One Week in Turkey

One of the quirks of our trip is that we have some limitations to our stays due to the Schengen Visa. The Schengen area makes up most of the EU and, for most Americans, you can only spend 90 days in a 180 day period. Of course we recognize that we are very privileged to be able to visit Europe for even 90 days, but given that our trip is four months, we had to be somewhat thoughtful about our destinations. Up until this point, we had left the Schengen area twice, once to go to Morocco and once to go to Croatia. Our visit to Turkey was one we were looking forward to, for the sights, history and the food. But it also made up the final bit of time we needed to spend outside of the Schengen area so as not to overstay our visas. I share this just to clarify some of the mechanics of visiting Europe for several months. Additionally, to visit Turkey we had to have an e-Visa specifically for Turkey, which would allow us to stay for up to 90 days. It was easy to get online the day before our visit.

Ok, logistics aside, we were very excited for the visit. We had heard a lot from friends and family about Turkey, from the hamams to the food to the markets and the natural sights. We landed in Istanbul on a Wednesday afternoon and took an Uber to our AirBnB. Currently the Turkish currency, the lira, is suffering from inflation which is bad for its residents but makes it an especially affordable destination for visitors. Our Uber was half of what we would have paid in the EU for a similar ride. We stayed in the Galata Tower neighborhood of Beyoğlu; it was a great home base because it was in walking distance to the Galata Bridge to old town, Istiklal Street for shopping and going out, and to Karakoy, a popular area by the waterfront.

As the trip has gone on, we have had to get better at giving our selves permission to stay in and relax. If we were at home, we wouldn’t be going out to explore 7 days a week for months. Given that we had 6 days in Istanbul, we took it easy on day 1 and started day 2 with something we had heard a lot about - Turkish breakfast! It’s an impressive spread of bread, cheeses, jams (including a rose flavored spread), egg, French toast, olives, veggies and more. Along with all the food, you also get tea or Turkish coffee. The Turkish coffee is like an espresso shot but with very fine grounds in it making for a muddy bottom. We enjoyed trying it but opted for tea most mornings.

We walked down a steep hill to Galata Bridge to cross the Golden Horn and head to the old side of town. The city is divided by water, with the “new side” north of the Galata Bridge, “old side” on the other side, and the Asian side across the Bosphoros. The city straddles the continents of Europe and Asia which is pretty incredible. While we didn’t spend time this trip on the Asian side, we did eventually cab through it to the airport so we can say we were in Asia this trip! On the old side of town we headed to Suleymaniye Hamam. Built in the 16th century, it was a regular stop for the Ottoman Sultan Suleyman, and many sultans after him. Nowadays, its one of the only Hamams we could find that allow men and women to go together so we made a visit.

We were given shorts and a bikini top (for me) to change into and then headed into the bath. A large room with a flat marble surface in the center, the temperature is over 100* and humidity above 65%. You spend the first 30 minutes laying on the warm marble surface to detox and relax. It was hot! Luckily we brought some cold water to drink. After a bit, two men came in wrapped in towels and led us aside to one of 4 rooms in the corners of the bath. It was such a relief when they poured bowls of cool water on us. There were two marble table surfaces where we each laid while the men soaped, scrubbed and massaged our legs, backs and arms. These guys were STRONG, it was a serious massage. Afterwards you are toweled off, wrapped up and given tea in a lounge. No photos are allowed in the bath so I borrowed these from their website.

Nearby is the Sulaymaniye Mosque, which was designed by the same architect. Its domed roof and spires can be seen from across the river, so we had to check it out. Knees had to be covered, as well as shoulders and women’s hair. Shoes come off to enter the mosque and visitors are limited from the prayer areas. This was our first experience in a mosque of this size and it was incredible. Massive chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, hovering just 8 feet above the ground. The carpet is thick and soft and the tilework in the domes is incredible. In addition to the mosque, the grounds also have a tomb, which we found to be common at the old mosques in Istanbul. Aside from the buildings being beautiful, the view was also incredible.

On the old side of town there is a lot to see, and while it was hot as we’ve been this whole trip and we were a bit overdressed, we powered through to keep exploring. Next up was the Grand Bazaar, a massive market with hundreds of shops. There are antiques, clothes, and some pretty convincing designer fakes. Close by is the Nuruosmaniye Mosque. With thick, plush, light blue carpet and large windows around the dome, the atmosphere is very light and calm. Our tour of beautiful mosques continues…

Next up were two of the most iconic mosques in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Cutting to the chase, the Blue Mosque was under construction so it was not the most scenic. There are massive columns inside which support the massive domed roof, built in the early 17th century during the Ottoman reign. Just across the plaza is the Hagia Sophia complex which includes other buildings and tombs. It’s known for its pink exterior, and its long, long history. Originally built in the 6th century, it went through many iterations before becoming a mosque after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Once inside, we were blown away at its beauty. There are massive calligraphic plates in the corners and beautiful paintings in the domes. The chandeliers are massive and the mosaics and frescos are well restored.

For a rest and a snack, we headed to Seven Hills which sits between the two mosques. From their rooftop we had a perfect view and got to watch their dueling prayer calls. Aside from the mosque view, it’s also a common place to come to feed seagulls for a photo op. We watched dozens of would-be influencers try to get their perfect shot before Marcus had to try for himself. We walked back toward the bridge through Gülhane Park which was a nice bit of nature in a busy city and ended day two with a wrap and a soda near our place.

The next day we had to check in on our neighbor, the Galata Tower (after another Turkish breakfast, of course). The watchtower (now a museum) is over 200 ft tall and was built in the 14th century. At the time, it was the tallest building in Constantinople. We enjoyed the view, but especially the museum exhibits. One really incredible artifact was a stretch of chain that was once used to block entry to the Golden Horn, the river that runs into the city from the Bosphorus.

We skipped the heat and relaxed at home to gear up for what would be a rowdy Friday night. We started the night at a more modern factory-turned-bar area with many restaurants and events (nothing the night we were there, though). We took the subway there which was fairly simple, though we did get some help from a local who saw us struggling with the ticket machine. After dinner and a cocktail, we did some research and decided to head back toward our place, to Istiklal Street. It was hoppin’! There are bars lining the streets, all with outdoor seating and all of them had live music inside. There are so many musicians in Istanbul, the music is constant in this area. We enjoyed a beer at one spot before finding Mr Bliss. The place was just “on” that night. The folks next to us were Persian and took to Marcus (who knows more Farsi than I realized!) and they were getting the party started. We danced the night away to the band, who were mostly playing Turkish music with the occasional American cover thrown in. Even if you can’t tell what the song is, seeing everyone else know all the words is pretty fun.

Another day, another Turkish breakfast, and we headed down to the port by the Galata Bridge. At this point we had learned about the Tünel, an alternative to the steep hill to the bridge. It’s the second oldest subway in the world, behind the London tube, but it’s no comparison in scale. The tunnel ride is under two minutes and there are just two cars that go up and down. No shade though, we were thankful for it after one trek up the steep hill home! At the port we caught a ride on the Bosphorus Cruise, a $5 90 minute ride up the Bosphorus Strait (one of the key commerce routes connecting the Mediterranean and Black Seas) past many historical sights. It was a relaxing thing to do on a hot day.

Back on land, we headed to Karakoy, a more modern neighborhood along the water. At Karakoy Gullüoglu we had the best spread of baklava we’ve ever had along with some Turkish coffee. We walked along the streets and alleys checking out the bars and shops before our one fancy meal of the trip. We enjoyed a 12-hour braised short rib dinner on a rooftop along with some delicious cocktails and watched the sunset. That night was the final game of the UEFA Champions League (soccer) and having watched so many of the playoff games throughout our trip we couldn’t miss it. After dinner we posted up at a shisha lounge with some delicious hookah and some beers and watched the game.

We returned to the old city one last time to haggle for some spices to bring home from the Spice Bazaar. This market is huge and was initially built in the 1600’s. While the goods are mostly spices, teas, and candies, I did find a silk shop there where I was able to purchase a few scarves while Marcus hunted for the best Iranian Saffron. Back in the new city that night, we finally found some of the Culture Festival festivities. A free concert near the Tünel drew a crowd of hundreds and it seemed like everyone around us knew all the words.

For our last day in Istanbul, we went to another Hamam. This one was gender-segregated so I went in the morning while Marcus had a slow morning sleeping in and reading. After my hamam scrub, I had a massage and some tea. It was so relaxing. I did some souvenir shopping and got one last baklava while Marcus had his treatment before we met up for a dinner of Manti, which are like Turkish ravioli.

Istanbul wasn’t our only destination in Turkey, so Tuesday we headed to the airport for a domestic flight to Kayseri in the Cappadocia region. The area is known for its history and rock formations, but especially for hot air ballooning. They have the most flight days of anywhere in the world and, between the weather and the unique geography, it makes for a perfect ballooning destination. On our way to the airport we learned that our flight was delayed (note to self: always check BEFORE leaving for the airport) and we braced for a 4 hour delay at the airport. Holed up at a $10pp lounge, we tried to keep our spirits up as our 4hr delay became a 7hr delay. Including the flight, picking up our rental car, and driving an hour to Goreme, arriving at 3pm was now looking like arriving at 10pm. But we made it.

We checked into the Roc of Cappadocia hotel and were led to our cave suite. It was a massive room carved into the side of a rock formation, with a huge bathroom and jacuzzi tub and its own terrace. We tried to unwind as I set our alarms for 5am so be able to watch the balloons take flight. Miraculously we woke up for it! Watching the balloons sunrise flights across the valley and directly overhead is just as popular as taking one, and people were perched on rooftops, cliffs and terraces to see it. Luckily we were able to fall asleep after and wake back up in time for one more Turkish breakfast.

For the first of our two days in Goreme, we headed to the Goreme Open Air Museum. Millions of years ago, volcanos created the unique landscape of rock peaks and “fairy chimneys”. This rock is relatively soft and easy to carve, so thousands of years ago humans began carving homes and churches into the stone. Byzantine monks occupied many of the dwellings in the Goreme Open Air Museum, which also includes many churches. Within the churches there are very old symbols painted, from the 5th century, as well as frescos from the 11th and 12th centuries. It was a really fascinating look into history, as well as a relief to go into the caves in the 85* heat.

In the evening, we kept it low key because our balloon ride pickup would be at 4am the next morning. We found a shisha bar with a terrace to enjoy some live music and the sunset, where they put milk in the hookah which made it really smooth. We set our alarms once again and willed ourselves to sleep so we wouldn’t miss our flight. Thankfully we made it! We were picked up by a van full of sleepy tourists to head to the balloon takeoff point. At one point, the van driver backed into a pole which jolted us all awake. After that the van was giggling and chatting the rest of the way there.

When we arrived to the airfield, there were balloons in all directions in various states of inflation. Ours was attached to a basket which was laying on its side, being blown up first by two large fans and then by a propane burner. It didn’t take long for the balloon to rise into the air, pulling the basket upright with help from the crew. We climbed over the edge one at a time and positioned ourselves in the basket. The edge came up to my chest so I wasn’t too worried about falling out but I did get a little nervous looking up and seeing how high some of the balloons already were.

We took flight just before sunrise, joining dozens of other balloons in the sky. We floated high and low over plains, cliffs, and then Love Valley. Love Valley is full of these (not gonna lie) phallic rock formations that we floated so close to you could almost touch them. Balloons in the valley were getting so close they were touching. On land, women in rented dresses posed for photo ops, along with a couple getting wedding photos, and others posing on classic cars. The sight of a hundred hot air balloons hovering just behind you makes for quite the Instagram post apparently.

After our flight gently landed on a flatbed trailer, we toasted champagne and received our “flight certificates”. Then we were dropped back off at the hotel where we went right back to sleep. For our last night in Turkey, we headed to a steakhouse for sunset dinner and then braced for our third early morning, a 5am departure to get to the airport.

Our time in Turkey was really special and I’m grateful we got to do Istanbul AND another place. Turkey is a massive country and there is so much more to see, I do hope to come back some day. I think we did a good job of exploring Istanbul and getting a feel for some parts of the city, but much like Turkey, it’s huge and there is definitely more to see.