Mersin Travel Guide

   I am pretty sure most of you havent heard its name or dont know where it is or what it is. To the contrary its wonderful sea and must-see places, Mersin is not known well by tourists. Mersin is a city in Turkey with the population of just over1 million. It is a port on the Mediterranean coast. In Turkey, Mersin is called as `Pearl of the Mediterranean`.

   The best route which i also followed to travel Mersin is:

1. Promenade

   Mersin has a wonderful coast. First day when you come over there, you will need to arrange your accommodation and then be tired. Hence, the best to do in the first day is a walk alonside the coast. Be advised that having walk in Mersin at night is the best due to hot temperature with high moisture.

2. Have a swim and enjoy the sun

   Most of you think i am going to start off with a destination in Mersin. But, if you thought so, you are wrong. It is beacuse Mersin is a hot place and you will need to get familier with its conditions. Because of that, you better begin your travel from the best part of Mersin -Beach-.

   There are many beach places. Be advised to get to Korykos where is in Erdemli and 60 km away from city center. If you dont rent a car, there is a bus service taking passengers from city center to there or vice versa during the day.

3. Kiz Kalesi (Maiden`s Castle)

   If you follow my route, you should be in Korykos in your second day. Korykos is a beach with amazing sea. There, there is also something worth to see. It is Maiden`s Castle. The castle is close to the beach if you want, you can get there by swimming. There is also a boat service taking you from Korykos Beach to the castle. 

   The castle is small but a historical place. There are limited places which tourists could visit inside the castle. What is the most interesting is mosaic area inside the castle. The area was made using opus technique.

4. Mersin Culture Center

   After the second day, you are ready to start your visit to must-see places in Mersin. Culture center was the city center in the past. There is a big area with the culture house (shown on the photo below), a church next to the house and a circus. If you are there in winter, there are many opera, ballet and theatre shows in the culture house and the church is still active.

5. Ataturk Museum

   Ataturk is the founder of modern Turkey. This museum was a house at his time and is named as Ataturk museum because, when he paid a visit to Mersin, he lived in the house for 11 days.

   Almost nothing interesting there but worth to get there if you value past things good. The house shows past architecture style of Mersin and has historical Ottoman items inside the museum.

6. Ataturk Park

    The park is in front of Ataturk Museum. The park lies through the coast. The view there is amazing. Near to the park, there is a lunapark which includes all kinds of amusement items.

   So far, you visited the area marked red in the map. After this point, the places to go in Mersin marked green.

 7. Forum Mersin

    It is a shopping center in and around which shopers can find whatever they want to buy. It consists of two main sections. One of which is open and the second is closed. Around the forum, there are many little shopping centers.

8. Kushimoto Street

   Kushimoto is the name of a city in Japan. One of Turkish frigate -Ertugrul Firketeyni- sunk in there. Many Turkish sailors including admiral dead. In the memory of these sailors and to emphises the friendship between Japan and Turkey, this street named Kushimoto. In this street, visitors can find restaurants.

9. Mersin Sea Museum

   The museum is near to the street.Inside the museum, the stuff used by Turkish sailors are shown.

10. Mugdat Mosque

   It is the second largest mosque built after modern Turkey has been founded. The mosque`s location is marked in green area in the map above and is near to the museum. If you are interested in religion stuff, here is the place you should visit in Mersin. The inside of the mosque is totally stunning.



11. Mersin Marina

   Dont think the marina is only used for yachts. In this marina, there are many shops and restaurants. Be strongly advised to get there at night.

12. Tarsus

   It is one of Mersin districts and is a historical places. During the Roman Empire, it serviced as the capital of the province of Cilicia. For more read, please visit -will be availble here soon-




Enjoy your visit to Mersin...

Daily Bristol Tour

   Bristol is a city and the sixth most populous city in England. It is a historical city with fantastic coast area. There are many must-see locations in and around Bristol. But, i will just share the places to which i had been when i paid a visit to Bristol. This article will actually be helpful to those who have a day off and want to travel to Bristol, because i went to all the places presented here in just a day.

   The best route which i also followed to travel Bristol in just a day is:

(My route started from train station, Bristol Temple Meads)

1.  Bristol Cathedral



   It was established in 1140 and as orginally an abbey. Actually, nothing interesting is here but, some events hold in the cathedral and you could be a part of the event. Enterance is free.

2. Bristol Aquarium


   It is one of the must-visit places in Bristol. Visitors must buy a ticket for enterance but note that  discount available for online ticket. It is different form any aquarium in the UK, because a giant botanic house displayed under the name of Urban Jungle, is featured.

   The best time i spent here is when i went though underwater tunnel. I recorded it and you can watch it by clicking the video below.

3. Brusel`s ss Great Britain

   This beautiful lady was the most advanced and loggest passenger ship in the world but now is just a ship museum. She was used for transatlantic service between Bristol and New York. It is close to the Aquarium. Enterance is not free and if you are a student, you can get a discount but bear in mind that you have to show student ID.

4. Bristol Boat Tour

   The starting point of bout tour traveling trough Bristol is just in front of the exit door of Brusel`s ss Great Britain. I took this tour not just for travelling though river, also for reaching to next destination, Clifton Suspension Bridge. But, the ending point of the tour is not near to the Bridge. After bout tour, you have to walk up the hill. (just 10 min away by foot)

5. Clifton Suspension Bridge



   It is the world`s most famous suspension bridge. Its construction was ended in 1864. It is the symbol of Bristol. Visitors who want to listen to the bridge`s story, can take a tour costing just £3.50 per head. But, if you dont want to cross the bridge, there is a fine view of the bridge from nearby benches of Clifton Downs and Observatory Hill.

6. The Observatory

   It is next to the bridge. There are seats available there. You can watch the view from Observatory by clicking below:

7. Avon Gorge

   Here was used as a defensive gateway to the city. It is the name of  canyon and its wild life could attract visitors who would love to natural habitat. There is a bus stop near to Avon Gorge. You can take a bus to wherever you want to get when you are done with your visit.

Enjoy your visit to Bristol...

Tunceli Travel Guide

   Tunceli is a city in the middle of Eastern Anatolia Region in Turkey. Until recent years, it is usually remembered with terrorism and lacrima due to conflict between Goverment and those who are against it. But, after peace talk has started off, the boot is on the other foot. Tunceli starts to be remembered with its unique habitat and those who love pure nature become to get there.

   It is not a well-developed city because of what happened in the past but its nature alone is a good reason to pay a visit to there. Before starting where to go there, i would like to give useful info to plan your visit. That is places to visit in Tunceli fall apart each one and be adviced to get there by your own car or rent a car there.

   Here are the places you can visit in Tunceli:


1. Munzur Valley National Park

   It is announced as National Park in 1971 and, is the largest and the most biodiverse park in Turkey. The park has been well protected. Munzur River passes though the park and gives a unique habitat.

   Munzur river flows though Munzur Mountain and that gives the river a high speed flow. This high speed flow enables tourists to do rafting, but be adviced that before deciding where to do rafting, you have a close look at the route you may go though due to big stones which may cause problem.

2. Cemevi

   It is near to the city center. It is a faith house of Turkish Alevi. If you are lucky, you may give a try to Lokma (dessert) because, the dessert is given due to Alevi belief in particular days of year.

Inside of Cemevi

View From Cemevi

3. Tunceli Bazaar

    Bazaar is under the town hall in city center. There are many enterances and lots of goods ranging from jewellery to clothes with competitive price.Those. who want to buy local products.can`t find what they look for in there and can go to another bazaar in Ataturk street which is 5 min. away by car. But, the bazaar in Ataturk street is open on Sundays.

4. Kisla Square

The view from Kisla Square

   It is a square in the middle of the city. There is a sculpture which represents Seyit Riza, who was one of leaders of the city, in the square. If you walk down the square, there are restaurants by Munzur river.

Restaurants by the River

5.Pertek 

   It is one of the disticts in Tunceli. It is in the middle of the way from Tunceli to Elazig and is far away from the city center. There are two ways to get there. First is by your own car and second is by bus service going between Tunceli and Elazig. There are historical places in Pertek. These are Celebi Ali mosque and Pertek Castle. The mosque was constructed in 16 century and the castle was constructed in 1071. The castle`s surrounding area was flooded and has been seen as an island.

View of the Castle from ferryboat from Elazig to Pertek

 
Enjoy your visit to Tunceli.....

Malatya Travel Guide

      Malatya is a city with its long history in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The first settlement to the city has reached 7000 B.C. Besides its history, Malatya become popular with its domestic products, apricot, muffin, gunkurusu.

     Its location is in the middle of tourist attractions in the Eastern Anatolia and close to well-kown touristic places, such as: Cappadocia, Nemrut Mountain, in Turkey.  Even Malatya is not well-known by tourists, more and more tourists come over the city to have good time or to learn Roman history.

     Here are the places you can visit in Malatya:

1. Ataturk House

   Ataturk is the founder of Modern Turkey. When he was alive, he paid a visit to Malatya. The house he stayed in this visit is called as Ataturk House and has been used as a Museum. When you get inside of the house, you can have a look at the guns he used, books he read and historical documents with a place designed for the memory of Ataturk.



2. Beskonaklar Ethnography Museum

   It is a museum to show stuffs, clothes and furnitures locals used during the history of Malatya. The museum has been prepared inside of an ancient Malatya house which was renovated in 2009. Enterance to the museum is free. Its location is near to Ataturk House.

A photo, inside of the house, shows tradational clothes on mannequins, furnitures and room

3. Malatya Museum

   A variety finds of different period (Neolithic, Calcolithic, Bronze) of the world can be found in the museum. All the finds were discovered in historical sites of Malatya. The finds include sculptures, knives, swords and many more. Enterance is free.

A photo taken inside of the museum

4. Kernek Waterfall Park

   This is a park on the side of a hill with lots of water features. It is a man-made waterfall running through a concrete canal and getting stronger at each upper cascade. On the top of the waterfall, there is an observation point in which you can look down on Malatya or take a sit in the restaurant on the top.   

   Its location is next to Malatya Museum.

View From Observation Point

5.  Medeniyet Tree (Vilayet Park)

   This is a tree on which portraits of 10 important and influential persons of the city have been seen. These persons are Abdulvahap Gazi, Hasan Basri, Emir Ömer, Battalgazi, Danişment Gazi, Sadreddin Konevi, Mevlana, Niyazi Mısri, Ismet Inonu ve Turgut Özal.

   Its location is in Vilayet Park which is in rear of office of the governor.


 


6. Ismet Inonu Sculpture and Bazaar

 

   Ismet Inonu was a general and second President of Turkey. He was also granted as Milli Sef (National Chief). He is a very influential leader in Turkish history, because, he served as a general in Turkish War of Independence and led Turkey to becoming one of the Modern countries in the world as a president. His sculpture was constructed in 1947 in front of office of the governor.

   Ismet Inonu sculpture and Bazaar are near to each one and  close to Medeniyet Tree.



    Ismet Inonu Bazaar is under the sculture and its enterances are around it. It is not a well-known place but lots of goods ranging from electronic items to clothes can be found in bazaar at competitive price.

7. Yeni Mosque (Haci Yusuf Tas Mosque)

   It is next to the sculpture. Its construction reaches to 19 century. But, due to earthquakes, it had been severely damaged, then, have renovated in 1913.

 8. Misir Bazaar


   It is a histocial bazaar in Malatya. Only domestic food products can be found in the bazaar. Its location is next to the mosque and in the bazaar, there is a turkish bath (Hamam).


  Near to bazaar, there is a street, called as umbrella street. It is nice to walk though the street.





9. Malatya Park

   It is a shopping center which is 15 min. away from the city center on foot. To get there, there is a minibus (one of the turkish transportation type, like bus) and visitors can find it in the city center. Coming back to shopping center, there are stores of many brands and various types of restaurant at the top floor.

   The best part of the visit to the shopping center is ice rink. On the weekends, there may be a long queue. If you don`t know how to skate on the ice, there are professionals ready to teach it over there.

10 Historical Sites

   There are many historical sites in Malatya. These are Arslantepe, Battalgazi, caravanserais and Nemrut Mountain. All of them are far away from the city center. Travel guide to Nemrut Mountain will be available in this blog soon....

Malatya`s Domestic Product Sculpture (Apricot) in City Center

Enjoy your visit to Malatya.....