Eastern Mediterranean Europe Voyage Tips and guide

Eastern Mediterranean Europe, the eastern half of the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, consists of three countries and one disputed territory. With the most hours of sun in Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean is a haven for beach-goers, party-people and cultural enthusiasts alike, and is known for its rich and tasty cuisine.

Map of Eastern Mediterranean Europe

• Akrotiri and Dhekelia – British Overseas Territory hosting two military bases. Very little to see, and has open border access with the Republic of Cyprus.

• 37.98416723.7280561 Athens — the capital of Greece, known for the Parthenon
• 39.9357632.838692 Ankara — the capital of Turkey and its second largest city
• 41.0128.9602783 Istanbul — the heart of both the Ottoman and Byzantine empires, this bi-continental city is a bridge between east and west and Europe's largest
• 35.172533.3654 Nicosia – a divided city on the island of Cyprus
• 36.43333328.2166675 Rhodes — impressive medieval structures, nightlife and beaches
• 40.64027822.9355566 Thessaloniki — the main city in the central Macedonia region

• 37.667532.8283331 Çatalhöyük — a Stone Age (7500–5700 BCE) settlement of great importance to archaeologists studying the transition from nomadic tribes to settlement and civilization
• 39.619.872 Corfu — large island with many attractions
• 35.30972224.8933333 Crete — the number one tourist destination of Greece
• 37.93972227.3486114 Ephesus — the well-preserved ruins of a Graeco-Roman city on the west coast of Turkey
• 34.81666733.2833335 Lefkara – the Lace village, in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains, a charming little town with lots of character, in the heart of Cyprus
• 36.5667429.144676 Ölüdeniz — the incomparable postcard beauty of the "Blue Lagoon", perhaps the most iconic beach of Turkey
• 37.63833321.637 Olympia — sanctuary dedicated to Zeus, site of the ancient Olympics

Eastern Mediterranean Europe is home to the Ancient Greece, one of the oldest urban civilisations in history. It is the origin of much of the arts, language, philosophy, politics and sports of the Western society. The area was also ruled by numerous empires, including the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Modern humans reached Europe from Africa through the Middle East roughly 40,000 years ago, and displaced the Neanderthals, which died out around 30,000 years ago. Among ancient civilisations present in the region were Phoenicia and ancient Greece.

Originally a city-state, Rome rose as a great power in the 2nd century BC, as they annexed Greece and other contemporary civilisations. However, in 395 AD, Theodosius I effectively divided the empire into two halves: the Eastern Empire based in Constantinople, and the Western Empire based in Rome. Shortly thereafter, the Western Empire fell to Germanic invaders of the 4th and 5th centuries, leading to its fall in 476 AD.

But the Eastern Empire, known to posterity as the Byzantine Empire, endured and recovered. Starting in the 7th century, the Byzantine Empire engaged in a long struggle against the expansion of Islam and sometimes even fought against other Europeans. The remnants of the empire soldiered on and called itself "Roman" until 29 May 1453, when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks after a 53-day siege and the last emperor was killed in action, last seen fighting the attackers after he had removed all rank insignia to die as a Roman.

Greek and Turkish are the primary languages of the region. English is moderately common in tourist areas but comprehension varies elsewhere.

The largest hubs for flights in the region are Istanbul for Turkey, and Athens from Greece. Istanbul has good connections from virtually any point in Europe, and is served by numerous flights from North America, the Middle East and East Asia, with Turkish Airlines having a slowly but steadily growing network.

Ferries are available between Greece or Cyprus to Israel, Lebanon and Turkey. Cruises also exist for longer excursions.

Greece and Turkey can be reached overland via Albania, Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Border crossings exist between Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking territories.

Flights are the primary mode of transport between Greece and Turkey, with both Istanbul and Athens having ample connections to various destinations in both countries. International flights that don't pass through either one of those two airports is less common, but still an option.

Flying between Greece or Turkey and the island of Cyprus gets complex. There are no flights from Greece (or anywhere else outside Turkey) to Northern Cyprus. Conversely, there are no flights between Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus. Entering the Republic of Cyprus via the foot crossing from Northern Cyprus from Turkey is considered illegal (though tourists are less targeted).

All international train connections in and out of Greece have been indefinitely suspended, with reopening only being a long-term plan. Turkey has an international night train to Bulgaria, but from Bulgaria you'll need to find some other means of transport to get to Greece.

Cookery provides obvious evidence of the extent of Middle Eastern influence in the region. Turkish doner kebab and Greek gyros are basically the same dish. These are also seen in Central Asia, the Middle East and even China. Many Greek dishes are closer to Iranian cooking than to Italian and a traveller going Istanbul to New Delhi overland will find very similar dishes — notably flat breads and kebabs — all along that route.

• Levant
• Egypt