Travel
He said, she said: Did both husband and wife enjoy a blistering trip to Türkiye?
A stunning, rich well of ANZAC history, hot air balloons, underground cave systems and more.
By Leonie Jarrett
Leonie and Andrew had always wanted to go to Türkiye.
They finally got there in July 2024, visiting Istanbul, Gallipoli (as a day trip from Istanbul) and Cappadocia. Other than a few guided day tours, they travelled independently, just the two of them.
Leonie and Andrew found Türkiye easy to navigate and had no language issues, but Google Translate is always handy to have in your back pocket.
Whilst the trip was amazing, it is very hot in Türkiye in July, and temperatures reached 30 to 35 degrees everyday when Leonie and Andrew were visiting – so beware!
So, what were your first impressions?
Andrew
I’ve always wanted to make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli and learn more about our ANZAC history. To be honest, everything else we saw or experienced in our visit to Türkiye was a bonus for me.
I am delighted to say that Türkiye turned out to be so much more than Gallipoli and I can’t wait to visit again and see more.
Leonie
My first impressions of Istanbul were unfortunately of the health system, which despite the disappointment of getting injured on holiday, turned out to be a smooth experience.
I had injured my eye in Puglia and I needed to see an eye doctor. The hotel concierge sent us to a nearby clinic, Medicana. I was prepared to use Google Translate but an English translator appeared within minutes and I was ushered in to see an Ophthalmologist almost immediately.
I saw him three times over the next eight days and I could not have been more impressed by the care I received and the facilities.
Luckily, I have no lasting damage to my eye, but I will always be hyper-aware of laundry detergent capsules from now on. If they explode into your eye, they are nasty!
A few days in Bodrum were consumed by my eye treatment, but we can visit Bodrum another time.
Where did you stay?
Andrew
We stayed in Istanbul for eight days, followed by three days in Cappadocia.
In Istanbul, we opted to stay outside the old town close to the eye hospital in a hotel with all the “mod cons.”
In the charming tourist town of Göreme in Cappadocia, we opted to stay in a picture postcard cave house, albeit without the “mod cons”. So our accommodation experience in Türkiye was mixed.
Leonie
While in Istanbul, we stayed at the Hilton Istanbul Bakirkoy. It is a beautiful hotel overlooking the Marmara Sea but it is about a twenty-minute drive from the historical part of Istanbul where most people want to visit (about AUD$20.00 each way in a taxi). If you’re feeling game to take the subway, it’s worth it and super cheap – less than AUD$1.00 a trip – but it took us a couple of days to work this out!
One of the bonuses of the Hilton Istanbul Bakirkoy was a large swimming pool surrounded by many lounges. This was the perfect spot to come back to after a big morning of sight-seeing, we even spent a couple of “rest days” by the pool.
In Göreme, we stayed at the Shoestring Cave Hotel. The bonus of this hotel was a swimming pool and a central location. The minus was a lack of air conditioning (a major fail by us!!).
What did you think of the food?
Andrew
I thought the food in Türkiye was expensive in comparison to Greece and Italy and it was probably the lowlight of my Türkiye trip. I also found the food too touristy, but next visit, we need to venture further away from the key tourist sites and I am sure we will then find more authentic (and cheaper) food.
Leonie
The food was good without being a real highlight. Others rave about the food so maybe we didn’t look hard enough. We had some delicious grilled meat, especially lamb which is a favourite of mine. I also loved the Turkish delight – the price varied a bit but the more expensive Turkish delight was soft and mooreish!
We had evening drinks and dinner at rooftop restaurants in Göreme. Not only were the rooftop terraces blessedly cool, the views were to die for! Very memorable evenings.
What did you think of the sights?
Andrew
The sights were incredible. Gallipoli was a wonderful day trip, we shared a minibus full of fellow Australian and Kiwi ANZAC pilgrims. A special acknowledgement to the Turkish people for the way they so respectfully and reverently have preserved the Gallipoli battlefield and made it so accessible to visitors.
Istanbul itself is an absolute time capsule of historical treasures. The amount of remaining Roman buildings and structures is significant, with the highlights for me being the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and the city walls.
Istanbul was a capital of various Empires for centuries although it is not the capital of Türkiye now – Ankara became the capital in 1923.
Fun fact - previously known as Constantinople and Byzantium (and other names too!), the name Istanbul was only officially decreed in 1930.
Leonie
Amazing!
Istanbul – what can I say? I’ll start with the surprise for me which is the modern, cosmopolitan city. The most populous European city (16 million people), there are modern skyscrapers, efficient (and super cheap) subways, all sitting side by side with ancient buildings.
For mine, though, the historical centre of Istanbul – a UNESCO World Heritage site - is the star. Touring The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace was better than I even hoped it would be. We maximised the experience by taking a guided tour which we booked through GetYourGuide. (We love GetYourGuide – everything including directions to the starting point of the tour is readily accessible via an app and you don’t pay for the tour until just before it is to occur).
The standout for me was the Basilica Cistern. They are absolutely, mind-blowingly beautiful! No longer operational, they are now just a tourist site. When they were part of the city’s water source, fish were kept there. If the fish lived, the city knew that no enemy had poisoned the water!!
We did a long day tour to Gallipoli (we left at 7am and returned at 9pm). I am not sure that I would do this again – the drivers drove verrrry fast and there was hours of driving. That said, I found the day exceptionally moving. Gut-wrenching in fact. Our guide told us a lot of stories but, for me, the most affecting site was the rows and rows of headstones. So many were inscribed, “Their glory shall not be blotted out.”
Cappadocia (pronounced more like Kapadockia) was a three day delight! We stayed in Göreme (in my opinion, the only place to stay). The town at night, the view of the town from a hot air balloon, the hot air balloon show on the ground at sunrise, the cave houses, the fairy chimneys… they all add up to a truly magical experience.
What were your highlights?
Andrew
This might be surprising but the highlight for me on this trip to Türkiye was the desert region of Cappadocia. So much to see and do!
We went up in a hot air balloon which in itself was an experience of a lifetime. Another morning, we were bedazzled by the number and colour of hot air balloons which silently brushed the rooftop of our hotel as we lazed back admiring the display of a lifetime.
We visited the Hittite underground city of Derinkuyu where thousands of people lived in a cave system carved up to 100m underground. It has to be seen to be believed and truly appreciated.
Also the fairy cave houses of Göreme are like nothing else I have ever seen.
The Roman history in Istanbul came a close second for me in terms of being the highlight of the trip but Cappadocia was the big surprise and winner for me.
Leonie
I had wanted to visit Istanbul and Gallipoli for many years so finally visiting both was a “pinch me” highlight.
With Istanbul, it was the historical sights mixed and mingled with the modern city that surprised me.
With Gallipoli, it was the sadness of the absolute waste of (young) life. It is a naturally beautiful setting which, if anything, made it worse. It was powerfully sad.
Cappadocia, though, knocked my socks off! Göreme lit up at night was a golden fairyland, floating in a hot air balloon was one of the highlights of my life and exploring the fairy chimneys and ancient cave houses was astonishing!
What are your lasting impressions?
Andrew
I can’t wait to go back. Türkiye is a modern, friendly, easy to visit country jam-packed with historical treasures.
On my next visit, I’d like to visit the islands and seaside towns. I’m also keen to try more Turkish food.
Istanbul has so much history and things to see and do that I’ll be very happy to spend a few days there on every visit I ever have to Türkiye.
Leonie
I loved our first taste of Türkiye! It was ancient, it was modern, it was naturally beautiful and it was cosmopolitan!
Istanbul is a melting pot, as an Australian, Gallipoli is a place I felt that I needed to visit and Cappadocia was like nowhere else I have ever been.
Anything you would do differently?
Andrew
I wouldn’t change anything really, a great trip! Cappadocia was the jewel in the crown for me!!!
I can’t wait to go back and see more of Türkiye. I’d actually love to cruise in or out of Istanbul – cruising down the Bosphorus Strait which straddles Europe and Asia, surrounded by the ancient and modern metropolis that is Istanbul would be a thrill!
Leonie
I wouldn’t go to Türkiye in July again unless it was for a beach holiday. It was just TOO HOT! Another time of year though, and I’d go back in a heartbeat.
I also would double-check that my accommodation had air conditioning. And a pool but I can sacrifice a pool. I must have become a princess in my “old age” as sleeping in the heat without air-conditioning was not fun. We were able to open our windows so we caught some breeze but we also caught the 4.15am call to prayer at full volume and then the propane bursts of the hot air balloons at 5.30am. I needed to return to Istanbul for a good sleep!!
All in all, though, the heat was a small part of what was an unbelievable experience! We will definitely return to Türkiye. Did Andrew say cruise in or out of Istanbul? Yes please, I’m in!!
Andrew and Leonie’s trip to Türkiye was self-funded.
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About Andrew and Leonie
Married for 32 years, Andrew and Leonie are huge travellers with so much more to see.
Andrew is 56 and before retiring he trained in marketing and owned several businesses. His mission for the rest of his life is to have fun and catch as many fish as he can!
Leonie is 56 and semi-retired. She trained in law and has also owned several businesses during her working life. Her mission for the rest of her life is to write another chapter – she’s just not sure what that is yet.
Andrew and Leonie played tennis together as teenagers and have been married for 32 years. They have four grown children and two furbaby Golden Retrievers. They’ve travelled to all seven continents and over 50 countries. Their mission for the rest of their life is to make the most of every day and travel until they get tired of it!
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