central Turkey) first added crops like wheat and barley to their diet. Today, Turkey is still one of the world’s largest grain producers.
Think you’ll find what you need at the Grand Bazaar’s 3,000 market stalls? How could you not? This massive shopping mall in the country’s capital spans more than 54,653 square meters and dates back to 1455.
Turkish Delight, Mediterranean-grown olives, ritualistic tea and coffee, and heavenly aromas of dürüm and pizza-like lahmacun — Turkey is a place you can eat ’til you’re tired…and then eat some more!
From street food to sit-down restaurants, there is always something to sample, including dishes that are a little unorthodox. Try the signature Ottoman treat — tavuk gögsü, or chicken breast pudding. Its ingredients may sound off putting (a mix of boiled chicken, milk, and sugar, dusted with cinnamon), but the locals love it and many travellers do too!
Turkey has a long love affair with flowers. While no one knows where the first tulips were grown, the Ottomans popularised the bulbs and first exported them to Europe (you’re welcome, Netherlands). Not only that, but Turkey is home to 10,000 plant species, making it one of the world’s most appealing biodiversity hotspots (and an incredible destination for birders).
Did you know Santa Claus is Turkish? Well, sort of. Saint Nicholas was born in Patara, a beach town on the Turkish Riviera (doesn’t sound like the weather of the North Pole, that’s for sure!). And how well do you know your Bible characters? The Virgin Mary’s believed to have been buried near Ephesus; Saint Paul was from Tarsus in the south, and some speculate Noah may have run his ark aground at Mount Ararat.
Is there anything more entertaining than the sight of two bulky men stripped to the waist, slathered in olive oil, wrestling in the hot sun? Not according to Turkish sports fans — who’ve relished this time-honoured tradition of oil wrestling for more than 650 years!
Even clever linguists pale when it comes to pronouncing the 70-letter word "muvaffakiyetsizlestiricilestiriveremeyebileceklerimizdenmissinizcesine” in a single breath. Believed to be the longest word in the Turkish language, this mouthful means: “as if you are from those we may not be able to easily make a maker of unsuccessful ones.” Thankfully, it’s not a phrase we think you'll use often in your travellers, but who knows?!
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Let our friendly agents help plan your next trip to this magical country, where there's much more to discover than meets the eye — contact your nearest Sure Travel agent to book.