A Great Guide to Turkey:

Welcome to the beautiful country of Turkey. There are many things to do here on your time away from home. Such as taking part in a traditional Hamman or riding a hot air balloon. The culture is rich, the history is long, and the nature is breathtaking. Let’s start with the basics about how to navigate this country and tips for when you are here.

Basics:

Currency: The main form of currency is the Turkish Lira, but many places in the more touristy areas will accept Euros as well.

Language: Turkish

Plugs: Type C and F. 230 V supply of voltage and 50 Hz.

Safety: I felt super safe here as a solo female traveler.

Common scams:

Taxis are known for overcharging. Avoid as much as possible.

The shoe shiner scam. A shoe shiner will drop something in front of you. If you pick it up, in his gratitude he will offer a free shine. After the job is finished you find out it was not so free and will be charged an overpriced bill.

In general, never accept anything that is “free”.

Be prepared to haggle in the markets. Make sure if you buy tea or anything, that the shop does not overfill your bag and charge you for an amount you may not want.

Things to do in Istanbul:

1.Check out the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia

The Blue Mosque was built in 1616, while the Hagia Sophia was built in 360 AD. The Hagia Sophia began as a Christian church, then was opened as a museum, and currently is a Mosque. It is said that the doors in the Hagia Sophia is made from Noah’s Ark. Recently in 2022, 2 people had eaten the wood off of the doors because they figured it would give them a blessing. Both of these buildings are superb architectural feats and are worth a look.

Currently the Blue Mosque is under renovation. It is expected to be completed in 2024. You can still go in, but it is hard to see a lot of its beauty.

Tips for visiting:

If you are a woman, you must wear a scarf or head covering when entering these buildings.

Both genders need to cover their knees and shoulders.

These buildings are closed during prayer times. There are 5 prayer times in a day.

2. Explore the Grand and Egyptian Bazaar

I prefer the Egyptian Bazaar over the Grand, because of all the yummy food and aromas that are present. It is also less threatening because it is smaller. It is fun to check out both though. The Grand Bazaar is regarded as the first shopping mall in the world and has over 4,000 shops. The shops range from turkish lanterns, rugs, clothing, antiques, turkish delights, and more. If you are an avid shopper this is the place for you. Be prepared to discuss prices.

3. Basilica Cistern

This is the largest underground cistern in Istanbul. It provided water to the palace of Constantinople and during the Ottoman empire. Look for the 2 Medusa heads carved into the columns.

4. Take a Food Tour

I took a food tour between the continents of Asia and Europe. We stopped at 10 locations, and by the end of it I was completely stuffed. It was the best food tour I have ever taken. If you would like to see some of the food I tried on the tour, check out my food post.

Must Eat Foods and Drinks in Turkey: – Venture with a Ginger

The tour I took is:

Taste of Two Continents Food Tour | Istanbul, Turkey (tripadvisor.com)

5. Try a Traditional Hamman

This is a whole experience. You enter a room and receive a towel and some disposable underwear. You take your clothes off and put the towel on and are led to a sauna. You sit in the sauna for about 10-15 minutes to sweat your impurities out. Then you must take off your towel and be rinsed off with water and scrubbed by an exfoliator mitt called a kese. Then once your dead skin cells are scrubbed off you are rinsed and then they use a bubble cloth to put bubbles all over your body and rinse you again. They also wash your hair and afterwards, you typically are given tea and a small snack like a turkish delight. You will never feel as clean as you do at that moment.

6. Topkapi Palace

This palace is the location where Ottoman sultans stayed for about 4 centuries. The grounds are big and you will see areas such as the kitchen, library, and courtyards. I recommend to also get the ticket to see the harem. This palace also houses items such as David’s sword, Moses staff, and Muhammads beard.

7. Bosporus Cruise

Take a cruise on the Bosporus River to see the continents of Asia and Europe. It is super relaxing and gives you a great view of both sides. You should also check out the fish stands that are set up beside of the river.

Things to do in Cappadocia:

1. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride

The main reason many come here is for the unique landscapes and what better way to see then but by soaring over them in a hot air balloon. This is a bucket list item that needs to be crossed off. If you are too scared to get in one, it is also fun to just watch them take off during sunrise and see them fly over the town.

If you decide to take flight, most tour companies will provide you with a champagne toast at the end. I ended up booking my tour through my hotel because my original one I had booked online got cancelled because of weather. You should stay here 2 or 3 days in case something like that is to happen.

2. Take a Green and/or Red Tour

These 2 tours offer different things to see throughout the area. In the green tour you will see areas such as Denrinkyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Pigeon Valley Viewpoint, and Selime Monastery. In the red tour, you will see the places such as Goreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar Castle, and Pasabag Monks Valley. I chose to do the green tour.

Denrinkyu Underground City

We started off the day traveling to the underground city. It was believed to have housed around 20,000 people. It has multiple levels, and you climb up and down stairs that are narrow to reach them. This city mainly was used for protection during the 8th and 12th centuries by Byzantine Christians, and you see the air shafts that were created to help people breathe underground. You will also see rooms that were used for making wine, sleeping, going to church, and keeping stables.

Ihlara Valley

This valley is gorgeous. Lush, green with a stream that runs through it. The mountain sides are filled with ancient monasteries and there are a couple restaurants along the stream to eat at.

Selime Monastery

This monastery is the largest in Cappadocia. You can view the kitchen, halls, winery, and the church.

ATV Tour

On this 2-hour sunset tour, you will ride through the scenic landscape to see Love valley, Swords valley, and Rose and Red valley. You will also make a stop to see Cavusin which is a couple ancient caves that early people used to reside in. There will be plenty of time to snap some photos at each location.

Tip: Make sure to bring sunglasses with you because the trail is very dusty.

Try the Pottery Kebab

The most renowned dish in Cappadocia, you must give it a try. The dish is prepared with beef, onions, tomatoes, and a mixture of herbs and cooked in a piece of pottery. The waiter will give you a chance to crack the pottery open or you can watch him while he separates the top layer from the bottom layer.

Goreme Viewpoint

Located on Goreme- Avanos Road, pay less than a dollar to overlook the Goreme National Park. This is a cheap, breathtaking activity. There are many restaurants located around this area.

If you have more time, check out these other areas in Turkey:

1. Pamukkale. An unreal natural landscape that has white travertines filled with turquoise water. Be warned that sometimes the pools are not full.
2. Butterfly Valley. Another gorgeous landscape that overlooks the deep blue Mediteranean sea.
3. Troy. This city is renowned for the Greek myth of the Trojan war.
4. Ephesus. This area contains ancient Roman monuments such as the Library of Celsus.
5. Mount Nemrut. An archaeological site that contains giant stone heads.

Turkey holds a special place in my heart and is one of the destinations I recommend most for travelers. The mouthwatering food, archaeological finds, vivid history, and unique landscape is just a few out of many reasons to visit.