Turkish Travel

Turkish Travel

Whenever I remember of our holiday in Turkey, I automatically get reminded of the magical experiences we had there. From the busy and ever lively streets of Grand Bazar at Istanbul, the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, the hot air  Balloon Ride in the cave city of Cappadocia and then the list of experiences just go on and on. Each and every of the places we visited were just such a treat to the traveller’s eye. Turkey is a wonderfully diverse country with a rich cultural heritage, as well as a fantastic blend of tradition and a desire to embrace the new. So to summarize the Turkish culture and traditions in one article is impossible because of the diversity of heritage across the country varies and other cultures such as Greek, Armenian, Georgian and Arabic practices have been woven in throughout history.

The Turkish people love eating and relishing food and the foundation of Turkish food is based on the freshness of the ingredients they use for cooking. As a result feast like meals are not out of the ordinary in a Turkish home. Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner the variety and the effort put into preparing the table will be very evident. Due to proximity to the seas, the fish and other sea foods  are crucial part of the Turkish cuisine along with meat. It is often regarded as one of the greatest cuisine in the world. Thinking about the Turkish cuisine generally conjures up in the mind, countless images of delicious meaty kababs not to mention about the Doner Kabab and Shish Kabab that the world is accustomed to. One must try the Testi Kabab as the same while being cooked in a clay pot is brought out blazing hot and cracked in front by the chef releasing the proms of it’s gurgling contents while treating the diners to a little table side theatre show.

Out of the many places in a Turkey, we managed to visit a few just because of time crunch. We visited Istanbul, Kusadasi, Izmir (Ephesus and Sirince), Cappadocia, Pamukkale.

Istanbul

Located in the Marmara region of Turkey, Istanbul is regarded as the world’s most gorgeous and the biggest Turkish city. Home to breath taking architecture, delicious food and most genuinely hospitable people, it’s a city one would love to visit again and again. The Eastern Half of the city is located in Asia while the Western half is situated in Europe. The Asian side is largely residential and hence most of the city’s major attractions are clustered within two areas on the European side which are the Sultanahmet and Beyoglu. The city is connected to two airports which are the Ataturk and the Sabiha Gokcen. The mesmerizing view of the silhouettes of the Blue Mosque and The Hague Sophia standing tall beside the Bosporus strait straddling the two continents of Asia and Europe leaves one spell bound.

Cappadocia

Cappadocia in Turkey is regarded as the most magical place on earth .The place is so picturesque that words are not enough to describe the beauty . It’s weird landscape is what that makes it more magical and unique. The place is known for its distinctive chimney Which are tall Cone shaped rock formations clustered in monks valley, Goreme and elsewhere.

Cappadocia is also best known for its Unique moonlight landscape, underground cities , cave churches and houses carved in rocks.One of the best way to enjoy the beauty of Cappadocia’s moon like landscape is simply by flying over it. Though it is expensive but Cappadocia is definitely the most beautiful location. The hot air balloon ride normally cost around $ 150 which generally Includes a pick up, breakfast, ride itself, champagne and a drop back to hotel. It’s an amazing sight to see how the colour of the sky changes from orange to beige as the sun rises here and the sky gets bejeweled by hundreds of hot air balloons.The sight is magical enough to make anyone forget the real world. Another major attraction as mentioned before are the caves which are almost everywhere in Cappadocia. These caves where built many centuries ago and though some are still inhibited, most of the caves have now been transformed to hotels And hence one can have his or her own luxury cave room to stay in when they visit Cappadocia.

Izmir

Izmir is a city on Turkey’s Aegean coast and among the popular destinations in Turkey. Known as Smyrna in antiquity, it was founded by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans and rebuilt by Alexander the Great..Today it’s expensive archeological sites include the Roman Agora of Smyrna, now a open air museum. The hilltop Kadiekale or velvet Castle built during Alexander’s reign, overlooks the city.

Ephesus was an ancient port city whose well preserved ruins are in modern day Turkey. The city was once considered the most important Greek city and the most important trading centre in the Mediterranean region. Today Ephesus is an important tourism centre and is in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Sirince Village is well known throughout turkey for wine tasting and production. It’s mountain side location is perfect for seeing natural Turkey and the whole village constitutes of shops where you can put your wine tasting skills to proper use.

Kusadasi

Another town in Turkey that particularly needs to be mentioned is Kusadasi. It’s one of Turkey’s beach resort town and a major cruise ship destination. The town is 90 km south of Izmir and offers an excellent environment for an unforgettable holiday. Kusadasi is reputed for being one of the most attractive cities of Turkey as it is close to the important historical sites Including Ephesus, temple of Artemis, House of Virgin Mary, seven Steepers,Didyma, Priene and Miletos. There is also a beach right in the middle of Kusadasi which is the ladies beach and is the towns Most famous swimming spot. The open long beach lined with palm trees has numerous outlets providing food and drinks which is a popular tourist attraction. Even kusadasi is popular among the local people as a weekend destination. One can also sit add to the shopping centre of Scala Nuova and watch the huge cruise ships come and go at the port. There are many party places and is a popular nightlife destination for tourists. It’s better to choose a hotel or resort by the seaside which gives you an excellent view .

Pamukkale

Another major attraction of Turkey is Pamukkale . It is a town in Denizli , in western turkey known for the mineral rich waters flowing down the white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside . The name ‘Pamukkale’ means ‘the cotton castle’ in Turkish. The white travertine terraces of shallow pools were created by the waters of Thermal springs reacting with the air and the allure of the place was first noticed by the Greco-Romans. The magnificent Hierapolis , the ancient city was established near the travertine by the Greco-Romans. The place is so unique along with the ancient ruins that it has been inscribed in the list of UNESCO world heritage. At Hierapolis one can bathe in the hot mineral water of the Cleopatra’s pool and swim amongst submerged columns of a great antiquity

In case you need help with the itinerary, let me share ours so that it may help you to plan accordingly.

Day 1

• Started from Dubai airport for the incredible Turkey tour…

[Dubai international airport 7:00 -Istanbul S.Gochen airport 10:00 by Pegasus airlines flight PC-4741, 22/06/2017]

• Were welcomed to Turkey, Istanbul (S.Gochen) Airport.
• Met with the staff from the local travel agent and were transferred to our hotel. The rest of the day was free for us to explore Istanbul.
• We changed at the earliest and went to Istiklal Street.
• After an hour of stroll had our lunch there.
• Went back to hotel and took little rest and were back to Taxim Square by the afternoon.
• After that we went to Sultanahemet for traditional Turkish dinner and came back to the hotel.
• Stayed overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2

• Had breakfast at the hotel.
• Got picked up at 08:30am from the hotel and departed for the BOSPHORUS CRUISE BY BOAT: is a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion we saw the magnificent sights of the following attractions from our boat. Saw Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoya great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. Rumeli Fortress was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous Bosporus passage. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world. Beylerbeyi palas (palace) the summer residence of Ottoman sultans exists in its original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul. (All the places can be seen from the Bosphorus cruise)
• Then we went to BOSPHORUS BRIDGE to enjoy a unique chance to step from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe).
• This was followed by CAMLICA HILL the highest point in Istanbul. At the top of it you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosporus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional Turkish Ottoman style.
• After the tour we were transferred to the Sabhia Gokhain airport for boarding the domestic flight to Izmir.

[Istanbul S.Gokcen airport 18:00- Izmir A.Menderes airport 19:10 by Pegasus airlines flight PC-2204, 23/06/2017]

• Once we arrive to Izmir we were taken to Kusadasi by car(almost a 1:30 hrs journey).Then we reached the Hotel Effe Boutique.
• Had Turkish dinner.
• Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 3

• Breakfast at the hotel at Kusadasi.
• Departure at 8:30am from the hotel for the fully guided tour for KUSADASI EPHESUS one of the best preserved ancient sites in the world en-route, visiting the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street, famous Roman baths, Celsus Library, Grand theatre and House of the Virgin Mary.
• Lunch break around 13:00pm.
• After lunch, we visited a place which continues to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a carpet weaving center.
• After that we did a SIRINCE OLDEST VILLAGE TOUR. Sirince’ s construction style today belongs to Anatolian Greeks. The houses on the slope are all original with their white paints. Sirince Village also has a fantastic reputation for making some of the best wines in Turkey – especially fruit wines. We visited the vineyards and it was time to learn how to make fruit wine with Turkish wine makers. On the way we visited one of the famous leather production centers of the region, where we got the opportunity to get a good factory rate. This guided tour helped us to avoid the constant nagging and sometimes bullying that is well known in the markets of Turkey, enabling us to enjoy the shopping experience whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen.
• Back to hotel by 4:30-5:00
• We got freshened up and went for a stroll to the nearby area of Kusadasi.
• Went back to hotel for dinner.
• Then again post Dinner we went out to see the nightlife of Kusadasi.
• Back to hotel by 12:00.
• Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 4

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• After Breakfast, around at 08:30 we depart for PAMUKKALE TOUR. Pamukkale tour is one of the most important highlights of Turkey, unique in the world. The site is named in Turkish as ” Pamukkale “, that means “cotton castle”, parallel to the glorious and spectacular view of the site. Waters in the terraces are the sediments of the springs with calcium bicarbonate in 33C. Waters, containing mainly calcium salts and carbon-dioxide, run off the plateau’s by depositing calcium while carbon-dioxide disappearing. The marvelous landscape of Pamukkale has been created by this gradual formation, leaving a cotton-like image. Located above the theatre of Hierapolis, the mineral water sources from the thermal springs of Cal Mountain. It is collected in a pool, known as the “Sacred Pool” of ancient times, where you can swim amidst the historical remains of Hierapolis. The water of Pamukkale is famous for its benefits to the eyes and skin; and its curing properties to the ills of asthma, rheumatism, as well. The remains of the ancient Hierapolis are situated on back of the thrilling white terraces, standing wondrously in the area.
• Lunch break. Lunch arrangements done by the agent.
• After the tour transfer to Denizli Aırport to domestic flight to Istanbul and then to Cappadocia.

[Denizli Cardik airport 17:50- Istanbul S.Gokchen airport 19:00 by Anadolu Jet airways flight TK-7321, 25/06/2017]
[Istanbul S.Gokchen airport 19:45- Kayseri Erkelit airport 20:10 by Anadolu Jet airways flight TK-7296, 25/06/2017]

• Once we arrived in Cappadocia we were transferred to the hotel by car .It was almost 2 hours drive.
• Dinner at the hotel and Overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 5

• Woke up early morning.
• Had breakfast and then got ready for day tour.
• CAPPADOCIA (RED TOUR): Tour starts with Uçhisar Castle, the highest point of Cappadocia. After Uçhisar, you visit Göreme Open Air Museum, the heart of Cappadocia. Göreme Open Air Museum is famous for frescoes dating back to 10th century describing the life of Jesus Christ and monks. Next stop is Çavuşin, which is an abandoned village with old cave Greek houses.
• After Çavuşin, we went to the restaurant in Avanos to have lunch.
• After lunch, we visited a pottery workshop, to see how to make potteries. Then went to Paşabağı, where we saw three-headed fairy chimneys. After Paşabağı, visited another workshop to see Cappadocian hand-woven carpets and kilims. Next stop was Devrent Valley, which is also called İmagination Valley, where we saw natural rock formations looking like animals. Then headed to a wine shop in Urgup for wine tasting. Last stop was Three Beauties, three beautiful fairy chimneys with their hats, which is the symbol of Cappadocia.
• Came back to hotel by 5.
• Enjoyed the pool of Delek Kaya Hotel.
• Went for a walk to the nearby places.
• Had dinner at the restaurant of the hotel ( included in the half board package)
• Overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia.

Day 6

• HOT AIR BALLOONING: Very early morning we got picked up from the hotel and driven to the meeting point. One of the experienced pilots had selected the most appropriate take-off site and escorted us to our memorable flight through and over the valleys. We were gliding through the incredible landscape of Cappadocia while the pilot explained some of the local stories and histories behind the different rock formations. Be sure to ask about the local folklore of places like Love Valley, the Three Sisters and Pigeon Valley. The flight time is approximately one hour, and the baskets for this flight typically carry up to max. 24 passengers. The Tour people like to say that everyone gets a window seat in the balloons and we were really happy that our expectations were met!
• After the tour we were transferred to the hotel to have our breakfast.
• CAPPADOCIA ILHARA VALLEY (GREEN TOUR): Tour starts with Esentepe, where we saw the panoramic view of Cappadocia. After Esentepe, we were driven to Derinkuyu Underground City, the deepest underground city of Cappadocia with eight floors. Next stop was Ihlara Valley, which is 14 km long, 100 m deep canyon. Once we went down in the valley we saw the Ağaçaltı Church, one of the cave churches carved in the rock. Then it was hiking time. We walked about 4 km in the valley, under the trees, by the river and arrived at the Belisırma village.
• In the valley there was a restaurant at the end of hiking to have lunch.
• Then the driver took us to Selime Monastery, a high rock carved and converted to monastery in 4th century. After Selime, we visited a workshop where we saw the stones special for Turkey like onyx, turquoise etc. Last stop was another panoramic viewpoint of Cappadocia where we saw Pigeon valley and old Uçhisar village with the pigeons flying over us.
• After the tour we were transferred back to our hotel.
• After the tour, transfer to Kayseri/Nevsehir airport to your domestic flight to Istanbul.

[Kayseri Erkilet airport 19:05 – Istanbul S.Gokchen airport 20:35 by Pegasus airlines flight PC-2739, 27/06/2017]

• Once we arrived at Istanbul, we were transferred to the hotel Ramada Golden Horn.
• Had dinner outside the hotel.
• Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 7

• Had early breakfast at the hotel and got ready for the trip
• Istanbul city tour: Got picked up at 08:30am from our hotel for a day tour of old Istanbul city.
• We went to HAGIA SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time.
• Then we went to TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
• The SULTANAHMET (BLUE) IMPERIAL MOSQUE Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet is known as the BLUE MOSQUE because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.
• The HIPPODROME Ancient Hippodrome; the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine.
• The BASILICA CISTERN is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The cistern, located 150 meters southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.
• Went for lunch at a restaurant at Istiklal Street.
• Had free time for shopping so did a bit of apparel shopping from the brand stores at Istiklal Street.
• Went back to hotel took rest for few hours.
• In the evening got ready for nightlife of Turkey, and went to 360Istanbul, an open rooftop fine dining restaurant cum pub with live music.
• Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 8

• Had breakfast at the hotel.
• After breakfast we had free time to do some shopping in Istanbul so we went to GRAND COVERED BAZAAR for shopping of all gifts.(Grand bazar has the labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths’ street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as hand painted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipe)
• Then went back to hotel and had lunch at the hotel’s restaurant and then packed our stuffs for final departure.
• Then we went to the Miniaturk Istanbul for an hour or so and came back to the hotel.
• Then as per scheduled time transfer to Istanbul S.Gochen airport to your flight back to home.

[Istanbul S.Gokchen airport 20:35 – Dubai international airport 03:20 next day by Pegasus airlines flight PC-740,    29/06/2017-30/06/2017]

P.N- We couldn’t visit Antalya and Ankara as was running short of time. Though these 2 places were supposed to be 2 happening places of Turkey, but unfortunately we missed. If you can add on 4 more days to your trip then you can cover these 2 places as