Turkey Culture, Geography and History

Modern Turkey is an interesting mix of ancient traditions and contemporary trends, resulting in a unique cultural identity unlike anywhere else in the world. Turkey's geographic position ensures that it receives influences from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and its culturally diverse history adds an extra dimension to an already fascinating country. Travellers will find Turkish people to be polite and quite formal in their greetings, kind and hospitable as hosts and friendly as new acquaintances. It's important to remember that while most Turkish cities are modern metropolises, Turks can still be quite traditional. With Islam being the religion of the majority of the population, Muslim holidays (including Ramadan) are observed, as are other Islamic customs and rules - so acting modestly is essential (especially when visiting mosques and people's homes), as is dressing conservatively. Frequenting hamams (Turkish bath houses) and coffee houses are popular past times of Turkish people, although contemporary hangouts like bars and nightclubs are the standard entertainment for most young people in the big cities, with Istanbul having one of the world's hottest nightlife scenes.