One of the largest NATO air bases is located in Incirlik Turkey. The Incirlik Air base has been a feature in Turkey for many years, and is one of the locations that you can fly to using the Space Available mode of military and military dependent transportation. Adana is a large city located about twelve kilometers to the west.
The Turkish city of Ankara is a mix of both the old and the new. It was named the capital of Turkey in 1923, and is not too far away from your entry point of Turkey in Incirlik. It was originally known as Angora, as in the famous sweaters by the same name. It is the production of goat’s wool that is renowned for its softness and durability that much of the Ankara region is know for. Part of the city of Ankara is very old, and built up around the citadel that is where the original settlement was started.
Another portion of Ankara is modern, westernized governmental capital, with parks, museums and large buildings just like you would find in any metropolitan area. While Ankara does have some worthwhile sites, such as a very fine historical museum, it can likely be seen and taken in inside a day, or two at the most.
The Hittite’s Empire was known for many advances in its day. The Hittites were the first to construct many different types of buildings, such as royal residences, temples, and fortifications bearing a certain type of construction. The archaeological digs at Hattusha are very interesting to visit, Hattusha was the capital of the former Hittite Empire, and the buildings and ruins, which still stand today, are quite remarkable.
You can travel to nearby Adana, which is fifth largest of all the cities located in Turkey. There are a great number of open-air cafes to browse, and the marketplace is as wide and diverse as you would expect in any Middle Eastern city. The natives welcome tourists, and are known to be friendly and most speak English or at least understand it.
The Incirlik Air Base has around five thousand American military personnel stationed at Incirlik, and several hundred Turkish and British Military personnel join them. The main United States Air Force Unit based in Turkey is located at Incirlik Air Base. Because of the fairly large contingent of American Airmen and Soldiers that visit Incirlik and also the surrounding villages, for the most part the reception toward Americans is warm and friendly.
