13 Facts About Turkey That Will Surprise You

As travel enthusiasts, we dream of waking up in a new place, opening our windows and listening to the sounds of a new city or the sea on a strange shore.

If you love to travel, you should visit Turkey. It’s a place full of culture, beautiful architecture, historical sites, and delicious food. Lots of people don’t know much about this country. Fortunately, we have compiled some facts about Turkey to give you an insight into this beautiful travel destination and to help you decide whether a trip to Turkey is right for you.

Interesting facts about Turkey

In this article, we’re going to discuss some of the most surprising facts about Turkey to help you decide if this is your next travel destination. So get ready to book your flight and enjoy all that Turkey has to offer you as a traveler.

1. Istanbul connects Europe and Asia

One of the most interesting facts about Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, extends across Europe and Asia. It is the only city in the world that spans two continents. This is because the city is on the Bosphorus, a beautiful strait with one side in Europe and the other in Asia. In addition, the European side of Istanbul is divided into two parts by the Golden Horn Bay. Istanbul is really beautiful. In fact, we have it on our list of the most beautiful cities in Europe

The districts of Istanbul each have their own atmosphere and character. You can find most of the famous landmarks in the Old City, Sultanahmet and the surrounding area. Other districts worth exploring are Karaköy and Nisantasi. Additionally, there are the areas of Fener and Balat which have a shabby charm, with cobblestone streets that overlook the Golden Horn. Read more about the best things to do in Istanbul Turkey

2. Turkey has one of the largest and oldest shopping malls in the world

If you enjoy shopping for local items and souvenirs while traveling, you will be interested to know that the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, officially named Kapali Carsi in Turkish, dates back to 1455, making it the oldest covered market in the world.

It has grown into a 61-street maze over the centuries, covering an area of ​​333,000 square feet and serving over 3,000 stores. Whether you are shopping for Turkish carpets, beautiful lamps, tea or Turkish delicacies, you will find some incredible local products here. Give yourself some time to lose yourself in this beautiful maze and have fun shopping.

3. Turks like to drink tea

Although the people of Turkey are big fans of Turkish coffee, they also love their tea. 96% of the Turkish population drink at least one cup of tea a day. And they do that in a special way. When they drink their tea, Turks drink it from a small, tulip-shaped glass.

To enjoy this local custom, try the many different types of tea available, order one for breakfast or after a meal, sit in the sun and watch the sunlight filter through the glass before drinking it.

• When you visit Istanbul Get an Istanbul Museum Pass with the guided tour app to skip the line to popular museums like Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace and Harem, the Grand Palace mosaics and other popular museums in Istanbul. Check out this pass here.

4. Wine production is important

If you enjoy having a glass of wine alone or with dinner, you’ll be happy to hear that wine production is a big deal in this country. While many people think of other countries like France when they think of wine, Turkey is a big topic when it comes to wine.

First of all, Turkey was one of the earliest wine producers. In addition, Turkey is the fourth largest wine grape producer in the world. This is due to the climate and the fertile soil. So when you drive through Turkey, don’t be surprised if you pass many vineyards! We visited a beautiful vineyard while exploring Cappadocia.

5. The cultural heritage is incredible

If the facts about Turkey that interest you most are historical, you will be interested to know that there are 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey. But that’s not all. There are also 62 more that are on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites.

Major sites include Gobekli Tepe, a Mesolithic temple, Ephesus, a biblical city, and Gallipoli, a WWI battlefield. Given how many important historical sites there are in Turkey, it should come as no surprise that this country is the sixth most visited country in the world. Check Out: 42 Amazing Ancient Ruins In The World

6. There are over 80,000 mosques

99% of Turks are Muslim, which is why the number of mosques in this country is 82,693. This is an incredible cultural and religious experience to live whether you are a Muslim or not. There are some impressive mosques that are open to tourists.

One of the most impressive is the Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul. Popularly known as the Blue Mosque, this mosque is grand and stunning, with high ceilings and beautiful tiles. Read more: Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and tips for admission

7. The Turks brought many products to Europe

If you love to travel, you may know the tulip season in Amsterdam and other parts of the Netherlands. But did you know that tulips were actually brought there from Turkey? Tulips are native to Central Asia and were in Turkish gardens long before they reached Central Europe. The government is commemorating this fact by planting many bulbs in the city of Istanbul.

If you want to experience the breathtaking sight of these blooming tulips, you should visit Istanbul between late March and April.

Turkey also introduced cherries and coffee to Europe. So if you love a morning coffee, you owe it to the Turks! In fact, Turkish coffee was so important that Turkish women had the right to leave their husbands if they could not provide them with coffee. Coffee was considered indispensable. I agree, I need my morning coffee.

In addition to cherries and coffee, Turkey has an incredible amount of food and cuisine to offer. They have so much of their own groceries that they export far more than they import. Turkish cuisine is a mix of Central Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, resulting in a delicious variety of foods. You can find more food in the world here.

8. Santa Claus is from Turkey

Even if Santa Claus is associated with the snowy North Pole, Santa Claus actually comes from Turkey! He was born in Patara, Turkey, which is located in southern Turkey on the Turkish Mediterranean coast.

In addition, there are other saints associated with Turkey. The Virgin Mary may have been buried near Ephesus. Saint Paul came from Tarsus and the prophet Abraham was born in Sanliurfa. In addition, it could be that Noah finally stopped ashore on Mount Ararat after the Flood.

9. Over 30 languages ​​are spoken in Turkey

Turkish is the official language of Turkey with 90% of the population speaking Turkish, but more than 30 minority languages ​​are actually spoken in Turkey. These include Zazaki and Kurmanji with Arabic, with Northern Kurdish being two other widely used languages. If you are a language lover or if you like to be in a culturally diverse region, you should visit Turkey.

10. Turkey is home to the great mountains

Just because there are some beautiful coastal areas in Turkey doesn’t mean you won’t find great mountain ranges in this country. Over 130 peaks are higher than 2900 meters (98,000 feet) and there are nearly a dozen winter sports spots to visit so you can enjoy the snow and winter fun in Turkey.

The highest mountain in Turkey is Mount Ararat, which is 5.165 meters high.

11. It has a nesting area for sea turtles

Iztuzu Beach, located west of Fethiye, is a great breeding ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle. These turtles arrive between the months of May and October and plant a total of around 300 nests each year.

If you are a nature lover, you are in luck. The Turkish government has made this a possible tourist destination while preserving the area.

12. Istanbul Airport is an important air traffic hub

As you know we travel a lot and I have to say that Istanbul Airport has to be our favorite. It was not for nothing that it was named the best airport in Europe. It’s well laid out and designed, and the Turkish Airlines Lounge is one of the best in the world. This is another reason to visit Turkey!

Istanbul Airport is an important air traffic hub. Turkish Airlines offers flights to more than 360 destinations – so if you get wanderlust again, you can quickly get on a flight! Check out our tour of the Turkish Airlines Lounge.

13. Early Christians once hid in Cappadocia

Cappadocia is an ancient land where the early Christians, fleeing from the Roman Empire, hid in underground cities and caves. You can visit these amazing caves as well as fairy chimneys and the early churches today as you make your way to Cappadocia. Read more: Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon: How To Choose The Right Company

While Cappadocia is famous for its hot air balloons over the fairy chimneys, you can also see religious murals that are still on the walls and stay at a luxury cave hotel. This region has many fantastic formations so it is well worth a visit to see the beauty of Cappadocia. Check out a tour of our cave hotel in Cappadocia.

Want to learn more about the facts about Turkey?

We’ve put the speed lap together on fun facts that you can easily look up on Wikipedia, but why not all in one place, right?

• Turkey is officially called the Republic of Turkey. It was once part of the Ottoman Empire after the invasion in 1453.
• The population of Turkey is 84.34 million people.
• The capital of Istanbul is Ankara, not Istanbul.
• Istanbul (Constantinople) was once the capital of the Ottoman Empire. It changed its name in 1930 after the Istanbul War of Independence.
• Greece also invaded Turkey after the First World War, which led to the Turkish War of Independence.
• The Turkish national sport is oil wrestling. You hear me right. Oil wrestling dates back to the Ottoman Empire, but today the most popular sport in Turkey is soccer. (Football)
• Turkey borders three seas, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea
• Turkey borders a whopping eight countries – Greece, Bulgaria, Iraq, Syria, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran.

Now that you have learned some facts about Turkey, are you ready to visit this beautiful country? Turkey will surprise you, we fall in love with every visit. Have you been to turkey What are some surprising things you learned from your visit?