Top 10 in Turkey
Our top 10 from our two week trip to Turkey:
1. The Breathtaking Landscapes
As we went from one city to the next during our two weeks in Turkey, we were blown away by the landscapes. Little wonder that the country is home to 16 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Most of these are spectacular examples of the efforts of men enhancing the breathtaking beauty of nature. Kapil and I have only had but a small taste of the stunning landscapes of Turkey.
Istanbul: This city has an Asian side and a European side separated by the Bosphorus Strait. The historic area of Istanbul is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ankara: Anit Kabir the impressive mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk sits atop Rasattepe (Observation Hill) a central location in Ankara that can be seen from all parts of the capital city.
Ephesus (a UNESCO World Heritage Site): In the ruins of this ancient city one can only imagine what used to be a bustling commercial hub for centuries slipping into decline when its lost access to the Aegean Sea. Standing amongst these ruins today, there is land as far as the eye can see. The harbour which was slowly silted up by the Küçük Menderes River is now 5kms away from where it originally was.
Pamukkale: The white tavertine terraces of the 'Cotton Castle' of Turkey present a superb visual treat and photo op, while its warm, rich mineral springs offer rejuvenation to hordes of visitors every year. Pamukkale and the nearby ruins of the ancient spa city of Heirapolis together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pamukkale: The glistening white tavertine terraces of Pamukkale are in sharp contrast to these green of these valleys just beside them and the blue of the skies above.
Cappadocia: These stunning moonscapes will have you wondering if you have somehow, unwittingly stumbled into an intergalactic adventure. Simply surreal!
The Goreme Open Air Museum in Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia
If ever there was a superb reason to get out of bed at 4.30am on a cold morning, this is it!
Ballooning in Cappadocia: Simply Surreal!
3. Whirling Dervishes
A trip to Turkey would have felt incomplete without this experience so Kapil and I researched a few options before picking what we thought was the best one. We watched a group of whirling dervishes perform a Sema at the Sarihan Caravanserai in Cappadocia. This was a truly transcendental experience that was made even more memorable by the drive through the dreamlike Cappadocian landscape at sunset to get to the venue, and by the venue (a “caravan palace” built in the 13th century) itself.
Whirling Dervishes at Sarihan Caravanserai: We were not allowed to film or take photos during the Sema. However, this was part of the light show on the walls of the Caravanserai at the end of that evening.
4. Exploring Sultanahmet in Istanbul
Sultanahmet is the heart of the historic quarter of Istanbul. Here, within walking distance of each other lie the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Byzantine Hippodrome, the Baslica Cistern …. We booked ourselves into Ambassador Hotel Istanbul in Sultanahmet and loved every minute of exploring its cobble-stoned streets and alleys.
View of Sultanahmet from the breakfast room at Ambassador Hotel Istanbul: Looking out at the Blue Mosque.
Sultanahmet in Istanbul.
5. Cave Accommodation
During the Roman period persecuted Christians fled to Cappadocia. They hollowed out the soft volcanic rock to make homes, churches and monasteries. In recent times, enterprising local businessmen have restored several of these crumbling structures to create cave inns and hotels so visitors can have the experience of inhabiting these supernatural-looking structures.
Our stay in a cave hotel in Cappadocia further enhanced the intergalactic adventure feel of our trip to this otherworldly land. We admit we picked a luxe version of cave accommodation because of its location and facilities (spa, Turkish bath etc). Cappadocia Cave Resort & Spa sits on top of a hill, so, from our room and most other parts of the resort, we had sweeping views of the valley below and Mount Erciyes on the horizon.
Our cave room at Cappadocia Cave Resort & Spa
The view of the valley below from Cappadocia Cave Resort & Spa.
I took a photo of Kapil while he was capturing the photo above this one.
Cappadocia Cave Resort & Spa: Mount Erciyes and a solitary hot air balloon at sunrise.
Cappadocia Cave Resort & Spa: The view of Mount Erciyes from our room balcony.
6. Bosphorus Cruise
The Bosphorus strait separates the Asian side of Istanbul from the European side. Istanbul's proximity to this significant water body makes it an important commercial hub and adds to its vibrance and abundance. In that sense, to cruise down the Bosphorus is to soak in the transcontinental feel of Istanbul and ride the waves of its lifeblood. It is a "must do".
We booked a Bosphorus Dinner and Show Cruise through our hotel concierge. The dinner and the show were unremarkable, but the sights on the outside of the boat more than made up for that. The cruise let us look at many of the main sights in Istanbul from a whole new angle and we loved it.
Looking out at the Bosphorus from Topkapi Palace.
Bosphorus Dinner & Show Cruise.
Bosphorus Cruise: Dolmabahçe Palace
Bosphorus Cruise: Dolmabahçe Mosque
The Bosphorus Bridge
7. Turkish Bath
What better way to relax and rejuvenate a travel-weary body than a Turkish bath. Relax (lie down or sit) on the heated marble in the Hamaam (Turkish bath) to loosen toxins and travel grime. If you choose have an attendant, one will come find you after you’ve had some time to sweat it out on the marble. She/He will get you to lie down on the edge of the göbektaşı (belly stone) which is a round central platform in the Hamaam before washing you with some tepid water and then proceed to exfolitate your body with a coarse mitt called kese. After the exfoliation, you are soaped and shampooed until squeaky-shiny clean.
Turkish baths generally have separate areas for men and women with attendants of the same sex. Kapil and I chose to book in for Turkish baths at our cave hotel on our last day in Cappadocia. We were in separate areas and we each had the whole place to ourselves. It all felt so regal and decadent!
8. Turkish Hospitality
We met many incredibly gentle, kind and generous Turkish people who are very proud of their country's rich heritage and culture, and want visitors to experience the very best of their land. Their hospitality made all the difference to our experience of this beautiful country.
9. Food
Turkish food combines local ingredients (produce, meat, poultry, seafood) with subtle spices and aromatics to create absolutely mouth-watering delicacies— bread, dips, soups, pilafs, koftes and kebabs…. In fact, in our gluttonous impatience we did not pause long enough to take many food photos during our trip. An omission we only noticed afterwards. Never mind, those tastes are etched indelibly in our memories. Back home in Melbourne, we invited friends over for a home-cooked Turkish feast.
Inspired by the fantastic food in Turkey, we invited our friends in Melbourne home for a Turkish feast.
10. Turkish Beverages
Apple tea and Turkish coffee are of course ubiquitous; in fact, we never refused apple tea when it was offered to us, no matter how many times that day we had already had some. However, our absolute favourite is a refreshing cold yoghurt drink called Ayran. This is a salted beverage that reminds me a bit of the savoury buttermilk from the southern parts of India. Since discovering this drink in Istanbul, we have had it in various cities across Europe and even here in Australia.
