Beyond Istanbul, a Turkey tour introduces you to rich monuments, ancient ruins and must-do activities. There are natural wonders like Pamukkale and Cappadocia, where staying in a cave hotel is a special experience not to be missed, and hot air ballooning is a popular pursuit. At the ancient Roman city of Ephesus, amazing villa houses are continually restored; roaming the city's ancient and tiled avenues with a knowledgeable guide is a highlight. The resorts and beaches in Bodrum are world renowned. The waters of the Turquoise Coast beckon, perhaps best explored onboard a gulet cruise.

A Turkish meal will often start with a mezze plate, an array of appetizers, Turkish mezze may include herbed yogurt, hummus, dolmas (rice-stuffed grape leaves), kofte (meatballs), eggplant salad, cheese and more. Manti are the wonderful Turkish ravioli: handmade dumplings filled with ground beef or lamb, and topped with a yogurt sauce. >Etli Ekmek is a long boat-shaped bread with cheese, meat and other toppings -- a cross between pizza and calzone. Gözleme might be Turkey's version of quesadillas, a flatbread with toppings, folded over and grilled. Hünkar Beğendi are lamb cubes served on top of chopped eggplant, with melted kaşar cheese. Karniyarik is a big, warm eggplant stuffed with ground meat, onion, black pepper, tomatoes and parsley. Balık ekmek is a sandwich containing grilled fish, onions, and salad. Simit, which looks like an oversize onion ring, is a circular bread snack seen all over. You'll undoubtedly enjoy some Turkish Delight and baklava, too. Then, foodies, when you get back home, you'll want to get a Turkish cookbook!

Turkey Unveiled: A History of Modern Turkey and Sons of the Conquerors: The Rise of the Turkic World (H. Pope), The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey (K. Revolinski), The Winter Thief, The Abyssinian Proof and The Sultan’s Seal (J. White), My Name is Red, The New Life and Snow (O. Pamuk), Six for Gold (M. Reed & E. Mayer), Murder on the Orient Express (A. Christie).