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The Turkish Bath

One of your most relaxing experiences in Turkey will be a traditional Turkish bath or "Hamam". It has always been a central part of the culture for men and women to take "hamam", but separately and at different hours.

When you go, you will recline on heated marble in the steam room. The natural light of day is filtered through tiny windows in the ceiling, relaxing you until you are ready for your massage. An olive oil soap massage will release tense muscles and buff your skin. Warm and cold rinses of fresh water invigorate your circulation. These are followed by a glass of fragrant, sweet tea and a rose-oil massage. - Ahhh! The whole process takes about an hour and you will emerge from the Hamam feeling like a new person!

Carpets and Kilims

A Turkish carpet or a kilim can be a treasured souvenir of your trip to Turkey. The double-knot method is the tradition in this country and ensures the quality and longevity of all hand-made carpets. As with many purchases in Turkey, you will be expected to bargain. It is easy to educate yourself on the things to look for in an authentic carpet. They are widely varied in style from region to region and from tribe to tribe. Most carpet sellers have a wide selection.

There is a difference between a carpet and a kilim. Although both are handmade, a kilim is flat woven rather than knotted and relatively smaller and much more likely to be used in a variety of functions in the home. Be sure to take measurements of your rooms before leaving on your trip!

Turkish Cuisine

Fully justifying its reputation, Turkish Cuisine is always a pleasant surprise for the visitor. In addition to being the refined product of centuries of experience, Turkish Cuisine has a very pure quality. The variety and simplicity of the recipes and the quality of the ingredients are guarantees of delicious meals. Most regular meals are very healthy, suitable for low-fat and heart-smart diets.

Lamb is the basic meat of Turkish kitchen and is often grilled and served as "sis kebab" and "doner kebab". These dishes are well-known in other parts of the world. Roasted vegetables are used in a wide variety of dishes and can be cooked with onions, garlic and tomatoes.

A delicious Turkish specialty is "pilav", a rice dish with a complex mixture of flavors. "Borek" are pies of flaky pastry stuffed with meat or cheese. Turkish natural yoghurt is justifiably renowned. "Dolma" is a name applied to stuffed vegetables such as grape leaves, cabbage leaves, and green peppers.

Turkish desserts are famous throughout the world and many of these have milk as the basic ingredient, The best-known are "baklava" pastries and "Turkish delight".