Stand almost anywhere in Turkey and you're knee deep in history. Here is the ancient Troy of Homer, the Halicarnassus of Herodotus, and the WWI battlegrounds of Gallipoli. But Turkey is also medical conferences in Istanbul, thumping discos in Bodrum, and the Azerbaijan-Ceyhan pipeline, due for completion in 2005.

Thousands walk through the Topkapi Palace of the Ottoman sultans in Istanbul each year and visit the inspiring Hagia Sofia or the Blue Mosque. Others travel by train, bus, or car to the great ancient cities of Ilium (Troy), Ionia (Ephesus), and Hieropolis (Pamukkale) or discover some of the many premiere archeological sites of Anatolia.

Turkey's other resources of natural beauty and extraordinary hospitality are luring an increasing number of tourists to the beautiful beaches, quality services, and not-yet expensive accommodations of Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean resorts. Yachting, snorkeling, scuba diving, river rafting, and water skiing are popular.

Despite full service resorts, you're still in the land of belly-dancing and whirling dervishes, and missing the mysteries of bargaining in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul or watching camel wrestling near Izmir shouldn't be allowed.