Justine Tyerman takes a 'virtual' hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia.

Herald editorial cartoonist Rod Emmerson travels the Greek Isles and Turkish coast on a seven-night cruise aboard the luxurious Azamara Journey.

A surf boat crew will stage a symbolic row down Auckland's North Shore tomorrow, as they prepare for a commemorative international race in Turkey next year.

The Syrian conflict encroached threateningly on Nato's eastern frontiers yesterday when Turkey shot down an Assad regime fighter jet it said had crossed into its territory.

Justine Tyerman meets some magicians in Turkey...

Built as a sanctuary to honour Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine and healing whose trademark snake and staff are the well-known international symbols of modern medicine today, the Asklepion's magnificent ruins are near the present-day Turkish city of Bergama.

Peace descends on a boisterous busload after a trip to an ancient healing centre in Turkey, writes Justine Tyerman.

Horst Heinz Grimm explores a watery underground cathedral in Istanbul.

A wave of luxury hotels is transforming this dramatic stretch of Aegean coast. Chris Leadbeater takes in the view from his veranda at Amanruya.

The average Turkish bartender's concept of a G&T is - take one beer glass. Fill with cheap Serbian gin. Add slice of lemon. Cut with finger of tonic - unless it's already overflowing the beer glass.

Ewan McDonald went on a family holiday. The riot police came along too.

Fiction becomes fact in Istanbul - a worldwide bestseller is turned into one of the world’s strangest literary museums.

The demonstrations in Brazil began after a small rise in bus fares triggered mass protests.

More than half a million people fled Syria's civil war last year, and the UN says that number could double by the end of 2013.

By vilifying young protesters as extremists, looters and terrorists and seeking to crush their challenge to his 10-year rule, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is gambling with his political future and his country's relations with Europe.

With her red cotton dress, white shoulder bag and flowing black hair, she has become the colour-coded emblem of Turkey's new people-power movement.

Brash and stubborn, Turkey's leader doesn't shrink from a scrap. His voice booms when he gets on a podium and his folksy zingers enthral supporters as much as they repulse opponents. That trademark combativeness, though, is fuelling protests against his G

Editorial: For 90 years, the modern secular state forged by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire has, by and large, served Turkey well.

Taksim Square in the heart of Istanbul became the scene of an angry, frenetic carnival.

Ewan McDonald writes from Istanbul, where tourists sought pleasure while the locals openly defied their leaders.

Liz Light enjoys life in the slow lane on a Turkish island.

Television weatherman Tamati Coffey's round the world trip took an unexpected bad turn when he was tear-gassed during a violent street riot in Turkey.

Ewan McDonald rambles on about a group of Aucklanders taking a walking holiday with a few differences.