Not going to lie, hearing about bombings and shootings doesn’t exactly make me not afraid to travel somewhere, but it also doesn’t fully prevent me from going if I really want to see the country.
Yes, I was slightly concerned about my plans to travel to Turkey in February for the World Tourism Forum after hearing news of the nightclub shooting on New Years, but there’s a really good reason why I still went: I wanted to see Turkey.
Ever since I met a cute Turkish guy while volunteering in South Africa who showed me photos of his beautiful country I’ve been determined to go. Bad news happens, but to be fair, I hear a lot more of it happening in the U.S., which…I’m still not entirely sure why people aren’t more afraid to be there?
Bad things happen everywhere, but for some reason, if it’s about another country, the news likes to relay the message in the form of scaring the shit out of you so that you keep watching, and feel like you need to not ever leave the U.S. because you’re much safer sitting on your sofa listening to their bullshit.
I just can’t. As someone who actually experiences these places in real life, watching the news in the U.S. is like watching a really bad, obviously scripted reality show. The good news though is that there’s people like me who as I mentioned, actually go and experience these super scary places, and can report back on how they really are. I can also offer the advice that you are only as safe as you make yourself to be.
For example, don’t walk around with flashy items, your purse hanging open, and a loud obnoxious voice if you don’t want to be targeted for theft or a shameful Snapchat story. You can also prep yourself by reading travel safety tips, or watching tutorials like my 7 Minute Self Defense Lesson for Solo Travelers.
I’m not going to just flat out say that “Turkey is safe”, because I’m also a very honest realist, and I know that nowhere is technically “safe”. I also know that if I write that, at least ten people are going to throw a fit on the comments or on social media. Instead I will just throw it out there that I’m currently writing this while in the backseat of a taxi driving from one insanely beautiful destination to the next, and pouting about having to leave Turkey to go back home to the U.S. tomorrow.
Why am I risking getting car sick AF to write a blog post persuading you to not be afraid to Turkey? Because the comments on my Instagram posts and replies to my IG Stories and Snapchat are highly intriguing! It’s a pretty even split of people asking if I feel safe, and people swooning over their memories of being here. Since I really do feel safe, and am also currently swooning over Turkey, I decided to share what I’ve loved most about it so that you can come here and swoon too! As you read this, keep in mind that I was eagerly awaiting arriving in the last spot 🙂
So here’s what you’ll miss out on if you don’t go to Turkey because you’re afraid to!
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Turkish People are Freaking Awesome
As I mentioned above, the first Turkish guy I met left a really good impression, and I was not disappointed at all to find that there were thousands of him in Istanbul. What I mean is that aside from wickedly handsome, I found the people to be very bold, and passionate about their country. They were also very welcoming and excited to hear where you’re from!
One nice woman helped me wrap my scarf on my head to enter the Blue Mosque, and the cashier guy at H&M in Taksim taught me basic phrases in Turkish! Oh and let’s not forget the dozens of locals who messaged me the best tips for food, sightseeing, and adventures!
No, I Didn’t Feel Targeted or Judged
About three people asked me this exact question: “Are you afraid there? I want to go to Turkey but I’m afraid I’ll stand out because I have blonde hair and blue eyes.” First of all…there are Turkish people with blonde hair and blue eyes. Second of all, I have blonde hair and blue eyes and i wasn’t treated any differently. Well, a girl did laugh when I asked for a “speaker” badge at the World Tourism Forum, but I’m pretty sure that was a different form of judgement.
If you’re really that worried about standing out, wear a hat and sunglasses, I do it all the time. But seriously, if you’re worried about safety; keep yourself safe. Avoid dodgy areas, don’t be flashy or obnoxious, don’t get wasted and sloppy, etc.
The Mosques Are Simply Stunning
There’s something about the dome-shaped roofs and elaborate designs that make any mosque in Turkey simply stunning. In case you don’t know what a mosque is; it’s a place of worship for the Muslim religion, where prayer is called five times a day. You should be respectful of the people and their places of worship (otherwise you’re an asshole) and be courteous of not taking photos during prayer times, and also covering up and taking off your shoes to enter the mosques.
Most mosques don’t require you to cover your head (the Blue Mosque did), but bring a scarf just in case you do, or in case you need to cover your shoulders.
Panoramic View Cafes in Istanbul Are Incredible
My memory of Istanbul sounds a bit like a foreign romance novel, but that’s exactly how I’d describe it: “We ran through the cobblestone streets of Istanbul in flowing dresses and floppy hats, flying up the staircases of the many dainty cafes with rooftop terraces until we found the perfect one. It had colorful wooden chairs and a view of the Bosphorous that took all of our breath’s away. Sun set at the same time prayer was called at the magnificent mosque behind us, and birds flew across the sky like they were posing for the perfect photo.”
Granted…all of that was to get the perfect Instagram photo, but the entire experience was something that felt like it was straight out of a movie. And I’m not just saying that because it’s the name of my blog. Anyway, the many rooftop cafes in Istanbul range from chic, to rustic, to romantic, and all offer these beautiful panoramic views of the city.
One that I really liked was near where I was staying at the W Istanbul, and it was called Vogue Cafe and Bar. If you want to stay somewhere nice that’s in walking distance to everything, and has a really fun night life vibe, I’d definitely recommend the W!
Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons are Bucketlist Worthy
There’s a good chance that you know exactly what I’m talking about already, but I’ll explain it just in case you haven’t scrolled through Instagram lately. Cappadocia (pronounced either “Kap-uh-doak-ya” or “Kap-uh-doe-see-ya”) is a region in central Turkey that is firstly famous for the epic photos of hot air balloons people take there. No joke, people go to Cappadocia specifically to do the hot air balloons at sunrise, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t one of them.
What makes the hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia different than anywhere else in the world, is the stunning scenery in the backdrop. The region has these unique bullet-shaped rock formations, and extinct volcanoes that are covered in snow year-round. When I went in February it was also technically winter, so there was also snow on the ground which made it even more impressive. Yes, it was freezing, but we had fun sharing bundled up selfies with an adorable group of girls our age from China!
The hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia cost around $70-100 depending on the company and time of year you go! They go up every morning at sunrise as long as the winds are not faster than 10 km/hr, and it’s not raining or snowing.
Cappadocia’s (Literal) Hidden Highlights
As I already admitted, I wanted to go to Cappadocia specifically to do the hot air balloon ride. I had no freaking idea that the area is basically one giant UNESCO site, and even decided that it should be added to the list of World Wonders. When I said “Hidden Highlights”, I literally meant it, because the other awesome thing that Cappadocia has, is Underground Cities and Cave Hotels.
Remember Fraggle Rock? That’s what the Underground Cities reminded me of. Two to four levels of caves and tunnels carved out by hand which took over 3000 years to fully complete exists in Cappadocia. The most mind-boggling part is that there isn’t just one of them, there’s over thirty! These underground cities were built for the local people to seek refuge in during times of extreme weather or attacks.
The best preserved one is called Kaymakli, but forewarning: it involved crouching through tunnels and some slightly steep passageways.
Want to know where they lived when they weren’t hiding out underground? In homes carved out of the rock formations, many of which are now converted into hotels! That’s right, in Cappadocia you can sleep in a cave hotel! I stayed in one, and it was freaking AWESOME! I even got to taste homemade wine that was made by the extremely attractive son of the owner of the hotel!
If you’re interested, the hotel I stayed at in Cappadocia was: Amber Cave Suites ($48/night)(If you go, and you see the wine-making son, tell him to DM me on Instagram.)
More deals on cool cave hotels:
World Heritage Sites in the West
West Turkey has some incredible World Heritage Sites that will literally make you feel like you’re in Rome or Athens. The beautiful coastal area of Izmir looks like it’s part of the Mediterranean Coast, and there are ancient ruins quite similar to what you’d see in the aforementioned places. If you stop at Ephesus ($10 entry fee) you can walk amongst some massive ruins that are all still very well preserved.
The theater is the most impressive with its stadium seating for over 25,000 people, but as far as eye candy is concerned; the library takes the cake! Well…it’s what used to be the library…now it’s just the entry facade, but the open air behind it makes it all the more stunning! If you’re the type who likes toilet humor, you’ll appreciate touring through the ancient communal men’s bathroom; where the seats are all next to each other on long benches, because that’s where they would go to talk politics.
Heaven on Earth, AKA Pamukkale’s Natural Infinity Pools
For those of you who got through the intro to this post, THIS is the site I was talking about when I said i was on my way to see something exciting! I actually had no idea what I was going to Pamukkale to see until Steph Be from TravelBreak mentioned it, and that literally happened this morning!
All I can say about Pumakalle is that this is exactly what I live to travel for! The mind-blowing natural formations in off the beaten track locations, and the wild adventure of getting there! Oh maybe I should mention what it is.
First of all, although it was a bit chilly, that white stuff is NOT snow or ice! It’s Calcium deposits! And they happened to form fancy travertine infinity pools a
I won’t get all scientific on you, but I will tell you that it costs about $7 to enter the park, and that unfortunately there are always a lot of people there. SO. How in the heck did we get photos with no people in them? We went during off season (winter), and we waited until right before closing time to exit. There was literally no one in or around the pools so we shimmied down to our shimmies and pranced around the hot pools!
We also went last minute paragliding (hence the oversized jackets and shoes) which is a bit pricier at $60, but definitely worth it if you want an aerial view of the travertine pools!
The hotel I stayed at was nearby and included a free shuttle to the park: Venus Hotel
I did all of this in a week and a half with the help of World Tourism Forum, Blogger Casting, and my wonderful new friend Lutfi who is starting a local tour company! If you decide to go to Turkey, and want to do some of the things I’ve done, please show some love to the companies I’ve mentioned, I promise that they’re the best!
If this post helped you at all, or if you have any tips for other readers, I’d love to hear from you below!
Hi there.
Ever since I was a young woman (12yrs old) and I read Nancy Drews The Mysterious Mannequin where she goes to Turkey I have always, for 40 years, wanted to go to Istanbul. But being a very inexperienced traveler and fear I have never taken the leap…Your travel bogs give me courage and makes me feel I can do this so now I am going to realize a life long dream of mine.
Thank you Alyssa!
dmtarver@hotmail.com
Amazing!! I hope you go! Did you?
Hi Alyssa! Planning a trip to Turkey this August. Quick question, how did you get from Izmir to Pammukale. I’m thinking about renting a car and making the drive.
This is too late but we flew! Did you end up driving?
I traveled to Turkey last year and was blown away by the beauty and friendliness of the place. As a redhead, friends and family told me to cover or dye my hair, such backwards thinking, I never felt any fear, it was like walking around NYC. I highly recommend a visit, hire a guide, Mert Taner is the best, public transportation is a dream, shopping is the best!
So awesome! Thank you Jane! Glad you had an awesome time in Turkey! 😀
wow this article is perfect for what I was looking for! I’m planning to go to Turkey soon and this post has all the infos I needed 😉 thanks Alyssa!
Hi Alyssa,
What AirBnb did you stay at in Barcelona?
Nice article posted thanks for the info. Looking forward to read your blog more often.
Yes, yes yes, YEEES to this post! I have wanted to go to Turkey for so long, and LOVED reading this! It is unfortunate how accidents and bad things are portrayed in a way that makes us scared to go there – imagine all the beauty we are missing out on! 🙂 Pinning and sharing this on all social media platforms! Thank you for writing this, Alyssa!