Category: Istanbul & Cappadocia

Istanbul and Cappadocia are the two destinations almost every visitor to Turkey combines with the Aegean coast, and in this category I share what I have learned about both from many years of guiding across the country. Although my home base is Kuşadası, my national guiding licence covers all of Turkey, and these two regions are ones I know well and return to with pleasure.

The Istanbul articles cover the imperial heart of the city — Hagia Sophia, whose dome has crowned the skyline for nearly fifteen centuries; Topkapı Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans; the Blue Mosque with its cascade of domes and six minarets; and the Grand Bazaar, the covered market where four thousand shops have traded for over five hundred years. I also write about the Bosphorus, the neighbourhoods, and how to make sense of a city that sits on two continents at once. The Cappadocia posts introduce the fairy chimneys of Göreme, the rock-cut churches with their Byzantine frescoes, and the astonishing underground cities where early communities sheltered many floors beneath the earth.

Because most of my guests visit these places before or after their time in Ephesus, many articles here focus on planning: how the regions connect, how many days each deserves, and what a first-time visitor should not miss. Turkey is a large country, and a little honest local advice saves a great deal of time.

Whether you are dreaming of the call to prayer echoing over the Golden Horn or a valley of stone chimneys at sunrise, these posts will help you prepare. And since I am licensed to guide throughout Turkey, I would be happy to accompany you in Istanbul or Cappadocia as well — contact me and let us shape your journey together.

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