TURKEY
Whirling Dervishes perform the mystical Sufi ceremony known as a sema
The dancers, who fast for many hours before the ceremony, start to turn in rhythmic patterns, using the left foot to propel their bodies around the right foot with their eyes open, but unfocused. Their whirling is fueled by accompanying music, which consists of a singer, a flute-player, a kettle-drummer and a cymbal player. As the dancers turn, the skirts of their robes rise, becoming circular cones, as if standing in the air on their own volition.
THE BLUE MOSQUE
First built by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, this glorious palace beside the Bosphorus was where the sultans of the Ottoman Empire ruled over their dominions up until the 19th century.
Aya Sofya
Through its conversion to a mosque, after the Ottoman armies conquered Constantinople, to its further conversion into a museum in the 20th century. the Aya Sofya
Topkapi Palace.
First built by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, this glorious palace beside the Bosphorus was where the sultans of the Ottoman Empire ruled over their dominions up until the 19th century.
Cisterna Cistern
This huge palace-like underground hall, supported by 336 columns in 12 rows, once stored the imperial water supply for the Byzantine emperors. The project was begun by Constantine the Great, but finished by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century.
Hippodrome
This was the center of Byzantine public life and the scene of splendid games and chariot races, but also factional conflicts. Today, there isn’t much of the Hippodrome left to see, except for a small section of the gallery walls on the southern side.
Grand Bazaar
My favorite place to shop. Everything can be found here from spices, clothing, leather jackets, carpets, jewelry, handbags or gold bars.
Sit inside and take a break with some mint tea and enjoy a selection of baklava, a turkish pastry made with honey and nuts.
Suleymaiye Mosque
It was built for Süleyman the Magnificent by the famed Ottoman architect Sinan between 1549 and 75. The interior, dominated by its soaring 53-meter-high dome.
Outside in the garden area is an interesting Ottoman cemetery that is also home to the tombs of the Sultan Süleyman and his wife Haseki Hürrem Sultan.
Spice Bazaar
A wonderful explosion of color, smells and exciting foods. It can be very crowded here but it is a wonderful way to spend a few hours wandering through the market and sampling the different foods.
Dolmabahce Palace
Built by Sultan Abdülmecid I in 1854, it is a wonderful mixture of Rococo, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Ottoman elements. While the interiors are decorated in gold with French style furniture.
Marmaris
Hop on a flight and go to Marmaris a Mediterranean resort town along the Turkish Riviera (also known as the Turquoise Coast) with a busy, pebbly beach and long seafront promenade. It’s known for its lively nightlife on Bar Street, which is home to open-air clubs and music venues. You can catch a ride on a water taxi from the Ataturk Statue area in Marmaris to Icmeler and Turunc. Some of them also stop at the jetties in front of some of the hotels.