After visiting Türkiye 7 times and even living there as a digital nomad in Istanbul, I have deeply fallen in love with this impressive country.
If you are planning your first visit, do not try to see everything at once. Take time to experience daily local life, chat with the locals about tea or wandering without a strictly planned itinerary. Türkiye will reward you for decelerating.
Istanbul
When I arrived in Istanbul for the first time, I made the mistake that everyone makes here: I thought a couple of days would be enough. Of course, it wasn’t. After several returns and even live there for a while as a digital nomad, I still have lost in their layers, literally and emotionally.
I remember standing inside Hagia Sophia, and the feeling while I was looking there looking at his huge dome on me. It has been a cathedral, a mosque, a museum and now a mosque again. But, no matter its purpose, it is a place that humiliates you.
Right close is the blue mosque: I can still see the way the sunlight touches its stained glass, catching the delicate blue tiles inside. Just a short walk, Topkapi Palace tells stories about the luxurious lives of Ottoman sultans, with opinions about the Bosphorus that honestly made me stop walking for a moment.
But Istanbul is not just about history. The first time I lost myself in the great Bazaar, I ended up spending hours weaving between stores, negotiating spices, jewelry and flashlights. I didn’t even realize how long it had passed until I left, and I was almost dark.
On another visit, I went up to the Galata tower just before sunset. The view from the top is impressive, and for the first time, I really understood the scale of this city that extends on two continents.
But if there is something I now do every time I visit Istanbul, you are reserving a Bosphorus cruise. There is something meditative to see the palaces, wooden mansions and mosques located on the European and Asian coasts. Every time I do it, he feels like a new experience.
When I want to feel Istanbul’s modern heart, I address Istiklal Street or Taksim Square. There, I danced to street music, I ate the best Baklava of my life and I have seen people for hours.
What I learned in the difficult way: divide your stay. Spend part of him in Sultanahmet, near all historical attractions, and the rest in more local areas such as Beyoğlu or Kadıköy on the Asian side. That’s where the true Istanbul is shown.
Capadocia
Of all the places that I have visited in Türkiye, Capadocia definitely feels like a different planet.
While I was in Capadocia, I woke up one morning at 4 in the morning for a hot air balloon walk, when the sun began to rise. Hundreds of colorful balloons float on fairy chimneys and make you feel suddenly awake! It is an impressive view.
I also stayed at a hotel in La Cueva, where the room was literally carved in the rock. It was a quiet, cozy and completely unique experience that I recommend doing when it is in Cappadocia.
During the day, we walked through the Ihlara Valley, we visited the old Cuevas churches in the Göreme Open Air Museum and the underground cities where the first Christians used to hide. It was almost surreal: each wall is covered with history.
Ephesus and Pamukkale
On one of my longer trips, I finally arrived in Ephesus: it is one of the best preserved ancient cities in the world. Standing in front of Celsus’s library, with its mass columns, it made me feel small. And the great theater, which once held 25,000 people, put chicken skin.
I combined that trip with Pamukkale, which looks like snow but feels like a spa. White Travertino Terraces and Hierapolis’s ruins are some of the most magical things I’ve seen and also strongly recommend. The experience of floating in the Cleopatra pool, surrounded by sunk marble columns, was something out of a dream.
The coast
After many tourist visits, I finally discovered the Turkish coast. The coast of Türkiye, with more than 5,000 miles, never disappoints, I promise.
Here you can swim in the turquoise waters of Ölüdeniz, drink cocktails in the beach clubs of Bodrum and wandering through the old town of Antalya, as I did, one of my favorite experiences in Türkiye.
In Fethiye, I took a boat ride to the hidden beaches. And in Alanya, I found quiet moments watching the waves crash under the walls of the castle.
What I have learned from my trips to Türkiye
The more I have traveled in Türkiye, the smarter I had about how to do it.
One of the key points that I have dominated is to move: Istanbul’s public transport is fantastic. I recommend alone Grabbing an IstanbulkartAnd you are ready. But drive in the city? No, no, never again. For places like Cappadocia or the coast, renting a car and moving among the attractions makes more sense.
Another challenge that I have experienced is where to stay in Türkiye. In Istanbul, Sultanahmet is perfect for rookies. For something more local, now I choose Beyoğlu or Kadıköy on the Asian side. And if you go to Capadocia, always choose a hotel in the cave!
Another challenging question is what to wear. My choice here: modest clothes is the best for cities and mosque visits, especially as a woman. I always kept a scarf in my bag to cover my head and shoulders or legs if they wore shorts. But on the coast? The atmosphere is much more relaxed.
Do you still ask yourself about the best time to visit Türkiye? My favorite moments are spring and autumn, it is less busy and with a perfect climate. The coast is beautiful from May to October, and although winter is cheap, the weather may surprise you with snow, so they pack layers in that case.
My favorite experiences in Türkiye
After seven visits, these experiences stand out as really special for me:
- Watching sunset from A Restaurant on the roof in Istanbul while listening to the call to prayer.
- Floating in a hot air balloon on Capadocia With hundreds of other colorful balloons.
- Swimming in the turquoise waters of Ölüdeniz With mountains everywhere.
- Enjoying a traditional Turkish breakfast With fresh bread, olives, cheese, honey and tea.
- Exploring the least visited neighborhoods Where the locals also look for a cup of Turkish tea.
What makes me return to Türkiye?
What is always attracting me back to Türkiye is not just incredible places or beautiful beaches, can you imagine this? Actually, it is the feeling of a new discovery every time I visit this country. Many hidden coffees, side streets or small authentic stores in Istanbul are waiting for me! The sunset from a new coastal place is also different every time, so Türkiye continues to surprise me seven visits later.
Olga M.
Olga directs the travel blog to Girl in Istanbul, where he shares useful tips to explore Istanbul and Türkiye. She loves Turkey and has visited the country 7 times, even living there as a digital nomad. Istanbul is its absolute favorite part of the country, and is very passionate about sharing its experiences about this incredible city with others!
