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Turkey tulip festival

Turkey’s Tulips

So, one of the most frequent questions I get asked as a tour guide is “what’s going on with Turkey’s tulips? Tulips are everywhere!”.  It’s true, tulips have a very special place in Turkey, and given that the official tulip season is just around the...

18 March Canakkale Victory and Martyr’s Day

Today is a special day in Turkey. 18 March is known in Turkey as Canakkale Victory and Martyr’s Day. It’s an important day, and this year it is the 101st anniversary of Turkey’s defeat of Allied battleships who tried to take control of the Dardanelles, shelling...
Selcuk Pazar

Selcuk Bazaar

For Turkish families, no week is complete without a trip to our local bazaar (pazar) to stock up on our fresh fruit and vegetables for the week ahead.  We’ve been doing this since Ottoman times, and our bazaars stock so much more than food – cleaning products,...

What do Ebru & Oil Wrestling Have in Common?

It’s true that Ebru (the art of marbling) and Oil Wrestling don’t have much in common, however, they are both listed by UNESCO as cultural traditions requiring protection. When you think about the UNESCO World Heritage list, you generally think about places (and...
Fireworks in Istanbul on New Years Eve

New Year’s Eve in Turkey

Well here we are, on another New Year’s Eve, and it seems that 2015 has flown by. New Year’s Eve in Turkey is a big deal – tonight the streets and restaurants will be full of people celebrating, and families will also gather in their homes to celebrate together...
Silk Road Caravanserais- Sultanhani Caravanserai Turkey

Silk Road Caravanserais

Silk Road caravanserais and the road known as the old Silk Road on which they are built, are still shrouded in mystery and romance today.  In Turkish, the Silk Road is known as the Uzun Yol (Long Road).  This ancient trade route of caravan trails once connected Turkey, Persia...

Saying “I Do” Turkish Style – 10 Facts about Turkish weddings

If you have ever been to a Turkish wedding you will know that they are a lively affair, and that even modern Turkish weddings have a traditional vibe and have a heap of customs and superstitions attached to them.  A Turkish wedding can span over anywhere from three days to just...
Adana Kebab

10 Must-Try Kebabs when you visit Turkey

Visitors to Turkey are often surprised that kebabs are generally not served wrapped in bread and with cheese and a range of sauces as they often are in Western countries.  They are also surprised at the range of kebabs available. Each region in Turkey will generally have their...
Sumela Monastery

Sumela Monastery

Located 46km south of Trabzon in Turkey’s Black Sea region, Sumela Monastery sits dramatically in the side of a cliff and is a must-see if you are visiting the area.  Once upon a time it was a popular destination for Christian and Muslim pilgrims, however today it is...
Manisa Mesir and Folkdance Festival

Top 5 Traditional Festivals in Turkey

1. Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival – this festival is held in July every year in Edirne and draws crowds of thousands.  The wrestlers (known as pehlivan in Turkish) wear traditional trousers made from cowhide (called kisbet) and wrestle, covered in olive oil.  This event...
Zeugma Gypsy Girl Mosaic

Zeugma Mosaics

Zeugma is an ancient city of the Commagene Kingdom, located in what is today the province of Gaziantep in Turkey and dates back to the 3-4th century B.C..  It was established by Seleucus Nicator I, one of Alexander the Great’s commanding generals. Back then it was called...
ladies making traditional gozleme

Gozleme and the flatbread family

You’ll see them all over Turkey – women sitting cross-legged on cushions with a low, small, round wooden table covered in flour, expertly kneading out dough until it forms a paper-thin circle.  Thwack, thwack go their long, thin wooden rolling pins as they deftly coax...