Unexpected Travel Adventures in Turkey
May 30, 2021
In my opinion, Turkey is the most underrated travel site. I had no idea how amazing and beautiful this country was until I had the opportunity to travel there. Not only were the views breathtaking, but the people, culture, and activities were unlike anything I’ve seen before. That’s why I’m calling this post “unexpected” travel adventures, because this country totally took me by surprise, in the best way possible.
We got to work with an amazing travel planning company with Murat and his team. They were absolutely incredible and dedicated to making sure we had the best, most unforgettable, time. And, boy did we!
Scenery & Landscape
I had no idea just how beautiful Turkey actually is. Exploring Istanbul was an amazing experience. It’s the largest city in Turkey and is full of amazing architecture, culture, and historical monuments. I think what makes Istanbul so beautiful is that it’s the home to 3,000 mosques, which are all so unique. A few of the popular ones that we got to see were the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, and the Süleymaniye Mosque. The Bosphorus Strait is also full of scenery. On the strait, you can get panoramic views of the gorgeous city.
Another amazing location in Turkey, that offers the most unexpectedly beautiful views, is Cappadocia. This is was one of the coolest landscapes I’ve ever seen. We stayed at the Argos of Cappadocia, which is a hotel literally built into caves and tunnels. The city is known for its tall, rock formations commonly known as “fairy chimneys.” If you plan to visit Turkey, I recommend seeing both Istanbul and Cappadocia.
Activities & Site-Seeing
Turkey has to offer so many fun, unique activities. Did you know Turkey is the hot air balloon capital of the world? This brings us to the first activity that surprised me: soaring through the sky on a magical hot air balloon ride. Wow, I mean what an experience. Murat and his team made it even more special by adding a Big Guy Big World banner to the front of our balloon. Floating through the sky, surrounded by hundreds of other hot air balloons at sunrise, unexpectedly turned out to be one of my favorite excursions I’ve ever taken.
The next site I would highly recommend seeing is the Pamukkale thermal pools. This was surprisingly so interesting and fun. Cleopatra used these hot springs to bathe in. Pretty cool, right? This city is also the site of the well-preserved ruins of the Greek-Roman city Hierapolis, and the home to an ancient Roman burial ground, with over 2,708 known Roman graves. Needless to say, I would highly recommend checking it out.
Culture & People
The culture in Turkey is so unexpectedly unique. Exploring the streets of Turkey, indulging in Turkish cuisine, and browsing through their outdoor bazaars are truly unforgettable experiences. The people are so kind, and they truly care about their environment and preserving the beauty of Turkey. They value fresh produce, their landscape, and, most of all, their people. It’s truly an inspiring experience to see how the Turkish culture flourishes.
In conclusion, Turkey definitely took my surprise. I had no idea just how beautiful this county is. I would highly recommend visiting and exploring all that Turkey has to offer, I promise you won’t be let down. Sometimes beauty comes from the most unexpected places, Turkey definitely showed me that.
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Big Guy Big World is a travel blog, following Mark Jacoby’s journey as a big guy on a bigger journey, exploring the world during a global pandemic. Follow along as we experience some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic places.