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Turkish Delights: Unusual Facts About this Middle Eastern Country

3 Min Read

Turkey is an intriguing country filled with exciting cultural and historic points of interest. It’s the ideal holiday destination for any holidaymaker – there truly is something to please everyone. The country’s story is remarkable, and its enormous empires and great civilizations closely tied to Turkey’s history are all waiting to be explored on your holiday.

Once you’ve arrived at your accommodation following your flight and Dalaman airport transfer, there really is so much to explore in what is an incredibly popular destination for travellers all over the world! Here are just some of the interesting things you’ll discover here…

The Old Underground Railway

Having opened back in 1875, the Tünel underground railway network is the second oldest in the world after the London Underground. Today, it is one of the oldest surviving railways in all of Europe, and you’ll find it between Beyoĝlu and Karaköy.

The Camel Wrestling Festival

Although there is not a single native camel in Turkey, there is a camel wrestling festival hosted here every year. You’ll find this over on the country’s southern Aegean coast, and it’s definitely worth attending if you’re nearby. The event is called Selçuk Efes Camel Wrestling Festival.

It was first introduced over 2,000 years ago and was initiated by the Turkic tribes. The camels are mostly from Afghanistan and Iran, and are often dressed in decorative robes during the festival.

The Galata Bridge

This bridge is an interesting piece of work, and was almost designed by Leonardo da Vinci. In the early 1500s, Sultan Beyazid II hired Leonardo da Vinci to design this bridge that would stretch out across the Golden Horn. The bridge would have featured a keystone arch, a pressed bow and a parabolic curve and would have been the world’s longest bridge at the time. However, the artist’s plans were not approved by the sultan. You can still visit the bridge today – it’s interesting to consider how different it might have looked.

The Home of the Tulip

Nobody knows the origin of the tulip flower, but it is no doubt that the Ottoman Empire played a key role in its flourishing popularity across Europe. It is believed that a Flemish ambassador brought the flower to the Netherlands during the 16th century, and so began the tulip’s popularity. Turkey is known by many as the home of tulips, so while you’re exploring the country, why not but some of these colourful flowers for a loved one?

How to Get There

The best way to reach all of these exciting attractions in Turkey is to take a flight into Dalaman airport. Before setting off on your trip, it would be an excellent idea to pre-book your Dalaman airport transfers to take you directly to your accommodation.

Dalaman airport transfers are the most convenient and cost-effective to go from the airport to your accommodation without any hassle. Booking well in advance of your journey will also give you the peace of mind to know that you will be greeted when you land in Turkey by a friendly and professional driver.

The middle-eastern country of Turkey is home to a diverse and unique range of cultural and historic sights. Which one will you head to first? The ancient camel wrestling festival in Aegean or the Tünel underground railway network?

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for affordable Dalaman airport transfers, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.

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