The
Five Best Nature Spots in Turkey
Turkey
has so many incredible sights that taking a trip to see the country
is a must. While there you can learn about the history and culture of
the country, taking in ruins, temples, cultural events and visiting
museums. In addition to a lengthy history, Turkey also has a lot of
natural beauty to offer its visitors. You can see stunning beaches,
amazing rock formations and deep, dense forests. To get a sense of
the stunning landscapes Turkey has to offer, consider visiting some
of these top natural locations.
Pamukkale
Pamukkale
is a famous landscape located in Western Turkey. The region, whose
name translates to “cotton castle,” is famous for its many white
terraces. The terraces are composed of travertine which is a
sedimentary rock coming from the hot springs. For thousands of years
the people of the region have bathed in the springs. Hierapolis, an
ancient Greek city was built on top of the springs and today you can
see many Greek ruins at the gorgeous site.
Uludağ
Located
in Southern Marmara, Uludağ
is a national park and winter resort. It has an incredible richness
of both flora and fauna, making it quite the site for hiking, camping
and general exploring. Due to its high elevation, Uludağ
is quite chilly all year around. The season for winter sports begins
in October and lasts all the way until April. Snow cover and below
freezing temperatures are guaranteed between December and March if
you want to get in some skiing.
Sumela
Monastery
Built
in the fourth century by two Athenian priests, the Sumela Monastery
is located in the forests found South of Trabzon. It’s hewn of rock
and perched carefully on a narrow cliff ledge, surrounded by
thriving, dense forests filled with amazing wildlife. The monastery
was abandoned in 1923 and today it is both a museum and a popular
attraction. Take a hike in the area around the monastery to get a
view of how deep and far the gorgeous woods go.
Göreme
Fairy Chimneys
Cappadocia
is a region of Turkey well known for its crazy, breathtaking natural
rock formations. In the region, Göreme
is one of the best locations to see the stunning natural sculptures.
The small town is located amidst a large amount of the pointed tuff
cones or “fairy chimneys.” Tuff, or consolidated volcanic ash, is
covered by a thin layer of basalt to make up the beautiful
formations. Tuff is quite easy to carve so townspeople have hollowed
out many of the chimneys to make churches, homes, storage locations
and more.
Kaş
Kaş
is a pleasant Mediterranean town, perfect for a relaxing holiday. The
city is renowned for both its history and the incredible natural
beauty, found primarily underwater as opposed to the other sites on
the list. Kaş is one of the top SCUBA, snorkeling and diving towns
in Turkey. You can dive in caves, tunnels, wrecks, and reefs and
through an abundant amount of marine life. The ruins around the town
from the ancient city, which used to be there, are also quite a sight
to behold.
If
ever you should find yourself in Turkey, these sights are definitely
worth checking out. You can wander through forests, dive in
mysterious waters or marvel at breathtaking rock formations. These
formations are surrounded by both new towns and ancient ruins, giving
you a taste of the breadth of history these natural attractions have
seen.
John
Gower is a writer for NerdWallet, a personal finance website
dedicated to helping you save money with financial tips on everything
from travel in Turkey to the best
credit card rate.
