Turkey trip

Turkey Trip: Best Itinerary, Tips and Tricks

Turkey Trip

Istanbul is one of the most visited countries in the world, and there is a reason for it. In a Turkey trip you get to visit one of the biggest mosques in the world, a unique culture with thousands of years of history and very hospitable people.

Check out our itinerary, our tips and get the best of your trip to Turkey. With this posts you will learn where to go, where not to go, what are the best restaurants and hotels. Plus you will learn about the Turkish culture in order to understand better their cultures and history.

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Why a Turkey trip

Turkey has become a great nation, were can travel expecting to feel secure. The history of Istanbul and of all of Turkey is one of the most interesting in the world. Due to the location of Turkey between Asia and Europe, it has been the bedrock of many civilizations, the Ottomans, the Romans, the Greeks, etc.

Even religiously, it is located near the Mesopotamia, the most important region religiously. Therefore, it has great Mosques like the Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, etc. Also great churches like the ones that can be found in Cappadocia, which are made in caves, in the very beginning of Cristianity when they were attacked by the Romans.

Even natural landscapes, it is not the greenest country, but it has unique landscapes, like the salt lakes which are one of the biggest in the world, the rock formations in Cappadocia. Plus Turkey has access to the several seas, the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara, and the Black Sea in the north.

Also the cuisine is very good and unique. We recommend trying the Raki, a special liquor, and going to the Grand Bazaar to buy Turkish delights, these are also a great souvenir that will last you for months.

All in all it is a great country to visit with family, friends or as a couple. There a million things to do and uncountable things to learn. We thoroughly enjoyed our Turkey trip, and will definitely visit it again in the future.

If you need more information, visit the official web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.

Must do activities in Turkey

Turkey has a lot to offer but there are certain activities are a must do in my opinion. These are the following:

  • Exploring the historical sites: Turkey has a great history, this might no be for everyone, but I love being able to have a sneak peak at the past by visiting historic sites. In Turkey there are a lot of ancient very important areas, great examples are: the city of Ephesus, the ruins of Troy or the Hierapolis Pamukkale complex. 
  • Experience a Hamam (Turkish bath): Check out of the local Hamams, these are historic bath or spas that offer a unique massage with scrubbing included. Take a look at our post of why a Hamam is a must do in Turkey and what it entails. Also what are the differences for men and women.

What is a Hammam and why should you go

  • Cappadocia’s underground cities: Cappadocia has massive underground cities which can be visited, these are not the best option if you are claustrophobic, but otherwise these are incredible.
  •  Experience Turkish Culture: Go to a traditional dance, there are restaurants and events where there will be dancers (Turkish folk dance) Halay or Horon.
  • Pamukkale pools: Go to the Pamukkale pools, try to avoid the most touristic season as it gets pretty hectic. These are jaw-dropping. Even if you don’t want to get in the pool, just for the beauty of the site it is a must go place.
  •  Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia: At sunrise and sunset in Cappadocia there are a lot of hot air balloons that go up. Take a ride on them, the view from the balloon is espectacular, but we weary of the wind as now they cancel balloons if its too windy because of security reasons, reimbursing the clients of course.
  • Visit the Topkopi Palace: This palace is located in Istanbul and used to be the residence of the Ottoman sultans. Nowadays is a collective of museums, in these there are historic pieces like the sandals and other items of Prophet Muhammad, the biggest diamond in the world, and other incredible items.
  • Visit the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar in Istanbul: It is a unique experience to shop this these bazaars, they are very clean and organized. Also you can buy there the souvenirs for your family and friends. We recommend buying Raki, the Turkish famous liquor and Turkish delights which are great as a souvenir because they seal them to last months.
Basically a Turkey trip is a blender of culture, history, nature, a unique cuisine.

How to plan a Turkey trip?

Planning a trip is always a difficult task when you are going to a new country, and usually you don’t know what are the best sites to visit, what is worth visiting and what isn’t. A Turkey trip is no different. Check out our itinerary as it can be a great reference to make your own, or copy our itinerary completely.

Where to spend your days:

  1. Istanbul: Spend at least three or four days in Istanbul. The city is massive with more than 15 million people. Plus there is the European site and the Asian site, and both must be visited. Also the European site is divided between the old part and the new part by the river so there is a lot to do in Istanbul. For more detail information check out our itinerary.
  2. Ankara: spend one day in Ankara on your way to Cappadocia. Ankara is the capital of Turkey, is much smaller compared to Istanbul but is still a very large city with more than 5 million people living there. The most important thing to visit in Ankara is the Atatürk Mausoleum. It is of great importance in the independence of Turkey, you will see his face on every corner-store. 
  3. Cappadocia: Spend two days in Cappadocia. Two days are enough to see the open air museums, the great churches in the caves and take the hot air balloon ride or at least wake up early to see the balloons rise as it is truly a spectacle.
  4. İzmir: One or two days in İzmir. Near this city there is Ephesus, which are very well preserved ruins from the Romans and Greeks. Here lives Pluto and Aristotil. We recommend taking an extra day to visit İzmir and going for a swim in the Aegean sea.

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