Sailing and Boat Trips

Turkey has four bordering seas; the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea, so it not surprising that cruising is a popular sport. There are many cruising charters available. Gulets are traditional motor yachts and gulet holidays are becoming increasingly popular. Best Gulets are build in Marmaris and Bodrum.
 

Scuba Diving

Mediterranean and Aegean coasts are the best places to dive. It is also possible to dive to shipwrecks from World War I (with special permission of local authorities) in Gallipoli, Canakkale. Detailed information can be obtained from any Turkish Tourist Information Office or from Mr. Burak Sansal.
 

Rafting

Turkey's rivers provide perfect conditions for canoeing and rafting, for both beginners and experienced. Some of the best rivers for rafting are: Çoruh, Barhal, Berta, Firtina, Çolak, Köprüçay, Manavgat, Dragon, Göksu (Silifke), Zamanti, Göksu (Feke), Kizilirmak and Dalaman çayi.
 

Windsurfing

The bays around Çesme, Alaçati, Bodrum and Datça peninsulas as well as Antalya have ideal wind conditions for windsurfing.
 

Fishing

Fishing can be done without a license as long as you're an amateur. Details concerning fishing zones, the minimum sizes of fish that can be caught, and the numbers of fish that can be caught per person, can be obtained from the Department of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Especially Aegean and Mediterranean seas are rich fishing areas.
 

Flying

Plane gliding, hang gliding, parachuting, paragliding and single engine flights are catered for as well as services that provide instruction courses. Best areas are Fethiye, Eskisehir, Pamukkale and Istanbul.
 

Ballooning

Balloon rides can be taken daily over Cappadocia near Nevsehir.
 

Caving

The most beautiful and interesting caves are located in the Toros regions, southeast, northwest Anatolia and Thrace.
 

Hunting

Hunting can only be done in parties organized by official Turkish travel agencies which have been authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
 

Football

Football (Soccer) is Turkey's national sport and is played everywhere. Some of the well known teams are: Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor.
 

Skiing

Winter sports resorts in Turkey are generally located in forested mountains. The following ski centers are easily accessible by road or by Turkish Airlines domestic flights: Bursa ­ Uludag; Antalya ­ Saklikent; Bolu ­ Kartalkaya; Erzurum ­ Palanöken; Kars ­ Sarikamis; Kayseri ­ Erciyes; Ankara ­ Elmadag; Ilgaz Dagi; Zigana ­ Gümüshane. For more information on Skiing please Click Here.
 

Mountaineering

Special permission is needed to climb the Büyük Agri (Ararat) and Cilo­Sat ranges. It is generally advisable to inform the Turkish Mountaineering Club of the region and time of the intended climb. The Club will then inform the relevant authorities.
 

Trekking/Backpacking

Trekking or Backpacking mainly takes the form of hill walking; which is a pity, because the country is made for backpacking. High plains walking is done on the Taurus Mountains, Tekir and Bürücek. The Black Sea region's plateaus are some of the most spectacular places in that region.
 

Horseback riding

Cappadocia is named as the country of horses. You can also try around Daday, Araç, Efiani, Safranbolu, Ulus, Devrek (near Kastamonu and Bartin), Marmaris, Kemer, Çesme, and Karacabey. There are riding clubs in the big cities such as Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir.
 

Bird-watching

Turkey, the meeting point of three continents, forms a natural bridge between the bird breeding areas in the north and the bird's winter quarters in the south. The area between Izmir and Çesmealti was declared a natural heritage region in 1985, because of its importance as a vital stop for migratory birds. May is the best month for birding. Other important areas include: Büyük Menderes Delta around Aydin, Lake Seyfe (near Kirsehir), Sultan Marshes (near Kayseri), Manyas Lake (near Bursa) and Göksu Delta (near Silifke).
 

Wrestling/Oil Wrestling

Wrestling is another national sport in Turkey. The country has many European and World champions. But the most interesting type of wrestling is Oil Wrestling in Kirkpinar, near Edirne. That sport is very traditional as it is practiced since the Ottoman Empire and have a history of more than 400 years. For more information on Oil Wrestling please Click Here.