TurkeyIstanbul and Cappadocia, turquoise Riviera and five-star all-inclusive

Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque, opened 1616) — Istanbul's main symbol with 6 minarets. Inside are 20,000 handmade blue tiles from Iznik. Free entry, but closes for 30 minutes during each of 5 daily prayers. Arrive before 7:00 — empty, no vendors in the square. Wear modest clothing, women wear a shawl (provided free). 5 minutes' walk between the mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia (537 AD) — was an Orthodox cathedral, then a mosque, museum, and since 2020 — a mosque again. 31 m dome diameter with no visible supports — a Byzantine engineering marvel. Byzantine mosaics and Christian frescoes preserved. Free entry since 2020. Best time — weekdays 8:00 or 17:00, before prayer. Walk quietly inside, remove shoes.

Launch at 5:30 am — one hour before sunrise. Ascent for 1.5–2 hours to 600–1,000 m above Cappadocia's valleys. See 100+ other balloons suspended in the pink sky. Price 200–280 EUR per person (includes transfer, champagne, certificate). Season April–October, but cancellations possible due to wind (50% of days). Book through Voyager Balloons, Royal Balloon, Cappadocia Voyager — safety leaders.

Pamukkale (Cotton Castle) — white travertine terraces formed by 35°C thermal water saturated with calcium. Rise 200 m above the valley. UNESCO site. You can bathe in Cleopatra's Pool among submerged ancient columns (50 TRY ≈ 1.5 USD). Main complex — 100 TRY. From Antalya — 3 h 30 min by bus, from Istanbul — flight to Denizli (1 h).

Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar, opened 1461) — 30,600 m², 4,000 shops, 18 gates, 60 streets. Main goods — carpets, leather, jewellery, spices, ceramics, tea. Bargaining is mandatory: first price is 2–3 times higher than real, final after haggling — 30–50% of starting price. Safe, open Mon–Sat 9:00–19:00. Beyazıt metro station, right at the entrance. For lunch — Pandeli in the nearby Mısır Çarşı spice market.

The Bosphorus divides European and Asian Istanbul. Regular ferry from Eminönü (Şehir Hatları, 6 TRY ≈ 0.20 USD) — 1.5 hours to Anadolu Kavağı with two stops in Asia. Tourist cruise — 4 hours with stop at Princes' Islands (300 TRY). Yacht charter with captain at sunset — Stambul Marine from 8,000 TRY/hour (≈245 USD), 8 people. Most beautiful — golden hour with Ortaköy Mosque.

Ephesus (founded 11th century BC) — the Mediterranean's best-preserved ancient city. UNESCO site. Main points: Library of Celsus (2nd-century AD columned façade), 25,000-seat theatre, Terrace Houses with frescoes, Temple of Hadrian. 3 km walk. Ticket 700 TRY (≈22 USD), Terrace Houses additional 240 TRY. From Selçuk — 3 km. Best time — opening at 8:00.

Bodrum on the Aegean coast — Turkey's 'Saint-Tropez'. Bitez — quiet family beach with sandy bottom; Yalıkavak — premium with D-Marin superyacht marina; Gümbet — youth-oriented with bars; Torba — quiet coves for meditation. Aegean Sea clearer than Mediterranean. Mandarin Oriental, Caresse, EDITION — best five-star resorts.

Çemberlitaş Hamamı (opened 1584) — Istanbul's oldest operating hammam. 1.5 hours: steam room (15 min), foam massage with kese on marble platform (40 min), kerim scrub (15 min), rest with tea. Price 2,000 TRY (≈60 USD), separate men's/women's sections. Alternatives — Cağaloğlu Hamamı (1741, even more opulent), Süleymaniye Hamamı (couples only).