The culture of Turkey varies depending on the region and the ethnic background of its inhabitants. In the larger towns and cities of Turkey the culture is very similar to Europe in many ways. It is part of the culture of Turkey for both men and women to work and the clothes worn by people in these parts of Turkey reflect western culture closely. Turkish people living along the coastal towns who belong to the middle class look to Europe for their cultural ideals and a foreign visitor will easily feel at home here. Ataturk took great measures to modernize the culture of Turkey, changing laws, dress codes and the educational system all of which had a great bearing on the culture of Turkey.
Hospitality plays a great part in Turkish culture and traces its roots to the nomadic origins of Turkish people. In those days it was very important to be kind to strangers and offer them food and shelter because often their survival would depend on it. This aspect of Turkish culture is visible today across Turkey where it is not unusual for visitors to be offered food and beverages from shop owners in the bazaar, or even to be offered shelter for three nights in the homes of rural Turkish villagers.
