EXPLORING turkey

Accessibility Rating: 3 | Safety Rating: 4 | Walkability Rating: 3 | Affordability Rating: 4 | Night Life & Entertainment Rating: 4 | Language Ease Rating: 3 | Food Scene Rating: 4 | Transportation Rating: 4 | Connectivity Rating: 4 | Solo Traveler Rating: 3 |

Accessibility Rating: 3 | Safety Rating: 4 | Walkability Rating: 3 | Affordability Rating: 4 | Night Life & Entertainment Rating: 4 | Language Ease Rating: 3 | Food Scene Rating: 4 | Transportation Rating: 4 | Connectivity Rating: 4 | Solo Traveler Rating: 3 |

travel tips

  • Dress code varies by area — Istanbul is modern, but mosques require modest clothing (covered shoulders, knees; headscarf for women).

  • Skip the street taxis when possible — use BiTaksi or Uber to avoid overcharging but overall the prices are moderate if you must.

  • Visit major mosques early morning to avoid crowds and prayer-time closures.

  • Cappadocia balloons fly at sunrise; book the earliest slot and plan 1–2 backup days because flights often cancel due to weather.

  • Try a hammam (Turkish bath) — research whether you want a traditional or more spa-like experience.

  • Be firm in the Grand Bazaar — bargaining is expected, but keep it friendly.

The image shows a grand mosque with multiple domes and four tall minarets against a partly cloudy sky.

Local experiences

  • Istanbul: 

    Beyoglu Cafe

    Pap’s Italian

    Roof Mezze 360 Restaurant 

    Loti Roof 

    Cappadocia: 

    Seten Restaurant Cappadocia

    Sacred Mansion

    Kilim Cave Restaurant

  • Istanbul:

    Explore the Markets

    Ferry to Asia 

    Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Topkapi Palace

    Cappadocia:

    Hot air balloon

    Sunrise hot air balloon photoshoot

  • Istanbul:

    Whirling Dervish Show

    Cappadocia:

    Turkish Night Shows

    Night Markets

  • Kilic Ali Paga Hamman

Group of women and men dressed in white and casual clothing, sitting and standing on a rooftop during sunset.
Latrice in a colorful, flowing dress standing in a barren desert with a vintage red convertible car behind her and stormy clouds overhead.
Latrice in a colorful flowing dress walking in a desert with a red vintage convertible car and stormy sky in the background.
Latrice in a black dress making a peace sign in front of numerous hot air balloons in the sky at sunrise in a desert landscape.
Latrice in a black dress smiling and making a peace sign at a hot air balloon festival, with numerous colorful hot air balloons in the sky and on the ground.
Four diverse friends enjoying a sunny outdoor gathering, with a rocky landscape and clear blue sky in the background. One woman standing on the right holds a camera, and another woman sitting in the middle has a vintage camera on her lap. They are al
Three colorful hot air balloons floating in the early evening sky over a rocky landscape with distant city lights.
A mosque with multiple domes and four minarets, taken on a clear, sunny day with a light blue sky and some birds flying nearby.