Turkey happens to be a large country and expectedly there is a lot to see. The country is rich in culture, art and religious history. In this guide, I will show you the ropes of planning and getting your dream vacation in Turkey. There are plenty of cities to visit in Turkey like Fethiye, Kusadasi and Istanbul, the capital of Turkey; perhaps, too many cities. However, Istanbul seems to be one of the more popular cities for tourists.

Religion

Turkey is a country that is blessed with many religions such as Islam, Christianity and Sufism. Consequently, there are several tourist spots with historic religious significance. Istanbul has preserved the remnants of its past in Byzantine & Ottoman Relics. You can spend an entire day looking at these relics and revisiting the glorious history. Islam was the dominant religion in the past (it still is) and museums dedicated to Islamic culture and religion are peppered throughout the city. If you practice Islam, you might want to visit one of the popular mosques in the city such as Suleymaniye Mosque and Blue Mosque. Sufism is a mystical religion that deviates from the mainstream Islam and it will be quite interesting to explore its origins and tenets. If you want to learn more about the religion in Turkey, you can visit Hagia Sophia and Kariye museums.

History

In the city of Kusadasi, you will find the grand Roman cities excavated and dug out of the past. Ephesus and Pammukkale are two wonderful and enchanting places in the city. The Turkish baths is an interesting attraction of Kusadasi that is not to be missed. Other points of attraction you may want to check out are Camlica Hill and Beylerbeyi Palace which are, again, examples of historical architecture.

Food

There are some very popular restaurants in Istanbul that you must have on your to-visit list. A few of them are Tria Elegance Restaurant, Metropolis Restaurant and Imbat Restaurant. If you are looking for traditional Ottoman cuisine, you can go for Pasazade Restaurant or Matbah Restaurant. For a good vegetarian meal Albura Kathisma is the ideal place. In the city of Kusadasi, Golden Boys and Erzincan are popular restaurants.

Hotels

There are plenty of hotels available in Istanbul for tourists depending on their needs. There are luxury hotels which are great for stay but tend to be on the pricier side. There are family hotels for families on vacation. And, there is also B&B (bed and breakfast) which people find more convenient even though it might be cheaper and more fulfilling to eat out at the cost of a little effort. Neorion Hotel is a great hotel in Istanbul that is high on luxury and yet relatively low on price. If you want value-for-money, you might want to check this hotel for vacancy and place a booking beforehand. In the city of Kusadasi, the hotels are relatively cheaper. Some of the better ones that come to mind are Istankoy Hotel and Liman Hotel.

This is, by no means, a complete or exhaustive guide to Turkey as it is a whole country with too many attractions and activities but, in this guide I have covered the most well-known and worthy tourist spots.

Leh is situated in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and is the capital of Ladakh district. This is the second largest district by area in India and is located at a high altitude of about 3524 meters above mean sea level. The NH 1D connects Leh with Srinagar and Leh-Manali Highway connects that with Manali.

Leh has been the paradise of tourists for ages. The blue mountain ranges, the spectacular view of the valleys and the snow covered peaks all add immense beauty to the surroundings. The place has been the stopover destination of the traders who pass the Indus valley to reach the Tibet and China. There are many such trade routes in all directions in Leh.

There is a ruined fort on the Namgyal Peak which is one of the royal residences. There are also many monasteries located here that are worth visiting. The Leh Palace was built by Sengge Namgyal and this has nine stories and the upper floors were used for the accommodation of the royal families and the lower floors have been used as store rooms and as stables. In the middle of the 19th century, the palace was abandoned.

Other places of interest in Leh that a traveler should not miss are Leh Trekking Trails, War Museum, Chamba Temple, Gurdwara Pathar Sahib, Jo Khang Gompa, Stok Palace, The Victory Tower, etc. Leh is visited by local tourists in winter season. The place is visited at that time for the snowfall. The foreign tourists visit the place in summer. So there is traffic of tourists all round the year at this place. In winter the climate drops below freezing point to as much as -14 degree Celsius and in summer it goes up to 25 degree Celsius. The region gets very less rainfall and so it could be rightly said as a cold desert region.

If you want to reach Leh by road then you have to go from Srinagar through Kargil or by Leh-Manali Highway. But the second option is troublesome because of the high passes and plateaus. There is an airport in Leh which is the highest airport in India called Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport. There are regular flights to Delhi operated by Jet Airways, Indian Airlines and Go Air.

Leh is the paradise of tourists and so there are many hotels in Leh that cater to the needs of the visitors. Most of them are located in areas around the tourist spots and trekking spots and so it is easier to access. The quiet surroundings give you a pleasant and peaceful stay. Many of the hotels in Leh have centrally heated rooms with individual thermostats. The restaurants in Leh offer Punjabi cuisine, Kashmiri cuisine, continental and North Indian cuisine. The traditional meals served in these restaurants are always welcomed by the guests. To find out the right Leh hotels and Leh restaurants refer the reliable Leh travel guide. Have a pleasant stay!