The Republic of Turkey is located in West Asia on the Mediterranean and shares its borders with Greece, Bulgaria, Syria and Iraq among other countries. The northern side of this country borders the Black Sea and covers a land mass of over 700000 kilometers. The population in this country is well over 70 million people.

Because of its topography, Turkey has diversity in its climate. The coastal areas enjoy climate which is typical of the Mediterranean, as does the region around Istanbul, the capital, which also gets rain from time to time. The Black Sea area has subtropical oceanic climate in the east which tends to get colder as you head west. The interior regions have hot summers and cold winters whereas the coastal areas while having a mostly temperate climate, also possesses a higher level of humidity than the rest of the country. The areas in the south eastern part of the country which borders Syria and Iraq tend to have a desert like climate where there is some snow during winter but no rain in the summers.

Besides the current capital of Ankara, there is also the former capital city of Istanbul which are must visit places in Turkey. Let's look a little more closely at these two cities:-

Istanbul – The largest city of Turkey is also its financial and cultural center. The location of Istanbul is slightly unusual in that the city straddles both sides of the Bosphorus, the strait between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. In that sense, Istanbul and by extension Turkey, are connected to Asia as well as Europe. An area most tourist visit is the old city of Sultanahmet. This was the center of the then Constantinople which was home to the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

Some of the most famous tourist spots in this area include the Sultanahmet Mosque or the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace. Besides these, there are several churches and museums too that one can visit. One of popular hotels used by tourist in this area is the Hotel Armagrandi Spina. Another mid range option is the Armada Hotel. Both hotels have wonderful views of the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia from the rooftop and a few rooms as well.

Ankara – Ankara is the second largest city of Turkey after Istanbul. Unlike Istanbul which is on the western part of the country, Ankara is located centrally. The main must visit site for tourists here is the Anitkabir. This mausoleum located on a hill in the Anitteppe quarter is the final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey. There is also a museum located close by which contain many Ataturk artifacts. Ankara is also home to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. This is widely regarded as the best museum in all of Turkey and is a stop for most visitors.

One might also consider visiting Gallipoli located near Istanbul which is the site of several World War I battlefields and subsequent memorials.