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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...

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...

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...

There is a lot of buzz these days about Göbekli Tepe… Visitors to Turkey are increasingly interested in seeing it if their program permits, but what is Göbekli Tepe, and why is it so important? Located in South Eastern Turkey, near the city of Şanlıurfa, Göbekli Tepe is an...

You’ll see them hung outside and inside homes, in cars, in shops, on bracelets, worn as earrings, on animals, and babies often wear one attached to a small safety pin – it’s the Nazar Boncuğu, which translates to the Evil Eye Bead, and often (incorrectly) called...

Turkey is one of the World’s top 5 producers of olive oil, with the area around Ephesus, and up the Aegean coastline being one of its major production areas.  It is estimated that approximately 76% of Turkey’s olive trees are located in the Aegean region.  Olive...

It’s nearly time for Ramadan, or Ramazan, as it is known in Turkish. This year it will run from 18 June until 16 July.  The date of Ramazan is earlier by approximately 11 days each year because its date is based on the lunar calendar. When Ramazan is over it wil...

Every country has its traditional customs around engagement and marriage, and engagement in Turkey is no different.  Although times are rapidly changing, today as you drive through some small rural villages, you may see glass bottles placed on the roof of the house. This is a...