Turkey is located in a unique spot with stunning natural beauty. It is bordered to the north by the Black Sea, west by the Sea of Marmara and Aegean, and south by the Mediterranean. Due to its situation, it has three different climatic zones. With a tremendous variety of landscapes, it feels like paradise to tourists and naturalists. Did you know Turkey sits on two continents? Europe and Asia. Istanbul is the only city in the world straddled on two continents. The capital of Istanbul is separated by the Bosphorus strait, which runs from the Black Sea through Istanbul and into the inland Sea of Marmara, which flows through the Dardanelles and out to the Aegean.
People worldwide come to Turkey to enjoy the high mountains to powder-sand beaches, and turquoise seascapes. Turkey has backdrops for everyone; it is a place where you can spend a day, a week, or even a month. We spent six weeks in Turkey exploring waterfalls, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Aegean, Lake Van, River Kizilirmak, Pamukkale travertines, driving in the rolling hills and the dramatic mountain ranges.
We saw dense forests in the northern Black Sea and the southern Mediterranean regions. Mountain pastures inland deserts to the southeast and lakes throughout the country. The beaches are beautiful. Turkey has many lakes; the most notable is Lake Van. Likewise, you will find many dam lakes in Turkey. The country’s longest river is the Kizilirmak, which flows into the Black Sea.
We were lucky to visit numerous waterfalls during our visit to Antalya Turkey. I loved our day at the Kursunlu waterfalls, which is a nature park with a surrounding area of 1,473 acres. You can take a long hike or explore the caves listening to the waterfalls and water roaring from the river. The nature around you is breathtaking during the spring, flowers starting to show their beauty, green lushes plants, and animals such as rabbits, squirrels, woodpeckers, turtles, and other small animals are fun to photographs.
Have you ever been to a waterfall that falls into the sea? Düren waterfall in Antalya does with a cliff of 40 meters into the Mediterranean. It is a magnificent view with a delightful mist. Many vendors are there offering pictures with parrots or rabbits a tradition in many of the tourist locations. You can enjoy a delicious ice cream while you watch the children play on the playgrounds. The ice cream in Turkey is very famous and the best part it is not too sweet in my option.
The last waterfall we visited was Managat waterfall, which had much smaller cliffs than the Düren waterfall of only 5 meters. The water in this area is fee underground from the Taurus Mountains. You can spot rafters and canoers, and it is a great place to cool off on a hot summer day. Definitely the least impressive waterfall we enjoyed in Antalya.
Pamukkale travertines were one of my favorite places in Turkey. We went on a beautiful sunny day. The location is so beautiful it is hard to describe. It all depends on the angle of the sun and the time of the day; every moment is peaceful and breathtaking. The calcium terraces called Pamukkale which means ‘cotton castle’ in Turkish languages because of their appearance. Pamukkale is a district of Denizli Province which is about 230 km away from Antalya. It is known as one of the oldest thermal cities in the world.
Do you have sensitive feet? it is required to take off your shoes when walking on the travertine, and it can be challenging if you have sensitive feet. You will find restaurants and snack bars at the top if you are a bit hungry or need to take a break. Do not forget to bring your swimming suit and your camera to photograph these perfect sights. It is ok to bring a backpack; you certainly can rent a locker to put your items during your swim. The fee was 80 liras to get into the park, and 100 liras to swim in the Antique Pool. It was a day I will not forget. Check out our video; you will be mesmerized.
The sunsets we have experienced here in Turkey have been some of the most spectacular. We were astonished to visit this jam-packed country with stunning natural beauty, tranquil beaches to dramatic mountains, and an array of well-preserved architecture.