Every visitor has their own list of activities or unique experiences from their time in Turkey because of Turkey’s rich array of cultural, historical and culinary delights.
When you visit Turkey, you should definitely experience some of its uniqueness.
In this blog, you will find some unique experiences that you will only, see, hear and feel in Turkey.
Be pampered in a Turkish Hamam
The ancient practice of a Turkish bath is a must try experience when visiting Turkey.
Indulge yourself in around 45 minutes of washing, scrubbing and massage at a traditional Turkish bath. You can stay in the establishment for as long as you like and can relax in the hot rooms whilst sweating next to the marble Kurma. Experience relaxing on a warm marble slab called a ‘gobektasi’ whilst an attendant scrubs every inch of your body using a foam filled cloth for a sudsy massage. Linger in the bathing area and relax while sipping a sweet sherbet drink or a Turkish tea.
Usually, female and male sections are separated and you will have to choose between many different services on offer in most hamams when you enter. A traditional Turkish bath package will normally include 45 minutes of washing, traditional body scrubbing, with a hand woven cloth known as a ‘kese’, a foam wash and a massage.
You will be provided with a peshtemal, a thin cotton towel to wrap yourself in and a regular towel, for use after bathing.
When your experience is over, it is normal to tip the attendants so best to have some cash available.
Sample a Boyoz Pastry in Izmir
If you happen to pass through or visit Izmir, you must try Boyoz. It’s a Turkish street pastry much loved in Izmir particularly, and is the only city where boyoz is prepared and sold.
It’s a crispy pastry made with flour, oil and a little tahini (peanut paste). The locals choose to accompany them with hard boiled eggs and a glass of Turkish tea. It’s usually eaten for breakfast but makes for a great snack at any time. Eat a boyoz warm and you will definitely want more and more.
Mesmerize yourself, watching the ‘Rumi’ in Konya
In Konya, you can enjoy watching the spinning dervishes. The mystical ritual of the Mevlevi was named after the founder Rumi (Mevlana), and was originally from Konya.
It was declared a UNESCO Heritage of Humanity.
The ‘Sema’ ceremony is the spiritual journey and ascent to ‘perfection’ to God.
The experience and watch the spinning dervishes is truly mesmerizing and an experience of music with the unique movements of the dervishes who follow Rumi. It’s a truly unforgettable and quite magical experience.
Fill yourself to the brim with a traditional Turkish breakfast
Turkish breakfasts are simply amazing and extremely filling!
They include many different flavors and textures from various cheeses and jams, to eggs and pastries. You can expect as many as 20 dishes to be spread across the table with a delicious mix of sweet and savory. The essential of the typical Turkish breakfast is bread, accompanied by an array of items including cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, butter, honey, jams, eggs, pastries and many other delicious items.
Different regions across Turkey have slightly different options with their Turkish breakfast, so where ever you visit, the Turkish breakfast will never be exactly the same.
Experience a magical fairytale in Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a unique and mesmerizing landscape with famous fairy chimneys. Cappadocia is a member of the UNESCO World Heritage List and it’s no wonder why because of its natural beauty.
You can stay in cave hotels, ride in a hot air balloon, watch the sunrise over the spectacular landscape, explore underground cities and hike in Love Valley that’s full of wild flowers and stunning red and rose rock canyons.
Visit the magnificent Blue Mosque in Istanbul
A visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is a must. It was built between 1609 and 1616. It’s an Ottoman era historical imperial mosque and is still functioning today.
This beautiful mosque is a popular landmark for tourists and attracts a large number of visitors each year.
It is known as the Blue Mosque because of its beautiful blue tiles surrounding the walls of the interior. The architecture is magnificent and its best viewed when approaching from the Hippodrome on the west side of the mosque.
Take the plunge off a mountain peak and paraglide in Fethiye Mugla
A very unique and brave experience for all adrenaline junkies has to be paragliding off the top of a mountain at 1981 meters! You will have spectacular aerial views of the stunning surrounding landscape with the Blue Lagoon and mountain ranges. This experience definitely is not for the faint hearted but it is a once in a lifetime experience as this is one of the highest commercial take-off sites in the world.
Go shopping at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul
This immense bazaar is one of the most attractive and largest covered bazaars in the world. It contains thousands of shops selling everything from jewellery to clothing and from souvenirs to carpets. This grand bazaar dates from the 15th century and has many international visitors every year.
A walk through this bazaar is a journey amidst enchanting scents of spices, vivid dazzling colors and hypnotizing sounds.
You can find beautiful handicrafts and waft the smell of fresh Turkish coffee. During the peak summer season the number of daily visitors can reach up to half a million!
The bazaar is like a maze and you are sure to leave with a lot more souvenirs than expected.
It’s located in the district of Fatih, and contains 4400 authentic shops, 25000 full time staff, 61 covered streets, 18 entrances that open to various points in the city, mosques and fountains. The Grand Bazaar is open from Monday to Saturday but closed on Sundays.
Embark on an adventure with Turkey’s Orient Express (Eastern Express) from Istanbul to Kars
This Dogu Ekspress (Eastern Express) is an overnight train journey from Istanbul to Kars.
On the journey you will pass through some of the most beautiful destinations in Turkey.
The view from the windows is spectacular no matter the season, and is a highly recommended experience for explorers and photographers.
The train starts its journey from Haydarpasa terminal at around 18.00 and arrives in Kars Station the next day at around 18.30 meaning the journey is around 24 hours in total.
You will pass through many locations and stop at eleven provincial capitals.
Firstly the train travels through Gebze and onto Izmit. The beautiful scenery starts with the Bay of Izmit. You will pass through the Sakarya plain and onto Arifye where the scenery changes to mountain views all the way to Eskisehir. Passing through many gorges and onto Bilecik you will experience views of the Anatolian Plateau. By morning, you arrive in Turkey’s capital city Ankara.
After a break you will continue to Kirikkale and onto Kayseri. After a break in Sivas the scenery once again takes on mountain views.
After climbing towards the Armenian Highlands, the journey takes a break in Erzurum and then continues onto Kars where it arrives in the evening.
Witness the popular sport of Oil Wrestling in Turkey
Oil wrestling is the Turkish national sport and is very interesting due to the combatants being completely smothered in oil. The wrestlers wear short leather trousers called ‘Kispet’ in Turkish, made from water buffalo leather, weighing approximately 13kg. They cover themselves in olive oil before entering the grassy ring.
Every year there is a festival in Kirkpinar for oil wrestling contests that is recognized as part of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage. Oil wrestling is one of the oldest sport manifestations in the world since 1357.
The combatants fight for the Kirkpinar Golden Belt and the title of Chief Pehlivan.
Kirkpinar oil wrestling has been bounded with a tradition of almost 650 years and has millions of spectators. It’s definitely worth a watch.