Table of Contents
– Visit a Fish Market in Istanbul –
Sure, a fish market isn’t usually the first port of call on anyone’s list when visiting a new city but this one deserves to be given a chance! Hidden away under Galata Bridge you will discover something completely unexpected and, despite the smell of fish, pretty wonderful.
Wandering along Gelata Bridge you will notice lines of men fishing over the side, I’m still not entirely sure why they choose to fish here, but whatever the reason it’s a pretty cool sight. Make your way under the bridge and you will stumble across a fairly small and unassuming fish market but if you take the time to make your way past the rows of dead fish you’re in for a treat. Down the end of the lantern lite path are a bunch of trendy restaurants filled with the young locals and all in a prime spot on the waters edge!
If you head down at sunset the sight is pretty spectacular, but be prepared for the onslaught of angry seagulls fighting it out over the fish scraps of the day.
– Explore the hip & upcoming neighborhood of Karaköy, Istanbul –
The hipsters are invading the world one country at a time, and Turkey is no more immune to them than anywhere else! If you’ve had enough shish kebabs and baklava (not sure if this actually possible) then it’s time to get yourself to the upcoming neighborhood of Karaköy.
It’s acceptable to call somewhere trendy when finding a flat white is easy, and you certainly won’t find it difficult to get your hands on one here. It seems every second building is home to a café, the rest are devoted to edgy design stores full of minimalist inspired home ware, hip burger spots and cocktail bars and quirky markets you would expect to find down an East London Street or a Melbourne laneway.
– Wander the Ruins of Ancient Cities –
Turkey is full of a surprising amount of ancient Greek and Roman ruins – well maybe not so surprising to some people but it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting when coming to Turkey! Coming from a fairly new country (New Zealand) in the grand scheme of things I am always absolutely blown away by anything even remotely ‘old’, so wandering the ancient cities of Troy and Ephesus was completely surreal!
Trying to put yourself in the shoes of those that lived in these places all those years ago is fascinating and becomes so much easier to do when you are actually in the place itself.
– Hike the ‘Valley of Love’ in Cappadocia –
When I decided to visit Turkey I was drawn to Cappadocia for it’s main attraction – the enchanting, sunrise hot air balloon ride. While this was absolutely a highlight of my time in Turkey it was hiking through the ‘Valley of Love’ that showed me just how unusual and beautiful the landscape of Cappadocia is. There are plenty of trails dotted around, so take your pick and get out there!
You can also take a ride on quad bikes through the trails if you are a little more adventurous, there are lots of places around the town of Goreme that offer bike hire and tours.
– Visit a Greek Inspired Town –
Given the proximity of Turkey and Greece it is understandable that there would be plenty of Greek influences in certain parts of the country, but for some reason it never really crossed my mind until I was there. One of my favourite places in Turkey was the coastal town of Ayvalik, which was actually part of Greece at one point until a population swap took place between Turkey and Greece in 1923 (Greek people from Ayvalik were moved to an island in Greece and the Turkish people residing there were moved to Ayvalik).
Today you will find a brilliant mix of Greek and Turkish influence that come together perfectly. There isn’t a huge amount to do there but wandering the hilly, cobbled streets is an experience in itself as there was always something going on. If you get tired from walking there are plenty of family run Turkish cafes to choose from for an afternoon coffee break – Turkish style, of course. In the evening head around the to the island of Cunda for a Greek style dinner on the seafront, or perhaps treat yourself to some Gelato which seems incredibly popular here.
Emily Ray says
Ahh, your pictures are so so gorgeous – and they make me super excited for when I *finally* make it over to Turkey. I've always wanted to visit Cappadocia too, so it's great to hear you would recommend it ;D x
Emma - daydream believer says
Thank you! 🙂
Turkey is such a beautiful and diverse country – I expected to love it but it really surprised me! Cappadocia is absolutely worth a visit – just for the sunrise balloon rides alone because it such a magical experience but there is a ton of other activities to do in the area too!
Hope you finally make it to Turkey someday soon! x