Active Holidays in Turkey: Istanbul, Trabzon & Uzungol

About the destination: Istanbul's historical significance and its incredible cultural and architectural legacy can be attributed to its ideal strategic location, spanning the Bosphorus straits that divide Europe and Asia Minor. Throughout most of its 2,500-year history, the city (initially known as Byzantium, then Constantinople, and since 1930, Istanbul) has been a cultural melting pot. Today, its population of over 13 million is predominantly Turkish, with many of its residents being recent migrants from rural Turkey, drawn by the prospect of employment and career opportunities in this dynamic, rapidly expanding city. Although Istanbul is no longer the capital of the country, it remains Turkey's economic and cultural hub - a status emphasized by its designation as a European City of Culture in 2010 and the UNESCO World Heritage recognition of many of its key landmarks. These range from breathtaking Ottoman mosques and Byzantine churches and catacombs, to the pillars of Hellenistic temples and the remnants of enormous medieval city walls. However, Istanbul offers more than just Byzantine and Ottoman heritage. A rapidly growing economy has led to a thriving arts and music scene, with an abundance of new bars, clubs, private art galleries, restaurants, and designer fashion stores.

About the destination: Trabzon is a city located on the Black Sea coast in northeastern Turkey and serves as the capital of Trabzon Province. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Semerciler Mosque (Semerciler Camii). - Bazaar Mosque (Çarşı Camii). - Gulbahar Hatun Mosque & Tomb (Gülbahar Hatun Camii). - Tabakhane Mosque (Tabakhane Camii). - Marketgate Mosque (Pazarkapı Cami). - Hacı Kasım Muhittin Mosque.

About the destination: Uzungöl (Long Lake), or in the local Romeyka language: Şeraho, is a lake situated to the south of the city of Trabzon, in the Çaykara district of Trabzon Province, Turkey. Uzungöl is also the name of the village on the lake's coast. Over the years, the picturesque lake, its village and the surrounding valley have become popular tourist attractions. The lake is at a distance of 99 km from Trabzon's city center, and 19 km from Çaykara's district center. It was formed by a landslide, which transformed the stream bed into a natural dam, in the valley of the Haldizen Stream.