Middle East

While 97 percent of Turkey’s large landmass lies in Asia, three percent of it is located on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe, separated from the rest of the country by the Bosphorous, Sea of Marmara, and by the Dardanelles.

As a young girl with big travel dreams, I saw pictures of the Grand Bazaar and the Blue Mosque, never thinking I would one day make it to this far-off land.

Istanbul is a fabulous city, but there comes a point when it’s time to escape the metropolis, if only for a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of Turkey’s largest city.

Walking through these ancient ruins, it’s difficult not to feel dwarfed by the sheer scale of history.

Beneath the lively streets of one of the world’s most storied cities, there’s a vast chamber that’s lingered in near-darkness for over 1,500 years.

Most people walk into this stunning museum expecting a satellite branch of the Paris original. What they find instead is something far more interesting.

For a country the size of New Jersey, Israel is startlingly diverse.

Few places on Earth have been as fiercely contested or as deeply revered as this ancient city.

Over the last two decades, Oman has emerged as one of the most desirable destinations in the Middle East.

A contrasting mix of jaw-dropping landscapes, ancient ruins, and seaside escapes, Jordan will steal your heart from the second you set foot in this breathtaking nation.

Whether it’s stunning beaches and bays that you are after or ancient historical sites and marvelous mosques, Turkey’s cities will never disappoint.

Now the largest city in Europe, bustling Istanbul straddles the banks of the Bosphorus and has long been billed as the place where East meets West.

Turquoise waters, whitewashed buildings, and sun-soaked beaches give this coastal city an unmistakable Mediterranean feel.

Turkey is an ancient patchwork of cultures, peoples and landscapes.

You know those places you see in travel brochures and think, “Nah, that can’t be real”? Well, Cappadocia is one of them.