Turkey

Turkey offers a wealth of different kinds of attractions for travelers from historical and religious sites to modern museums, art galleries and daily sightseeing tours.

Istanbul rivals Rome, Paris, and Milan as a top city break destination, and the diversity of hotels, restaurants, as well as the cultural and entertainment scenes, prove why. Over two days, visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Archaeological Museum, Hippodrome, and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. Take a short walk to the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest marketplaces in the world, or head over to the Beyoglu district for shopping, arts, and a fantastic nightlife scene. Planning to visit Istanbul soon? Ask our travel experts for the best deals on flights and hotels in Istanbul (Click to start a chat in WhatsApp)

The lunar landscape of Cappadocia amazes visitors with its fairy chimneys, ancient underground cities, cave churches, and hotels. However, the top-recommended thing to do is an early morning hot air balloon ride. 

Also known as the hamam, the Turkish bath experience is a top tourist activity and still a monthly tradition for many Turks. This Ottoman tradition stems from the Roman Bathhouses and as well as socializing, the combination of sauna steaming and exfoliation provides the ideal opportunity to get squeaky clean and de-stress.

Sailing in Turkey is one of my favourite past-times and during summer; most backpackers end their trip with a Blue Cruise of the Turkish Riviera from Fethiye to Antalya. The amazingly low price cabin charters cost approximately 300 euros with food and accommodation included. Another option is to sail from the other central hubs of the Turkish Riviera; that are Bodrum or Marmaris.

Turks drink a lot of tea but don’t fall for the touristic version of apple tea because it is a gimmick. Instead, try the tulip-shaped glasses of sweet, black tea. Also, Ayran, a mixture of yogurt, water and salt is extremely refreshing during the summer, despite the weird blend of ingredients.

In most places along the west and south coasts, a weekend trend for Turks is to head to countryside establishments serving traditional village breakfasts among scenic landscapes. Organic and homegrown ingredients usually include eggs, Sigara Borek (cheese pastries), tomatoes and cucumbers, bread, jams, olives, meats, honey, and condiments.

By far, the most popular dessert and snack is baklava, layers of filo pastry, filled with nuts and covered with sticky syrup. Sold all over Turkey, locals say the best version is from Gaziantep. In Istanbul, many shops stemming from that region have become popular and are classed as the best places to buy baklava in Turkey.