Get to see the great continents of Asia and Europe in one fabulous journey through Turkey. The only country straddling the two continents, this superbly exciting nation offers delightful and peculiar attractions that would surely pique everyone’s interest. Istanbul, for instance, is not only the country’s largest city but is one that also sits on European and Asian soils. Thus, Istanbul is a city with transcontinental attractions seen nowhere else. In the European side, one can see the Hippodrome, the center of the old Roman and Byzantine Constantinople; the Hagia Sophia, an ancient basilica turned into a mosque, then a museum, with a large dome that was once biggest in the world; and the Blue Mosque with its minarets. Visit Ortaköy, an arty coastal neighborhood filled with nice cafes and a perfect view of the Bosphorus, and the Miniaturk, a miniature park where scaled down models of them ajor Turkish attractions were recreated, giving you all of Turkey in one place.

After taking all the sights in Istanbul, head off to Ankara where the life is a little less frenetic than Istanbul. Although also founded in ancient times, and centrally-located such that it is at the center of all railway and highway networks in the country, the capital nonetheless offers a more relaxed ambience, perhaps due to the well-planned urban development that the city underwent after it was chosen as the country’s capital. From Ankara, one is just a bus away from the Cappadocia region, a popular destination famous for its moon-like landscapes. The cities of Göreme, Uçhisar and Nevsehir in Cappadocia sit on soft rocks erupted from volcanoes millions of years ago, and weathering and erosion caused exceptional natural formations that attracts tourists in droves. Cappadocia has underground cities, temples and cave houses carved on the soft rocks, which were believed to be sanctuaries of early Christian converts fleeing from persecution. Going through these extraordinary natural and man-made wonders makes one feel like being in a fairytale, particularly if one opts to stay in one of the pricey cave-houses-turned-into-hotel facilities.

A fitting finale for your Turkey holiday is a visit to the Turkish Riviera. The country’s Turquoise Coast compares well with other beach destinations elsewhere in the Mediteranean, with sandy beaches, beautiful landscapes and lively nightlife. The resort city of Antalya is the hub in this region, as one gets to the smaller seaside cities like Kemer, Ölüdeniz and Fethiye from it. In Antalya, one can see ancient ruins and modern malls, monuments dating back from prehistoric times like the Hadrian’s Gate and Hidirlik Tower, and  beaches like Konyaalti and Lara. South of Antalya is the town of Demre (ancient town of Myra) which is where St. Nicholas of Myra - the original Santa Claus - lived. Demre also has Lycian rock tombs in the cliff sides and Roman ruins. For some adventure, venture into the town of Olimpos, where spartan accommodations in tree house style bungalows, isolated beach area that require traversing through ruins, and lively backpackers’ bars welcome visitors. In the neighboring village of Cirali you get to witness the eternal flame of Chimera on the hillside - just one more mystery in  your fairytale journey in Turkey.

Marice Willard is a travel writer who writes for Zencarhire.com - Zen car hire offer cheap car hire in 17,000 locations worldwide.  To search for a car hire in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Holland and Portugal please visit Zencarhire.com