Türkiye

Currency: Turkish Lira | Exchange Rate: ₺10 = USD $0.28 | €10 = ¥42.66

Adana

Most people only know Türkiye for Istanbul, which is ironically a city that I haven’t been to as recently. Adana is a coastal region famous for its kebap. If there’s one thing that you do there, it is hands down the Anavarza Ruins. It’s one of the city’s best-kept secrets and isn’t typically over-touristed. The region has been home to dozens of ancient civilizations!

As pictured to the right, my younger sister and I took advantage of the fact that there were no other tourists around and did a full-on sorority girl-style photo shoot around Greek ruins. Talk about a crazy family vacation! It was insane to see such an expansive stretch of Greek ruins that weren’t being swarmed by tourists. We were literally just walking around, unattended to, hopping on stones and sitting in the middle of ancient amphitheaters.

Antalya

Antalya is the city that I’ve frequented the most often because most of my extended family lives there. It’s similar to Istanbul in that it’s a massive metropolis that’s very exciting, although it is a teensy bit more laid back because it receives significantly less global attention. There are stunning rock beaches (yes, rock) that are great to lounge at, and a stunning waterfall off the coast.

Ankara

The capital! If you plan on going to Cappadocia (the cool place with all the hot air balloons), you’ll likely stay in Ankara. There is a very cool castle to see as well as a plethora of ruins strewn about. And don’t forget about all of the beautiful mosques! King Midas’ Castle is also located here, along with ruins from a multitude of ancient civilizations.

I have some family that lives in Ankara, and we were able to meet with them for an incredible sunset family grill.

İstanbul

Now, Istanbul is not the capital of Türkiye, although it was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Istanbul is an incredibly modern and energetic city, although it is heavily populated by tourists. It’s a glowing metropolis on the sea, and has incredible night life. Türkiye is famous for incorporating historic buildings into modern architecture, and Istanbul is a perfect display of those visual dichotomies.

And don’t forget about the street cats (and dogs)! These animals are typically vaccinated by the government and are very well-taken care of by the community. In muslim communities in general (although Istanbul is relatively secular), cats are very important, and any form of animal abuse is considered a great günah — sin. Animals are seen as the most innocent and purest of souls, and many will leave food and water out for strays.

My anneanne, or grandma on my mother’s side, used to live in Istanbul, although she moved a few years ago, meaning that I haven’t been back since. However, there’s just so much to see and do and eat. The itinerary at the bottom of this page is a perfect four-day list of the best places to go. I even asked for the input of my parents and my Turkish friends to ensure that the itinerary is both top-quality and unique.

Sivas

Sivas is the type of city that tourists don’t really come to. It’s more of where the older relatives live in retirement. Not a lot of people speak English here and it feels like the city is content just existing within itself.

I went to Sivas with my family to visit extended relatives of my dad’s who he hadn’t seen in over a decade. It was quite strange to be introduced to people that you’re supposedly related to who you’ve never seen in your life (I guess I may have seen them in my infancy, but I definitely don’t remember that). It’s a more conservative area of Türkiye, but there still is a ton of history there. There are a few medreses (ancient Islamic institutions) left over from the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries strewn about the city that have been repurposed into things like bazaars and hotels.

If there’s one thing that Türkiye does extremely well, it’s taking care of its ancient structures.

Must-Try Foods when in Türkiye

  • Simit (Turkish soft pretzels with sesame seeds) — found at street carts

  • Oralet (Turkish warm orange soda) — found at most restaurants

  • Baklava (no explanation needed) — found at bakeries and restaurants

  • Maraş dondurma (Turkish ice cream, with a twist) — found at street carts and small ice cream spots

  • Mantı (Turkish ravioli) — found at most local restaurants

  • Lahmacun (Turkish meat pizza) — found at some restaurants

  • Midye (stuffed steamed clams) — found at steet carts

  • İskender kebap (beef kebap with a butter sauce) — found at most restaurants

  • Pide (Turkish flat bread) — found at bakeries and restaurants

  • Poğaça (savory Turkish breakfast pastry) — found at bakeries

For the busy traveler…

Itineraries are available with and without suggested times.

Note: It is possible to buy museum passes that typically last about 72 hours and allow access to the more popular museums on the European side of Istanbul. However, purchasing this pass really depends on your length of stay and what you intend to do.