Turkish Culture

Turkey is where Orient meets Occident, a crossroads for ideas, beliefs and cultures. This is expressed in the country's art, literature, music and architecture, from the ancient Hittite civilization through Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk influences to the mighty Ottoman empire. The faces of its people reflect its diversity; modern day Turkey is a cultural amalgam wrought by history and its unique position between two cultures.

Turkish museums are full of delicate coloured tiles, graceful glass vases, carved wooden mosque doors, glittering illuminated Korans, intricate jewellery and sumptuous costumes.

Ottoman literature and court music were mostly religious, and both sound pompous and lugubrious to Western ears.

Atatürk changed Turkey's cultural picture overnight, encouraging representative painting, sculpture, literature, Western music (he loved opera), dance and drama. Recently, Ottoman arts such as paper marbling and shadow-puppet plays have been enjoying a resurgence. Carpet-weaving is still a Turkish passion.

Bring your belly to Turkey - it will thank you. Shish kebab (skewer-grilled lamb) is a Turkish invention and you'll find kebapçis everywhere. Lamb and fish (which can be expensive) dishes are the restaurant staples. If you're scrimping, the best cheap and tasty meal is Turkish pizza (pide). Aubergine is the number one vegetable: look out for imam bayildi ('the priest fainted'), a delicious stuffed aubergine dish. Desserts are sweet For a milk based dessert try sutlaç;Turkish rice pudding baked in the oven. Vegetarians are very much catered for, you'll never starve - making an entire meal from magnificent meze (hors d'oeuvres) is easy. The national drink is çay (tea).

Folk music was (and still is) sprightly. Türkü music, of which you'll hear lots on the radio, is traditional folk music with a modern urban slant. The 1,000-year-old tradition of Turkish troubadours has been wiped out by TV and cassettes, but the songs of the great troubadours are still popular and often performed and recorded.The new modern music is played everywhere and you will often go home humming a tune you’ve heard throughout your holiday.

Other Turkish customs are generally to do with little politenesses - even Turks complain how one can't even get out the door without five minutes of formulaic civilities –attempts to join in with these pleasantries are always respected and are always enjoyable!