Many people would raise eyebrows if a vacation off to Turkey is mentioned. But, to those that are into adventure vacation, a trip to Turkey, especially in Gaziantep spells as a fun-filled ADVENTURE! This is because the place, the Gaziantep province, can be found at the southeast part of the country—which most tourist have not stepped foot onto.
If you are planning to go on an adventure vacation in Turkey, Gaziantep is an ideal place because it boasts off a commercialized city wherein you can find the things that you are used to. However, despite its commercialization, you can still feel its rich culture that has been existent for the past 4,000 years. Originally known as 'Ayintap,' Gaziantep was a very important settlement area during the times and empires of the Roman, Ottoman Hittite, Persian, Babylonian, and Byzantine.
Standing at the crossroads of Southeastern Anatolia, Asia, Europe, and Mediterranean, Gaziantep is indeed a very interesting place to visit because it bears woven influences of many civilizations near the borders.
What is truly interesting about Gaziantep is the old city center where traditional house made of stone and have distinctive architectural features are still existent up to this time. This is also the place where you can find the great 6th-century Gaziantep Fortress as well as the Ravanda citadel surrounded with tiny palaces, mosques, watchtowers, a bath house and the Mehmet Gazali Tomb.
For those who are into archeology, it is nice to visit the Archaeological Museum where you can find a unique and rare collection of the province's Hittite and Neolithic empires. Roman relics that are considered the finest in the whole of Turkey can also be found in Gaziantep. For more thrilling adventures, you can arrange day trips to Mount Nemrut where you can see a historic monolithic sculpture.
What to consider
If you conduct a simple research on the Gaziantep province, you will find out more interesting activities and places to visit. But, before you finally decide to choose the place as a destination for an adventure vacation, assess yourself first:
- are you prepared to witness a totally different culture from what you are used to? This is very important to consider because if you are prone to "culture shock" then, you would not enjoy the vacation. To prepare yourself for other cultures, make sure that you conduct a research first to have a general knowledge on the place.
This research should include the basic pieces of information a tourist should know about the place including means of getting there, places that offer accommodation and lodging, paper requirements, lifestyle of the people living in there, food available for you and what are your options, as well as the clothes that you should wear. (Remember, Turkey is a Muslim country so people are stricter when it comes to dress code especially to women.)
- how much is your budget? This should also be settled before you finalize your adventure trip. To know how much you will be spending in going and staying in Gaziantep, inquire from travel agencies that handle and arrange visits to the place. If the cost would fit your budget well, then it is better to have the travel agency arrange everything for you.
But if it costs too much and you would still want to push though, start your research by visiting sites in the Internet that offer information on Gaziantep. Although it would cost some of your time, it would cost you lesser amount of money.
