Over the Easter break, we decided to spend a week in Turkey — we were after something warm, affordable, and full of culture. When I stumbled across some cheap flights to Istanbul, the decision was made!
I’d actually visited Istanbul about 15 years ago, and I remembered loving it. So I figured — now that I’m older and wiser 😄 — it was time to go back and see what’s changed. My fiancé had never been, so it felt like the perfect new adventure for us.
We spent four days in Istanbul, exploring the city’s famous landmarks, soaking up the atmosphere, and of course, eating our way through all the delicious Turkish food. We even tried a traditional hammam (Turkish bath) and had a little Ottoman-style photo session, which was a fun and quirky experience! As usual, by the end of the trip, my fiancé could barely walk — we somehow manage to turn every city break into a marathon of sightseeing.
After Istanbul, we flew down to Izmir and took a train to Ephesus — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once a major hub of commerce, religion, and politics in the Roman Empire (it was actually the fourth-largest city in the empire!). It’s also famous for the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
We didn’t spend much time in Izmir itself — it was more of a base for exploring Ephesus — but we did manage to see a few cool spots there (you can read more about that in this post 👉 here.
Overall, our week in Turkey was amazing — full of history, stunning architecture, and unforgettable experiences. We only wished we had more time to explore other regions… but that just means we have to come back!
That said, we didn’t quite nail the “affordable holiday” part 😅. To our surprise, Turkey was more expensive than expected, especially for tourists, who often get the special “tourist price.” I guess that’s what happens when you visit the second most visited city in the world.
We also had a couple of experiences that showed us a bit of the shadier side of Turkey — check out my post here for what to watch out for:
Would I go again? Absolutely!
Turkey is bursting with history, beauty, and character. But next time, I’ll go in knowing that as a tourist, I’m basically a walking dollar sign — and I’ll be a little more mentally prepared for it. 😄
