Turkey

Turkey, that country straddling Europe and Asia, is one of our favourite travel destinations in the world. Whether you’re strolling the back alleys of Istanbul, meandering around the souks, or eating the local cuisine, we find it to be a breath-taking dive into culture.

Istanbul, the capital, crowns the country for us. We visited twice in the last few years, and we love the mix of influences in the city.

Whether it’s visiting the Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque – both must-visit sites in the city – or having a hamman, where they scrub the skin off you to reveal a pinky, fresh layer, the town has so much to offer. Our favourite thing to do is actually just to walk across the Bosphorus river, watching men casting their fishing rods into the water below, before tucking into some streetside fare.

Lee’s all-time favourite dessert even hails from Turkey: kunefe. Essentially a local cheese wrapped in angel hair pastry and topped with chopped pistachios, it’s a delicacy you can’t recreate yourself and must be eaten in Turkey.

We find the best way to explore a city before you land is to soak in literary prose, so if you have the chance, we suggest to read one of the inspiring books from that country. It will definitely inspire you to visit Turkey!