Start in Istanbul, where commuter ferries cross the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia and gulls wheel behind them. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque stand above Sultanahmet, yet fish markets, tea gardens and neighbourhood bakeries show the city at street level. Beyond Istanbul, the country holds very different landscapes and histories. Greek and Roman theatres stand beside working towns on the Aegean coast, while Seljuk caravanserais and stone buildings trace old trade routes across central Anatolia.
In Cappadocia, wind and rain cut volcanic rock into cones and narrow valleys. Early communities carved churches, homes and underground shelters into the soft stone. Along the Mediterranean, pine-covered mountains run down to small coves, where the ruins of Lycian towns sit above the water. Far to the east, Lake Van lies below high plateaus, and Akdamar Island holds an Armenian church with carved biblical scenes.
Food changes with the landscape. Cooks in Gaziantep use pistachios in baklava and pair kebabs with sharp salads. Black Sea kitchens cook anchovies with corn and dark greens. At breakfast, plates of cheese, olives, eggs, tomatoes and bread gather around small glasses of tea. Leave time for neighbourhoods beyond the headline sights, linger over a meal, and see more of Turkey.
