Top Experiences in Turkey

• TOP EXPERIENCES IN TURKEY

  
  
  

  TAKE A BOAT UP THE BOSPHORUS

  A boat cruise along the Bosphorus is one of the most pleasant ways to see the sprawling, beautiful city of Istanbul. From the ferry's vantage point, you'll see monuments like the Dolmabahçe and Ciragan palaces; Ortaköy Mosque sat right on the water's edge; and beautiful waterfront palaces called yalıs, that were summer homes for the Ottoman elite. You'll also crawl under the waterway's two suspension bridges, which connect Asia and Europe. While on board, sip a glass of Turkish tea and hear to the calls of the seagulls as you witness this beautiful meeting of two continents.

• SCRUB DOWN IN A TURKISH BATH

  Before the era of indoor pipes, going to a hammam, or city bath, was a central element of Turkish life. Today many wonderful centuries-old hammams are still in use, by both locals and tourists. In the hammam's steam room, you can relax on the heated marble floor in the center and clean yourself at one of the limestone washbasins. If you choose, you'll also be washed, scrubbed, and massaged by a hammam employee, whose goal looks to be to remove every last dry skin cell from the outside of your body. You'll emerge ultraclean, renewed, and having taken part in an age-old Turkish tradition..

• STAY IN A CAVE HOTEL

  Where but in Cappadocia can you nap like the Flintstones while having all your human comforts? Few of Cappadocia's citizens still live in traditional homes carved out of the soft tufa rock. But in current years, the area's hoteliers have been turning more and more of these "cave" homes into hotels, which range from basic inns for backpackers to upscale rooms with plush furnishings, modern lighting, and fully equipped baths, some even with Jacuzzis. Circled by Cappadocia's magical scene, tucked cozily into your cave room at night, you'll feel almost as if you're on another planet.

• THE WHIRLING DERVISHES SHOW

  Turkey is known for its "whirling dervishes," a sect of Sufi mystics, the Mevlevi, who accept that ritual spinning in circles will take them to union with God. This trancelike swirling is just one part of the sema, a highly symbolic spiritual ceremony that also includes music and Koranic reading. Notwithstanding the fact that these dervish ceremonies have frequently become tourist-oriented in recent years, tending a sema can still be a great and mesmerizing happening. Seeing the dervishes whirl is one of the main draws of the festival celebrating Rumi in Konya each December; there are also proper dervish performances (although not all of them terribly authentic) in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey.
  
  

• TAKE A BLUE CRUISE

  One of the most attractive and relaxing ways to feel Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean beaches is to take a Blue Cruise aboard a wooden fishing boat. Lasting several days (or longer), these cruises take passengers along the sharp coastline, with stops to visit remains or villages. Away from the seaside crowds, you'll enjoy the pure pleasures of swimming in isolated coves, sleeping on your boat in a wooded bay and eating fresh-caught fish.

• QUENCH YOUR THIRST LIKE THE LOCALS

  Travel to Turkey isn't concluded without testing individual quintessentially Turkish drinks. You can barely go anywhere without being given a glass of çay, or tea: the lubricant for every cultural and business encounter; it's drunk in Turkey at one of the world's highest rates per capita. The modern Turkish coffee, a thick, unfiltered brew made with remarkably finely ground coffee beans, is in fact drunk far less regularly—primarily just on special events and as a digestive after meals. For something cold, try the universal ayran, light, salted yogurt drink that's a refreshing complement to a spicy meal of kebabs. The extra unique beverage is salep; a sweet, milk-based hot drink served during the winter months. And don't forget to try the anise-flavored national liquor, rakı.

• SEE CAPPADOCIA FROM ABOVE

  Taking a tour in a hot-air balloon is a thrilling way to see the fantastic landscape of Cappadocia; for many travelers, this is a highlight of their visit to the region. As your balloon follows the natural shapes of the terrain, you'll look below into beautiful valleys and cruise right past "fairy chimneys" and unusual rock structures that seem almost close enough to touch. Flights depart at dawn when the air is smoothest and safest for flying, and end with a champagne toast.

• EXPERIENCE AND APPRECIATE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

  Turkey is a social crossroads where the world's three Abrahamic faiths have synchronized for centuries, and one of the most remarkable things for many visitors is the way these religions are placed. Particularly in Istanbul, but in other locations as well, you'll see antique churches and synagogues right around the corner from mosques. This is an excellent chance to learn about strange religious traditions as you listen to the Muslim call to prayer, tour Istanbul's Jewish Museum, or look at Eastern Orthodox iconography in a Byzantine church.

• TRAVEL THE COUNTRY BY BUS

  Taking a bus in Turkey is a lot like using an airplane in other countries. Since most Turks trip this way, bus terminals are as heavily trafficked as airports, and house a myriad of various companies with buses leaving around the clock for every corner of the country. Seats are selected, with separate males and females usually not seated together. During the ride, a uniformed bus assistant will always come around giving water, snacks, coffee and tea for no extra charge; he'll also offer you lemon-scented cologne to restore your face and hands. Long-haul buses stop every few hours at a rest stop so passengers can smoke, use the toilet, or just stretch their legs.

• WANDER AMONG RUINS

  With so many improvements having occupied the land that is now Turkey, it's no wonder that the country is bedewed with ancient ruins. The relics of Roman and Greek cities, with their principal theaters, stadiums, temples, and colonnaded arcades, face with even older sites dating back to the Hittites. From shore side Patara and Olympos to Termessos high up in the hills to the inland Aphrodisias, each spot is uniquely charming. At the best-preserved places like Ephesus and Troy, you'll be among many visitors wondering at the ruins, but at sites that are more off the beaten path, you'll be free to roam and travel with virtually no one else around.