Turkey has increasingly become a preferred tourist destination. By the onset of the millennium, Turkey was gaining momentum but come 2021, Turkey stood proud as the fourth-most visited country in the world. At its height in 2019, pre-pandemic, Turkey attracted 51 million foreign tourists!

Straddled between Asia and Europe, Turkey boasts of a unique Arabian landscape, different from its European counterparts. It boasts a rich history, a vibrant culture, scenic beauty, old architecture and archeological finds and beautiful cities like Istanbul and Ankara which mesmerize with the best of food, glitz and shopping with global and local brands. Turkey’s leather and textile industries are world renowned; its cuisine ranks as one of the best worldwide, from succulent kebabs and meats, to melt-in-the-mouth Baklavas, Khunafas and Turkish delights. Street food and restaurants cater to everyone’s taste buds!

Turkey comprises over 4,000 miles of sun-kissed Aegean and Mediterranean coastline, making it the ideal family beach holiday package. One can choose from places like, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Antalya, with the latter two offering vibes similar to Santorini, Mikonos, across the sea, in Greece. The lunar-like landscape of Cappadocia is a sight to behold, with most adventures revolving around its popular hot-air balloon rides. Cappadocia is famous also for its cave-like experience offered by most hotels built on the sides of hills and cliffs, enabling guests to experience plush living in a fancy cave suite set-up, providing all modern-day facilities of five-star properties, but with a luxurious twist. The Goreme Open Air Museum, Elengubu, an ancient multi-level underground city in Nevsehir Province is another marvel. Cappadocia, voted amongst the seven new natural wonders of the world, stands as a testament to nature’s artistry with its fairy chimneys and landscape sculpted over millennia of volcanic eruptions, blanketing the region with thick ash, a sight unlike any other.

The Kusadasi district, takes its name from the pigeon island at the entrance of the port, is a main tourist attraction comprising the Ephesus, Virgin Mary’s house, Miletus Didyma, Pamukkale, Marmaris and Bodrum. It offers a colourful and lively experience, with its marina and beaches. Kusadasi is Turkey’s second important sea gate. With its Marina and ideal anchorage setting, Kusadasi makes for an excellent shopping area, in addition to its thermal springs, Zeus Caves, Dilek peninsula, National Park and its coves and spas, welcoming visitors in spring, summer and autumn.

The Temple of Apollo, the ancient world’s third largest temple, constructed according to the ionic order, is relatively well preserved. Aphrodisias, named after Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love, is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in Antolia, added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The city gained prominence due to its bounteous marble quarries, resulting in the founding of a sculptor school, to eventually become a center for this art. The impressive remains include the Tetrapylon Gate, the ancient theatre, the stadium and temples. The Aphrodisias Museum displays an impressive collection of statues from this site.

When planning a visit to this vast, diverse and cultural melting pot of the East and West, plan your itinerary without shot-cuts. My 10-day trip centered around just Istanbul, Cappadocia and Kusadasi, proved to be too short to do real justice. Historically, Istanbul has been home to four major empires through history – Roman, Latin, Byzantine and Ottoman. To glaze over just Istanbul would need a week or ten days, with its rich past reflecting in its vibrant city even today, with heritage monuments engorged with relics, sites and archeological gems.

I propose your first visit to Turkey should start and end with Istanbul, with lots of sight-seeing, walking and seeping in the flavour and joy that is this city. Topkapi Palace, created after the Ottoman Empire conquered it, is one of its prominent historical structures, high on the list of must-visits. Add to that the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Dolma Bahche Palace, Galata Tower, Dokhtar tower, the Rostam Pasha Mosque and more. This huge diverse virulent land has indeed become the shining star of those stamped passport pages, right atop the bucket list of most travelers.

Going with a group of like-minded people makes it so much easier and if you are one like me, to have the scare of your bag mishandled by the airline right at the onset of a long trip, make sure your roomie is more or less your size or in the least has the same dress sense as you.