City: Turkey
Top Things to do in Turkey
Top Hotels in Turkey
- 1. Romance Istanbul Hotel
- 2. Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
- 3. Concorde De Luxe Resort
- 4. Lara Barut Collection
- 5. Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center
- 6. Hotel Yasmak Sultan
- 7. White House Hotel Istanbul
- 8. Kayakapi Premium Caves - Cappadocia
- 9. Swissotel The Bosphorus, Istanbul
- 10. Hotel Sultania
The 10 Best Bodies of Water in Turkey, Turkey
Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye [ˈtyɾcije]), officially the Republic of Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ˈtyɾcije d͡ʒumˈhuɾijeti] ( listen)), is a transcontinental country in Eurasia, mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries with Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, the Azerbaijan and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the south. The country is encircled by seas on three sides with the Aegean Sea to the west, the Black Sea to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles, which together form the Turkish Straits, divide Thrace and Anatolia and separate Europe and Asia. Ankara is the capital while Istanbul is the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre, classified as a leading global city.
Restaurants in Turkey
1. Lake Van
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 279 reviews
The largest body of water in Turkey, this triangular shaped lake contains salt water that is unsuitable for drinking or irrigation. The only life form that can survive in the water is a species of freshwater fish called darekh that has adapted to live in a saline environment.
Reviewed By apricot44 - Turkey, null
Lake Van, history and geography.. Lake Van,home to its interesting geological formation,history,fish species, natural beauty and dozens of civilizations that settled around the lake... It is surrounded by volcanic mountains around the earthquake zone within the turkey's largest, 5th largest lake in Europe. The area of the lake is 3764 km². It exceeds 125 km in length and 65 km in width. Its height above sea level is 1646 m. The most important feature of the lake is that its water is salty and soda. It is stated that there is 42.3% kitchen salt, 34% soda, a small amount of sodium sulphate, potassium sulphate and magnesium carbonate in lake waters. With this feature, it is the world's largest soda lake. The fact that the water of the lake is soda limits the biological diversity in the lake and its shores. No mollusk crustaceans or plant-like animals can survive in the lake and its shores. The biggest reason why the lake is salty and soda is that the lava gushing out from the subhan and nemrut volcanic mountains about 100,000 years ago, blocking the front of the lake and becoming a closed lake. Before becoming a lake, the van lake is thought to be a part of the Karasu or Tigris river. It is known that the van lake basin and the plain of Muş province were a single basin before volcano lavas. The age of the salt in the lake was measured to be about 60,000 years. Van lake is fed by Karasu, Bendimahi, Deliçay, Zilan, Sapur and Engil rivers, apart from underground waters. The depth of the lake varies between 170 meters and 450 meters. the heights of the volcanic and other mountains surrounding the Lake van Basin range from 1600 meters to 4000 meters. Pir Rashit, Isabey, Erk, Sudis, Baset, Ispiriz, Hibarit , Mengene,Artos, Vavirar, Kevushshahap, Sarı, Hosabeshir, Pili ,Kars ,Nemrut , Suphan , Aladaglar and Tendurek mountains surrounded the Lake Van Basin. The most important ports of van lake are Erciş Bay, Van, Gevaş and Tatvan bays. There are 4 islands in the van lake. Akdamar Island, Çarpanak Island, Bird(Lim) Island and Adır Island.. One of the most important features that make van lake unique is the pearl mullet, which has only lived in the van lake and has been a source of income for the local people since ancient times. The pearl mullet (Chalcalburnus tarichi), a species from the Cyprinidae family, lives. Pearl mullet is a migratory species. Although he lives in the lake, he migrates to the rivers that drain the lake to reproduce and returns to the lake after breeding. Festivals are held every year in the Van Lake basin during the migration and breeding times of the fish. Van, Erciş, Tatvan, Ahlat, Adilcevaz and Gevaş settlements are located in the van lake basin. The first inhabitants of the lake van basin were the hurries. Later, after the urarti, the meds, persians, the Armenian principalities, the great Alexander, the Romans, the parts, the sasanis, the Umayyads, the abbasians, the Seljuks, the Mongols and the Ottoman. Ship transportation has been used in the Van lake since ancient times. Some ruins of the ancient port can still be seen on the west side of the van castle. Besides the port of van, Tatvan, Erciş, Gevaş and Ahlat ports are the most important trade and transportation ports of the lake. Since ancient times, the height of the mountains around the van lake basin, geographical conditions, security reasons have led people to ship shipping. In the records of the 10th century, we know that ships were popular during the period of some Armenian principalities that ruled here.again, it is known that Ahlat shipbuilders went as far as the Black Sea for shipbuilding.it is mentioned in some sources that during the Ottoman Empire, 3 ships were built by Mimar sinan to pass through the army in the 16th century. the first records of the region are recorded in expeditions and plundering events in the region during the Assyrian period(BC 13 century). the most important historical artifacts of the Lake van Basin are artifacts made during the time of the Urartians,Armenian principalities,Seljuks and ottomans. the Church of the Holy Cross(Akdamar),Van Castle and Ahlat cemetery located on akdamar island are the main historical monuments. nemrut crater lake at an altitude of about 2400 meters, located in the basin of Lake van, is one of the natural beauties of the basin. around the lake and in the surrounding settlements ,many historical monuments dating from the Armenian principalities period,dating from the Urartu, Seljuk and Ottoman periods are very visited today.
2. Oludeniz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,631 reviews
Reviewed By SallyBHastings
My favourite place in Turkey. Just come back from 10 days and split our time between the main beach, nature reserve beach and the lagoon. All are lovely, sun beds and umbrellas are reasonably priced and if you are feeling lazy someone is bound to walk past offering drinks, ice creams and food several times a day. Do visit all three areas if you have time, and have a walk around the peninsula.
3. Dalyan Nehri
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,200 reviews
Reviewed By kimwN7814MU - Bristol, United Kingdom
Omg how beautiful this boat trip is can highly recommend this is definitely a must just breath taking going through the river seeing the tombs of the Kings Turtle Beach just amazing
4. Bardakci Cove
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 184 reviews
Reviewed By ipekpur - Istanbul, Turkey
The sea was bright clear without any sea weeds and golden sand. There are only 3 hotels and a beach in the bay. Best hotel must be Voyage Bardakci. We stayed at Azka which is the oldest one in the bay but it was mostly renewed. Another best thing about Bardakci Bay is that you can go from the bay to Bodrum centeral bazaar and marina with sea taxi (kind of a bus that goes every 10 minutes for 15 Lira per person but the money is worth it for the view of the Bodrum castle from the sea and cool air on the way in very hot months especially. When you use the sea bus, you really feel like a local, it is great.
5. Kalekoy Harbour
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 406 reviews
Reviewed By josu_s267
There's something to please everyone here. The sunken city of Kekova is an unbelievable sight. The village has the most friendly people and the best ice cream possible. The castle on the hill has the best views around. The water is perfect for swimming or just to be stared at, I mean, look at the blue tones! it's the kind of place you want to go and stay!
6. Lake Koycegiz
7. Bosphorus Strait
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,355 reviews
Reviewed By MM0311
We took a 2 hour cruise of the Bosphorus while in Istanbul and found it to be stunning. The waters are beautiful, as are the views. I would love to do this cruise when I am in Istanbul again - both by day and by night :)
8. Lake Tuz
9. Abant Golu Tabiat ParkI
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 896 reviews
Abant Lake is a crater and deposit lake formed on Abant Mountains. It was declared as a nature park in 1988. Abant Lake Nature Park in the surrounding area, pine, fir, beech, oak, chestnut, poplar has a rich vegetation and wildlife consisting of wild fruit trees. Abant Lake Nature Park; in addition to the natural resource values of forest, mountain and lake landscapes that allow people to have fun, rest and short-term vacations, as well as scientific and educational activities, it also has accommodation resources, tent camping and daily use areas, cultural resource values to meet the demands of recreational use.
Reviewed By Fahad_S_Al_Harthi - Seeb, Oman
I have stayed at Boyuyuk Abant Hotel located in this natural park, with my sister in Mid November 2020. The place is so beautiful especially in Autumn and worth visiting but it gets extremely cold as well (sometimes down to 4 or 3 c in the evening!) and u get to see the autumn foil of the forrests with magnificent color variations!
10. Lake Golcuk
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 762 reviews
Reviewed By BoRaXiN72 - Istanbul, Turkey
I went to this lake in winter. It was completely covered with snow, all white. It looked really beautiful. The lake was partly frozen. You can walk all around the lake. There are some benches around the lake where you can sit and watch the beauty of the lake.
