It was my first time in Turkey , actually I haven’t been so far till this day. I was so impressed by how beautiful this country is. There’s this mix of colors , smells and flavors that makes this part of the world so unique. I really recommend it.
A very comfy hotel , 43 minutes from the airport.
A very modern Cruise port. You’ll find stores and restaurants. Although you’ll find better prices in town the port is a great place for shopping.
Outside the port , you’ll find the beautiful Nusretiye Mosque.
🕗 Visiting hours : 09:00 — 18:00 🕕
🎟️ Entrance Fee : Donation based.
Beautiful sunset in Bodrum.
Around 115 dollars per night , this small hotel is probably the cheapest in town. Loved the food and the staff were really helpful.
The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge , is a road suspension bridge in the province of Çanakkale in northwestern Turkey.
Situated just south of the coastal towns of Lapseki and Gelibolu, the bridge spans the Dardanelles, about 10 km (6.2 mi) south of the Sea of Marmara.
The bridge was officially opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 18 March 2022 after roughly five years of construction.
The year " 1915" in the official Turkish name honours an important Ottoman naval victory against the navies of the United Kingdom and France during World War I.
The bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world—with a main span of 2,023 m (2.023 km; 1.257 mi).
The bridge is the first fixed crossing over the Dardanelles and the sixth one across the Turkish Straits, after three bridges over the Bosphorus and two tunnels under it.
At the port you’ll find a wonderful Tour Center. They’ll be really helpful and they have wonderful free maps. Take time to talk to them.
💡 How many masjids are in Turkey? There is a total of 82,693 mosques in Turkey and most of them are in the country's largest city, Istanbul. Istanbul has total of 3,113 mosques which includes the historical Sultanahmet Mosque and the Suleymaniye Mosque. ( I’ve visited both Mosques , just keep scrolling through)
In Istanbul you see amazing handmade rugs. They are pieces of art.
There are many antiques , gold and jewelry stores in Istanbul.
To enter in the mosques women need to cover their hair. As we get there we were off to find a cheap hijab veil.
With my beautiful Italian friend Nicolly ❤️.
This nice park is located in between Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque. There’s a beautiful fountain over there, also some restaurants and flea markets.
One of the most stunning buildings in Istanbul. It’s definitely a must visit, keep note of prayer times as they close off the mosque for about an hour around 4 times a day. Both exterior and exterior are stunning, there is usually a queue but it moves quick. It’s also required that women cover up their heads and shoulders and legs as a sign of respect and men cover everything above the knee.
At the Sultan’s Park you find beautiful gardens and a wonderful fountain. A place to take a lot of photos.
Cats are everywhere, for real everywhere. Avoid touching them they are not pets like we have at home.
From silk ribbons to ornate carpets, from delicate Turkish teapots to ornate Ottoman lamps, the lantern-lined alleys of İstanbul’s Kapalı Çarşı or Grand Bazaar are home to the city’s finest treasures. In this historic shopper’s paradise, the arched doorways are covered from wall to wall with traditional Turkish antiquities, mementos of your visit and produce.
There are twenty-two gates leading into the covered bazaar from all directions. The Beyazıt Gate is marked with the tuğra (imperial sign) of Sultan Abdülhamit II and the assurance that “God loves the merchants".
Today, the bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, its winding labyrinth filled with up to 4,000 shops and spanning nearly 61 shopping streets and alleys is a feast of retail therapy for the hardy tourist and locals alike.
Well at this restaurant outside the gran bazaar you find really good Turkish food. They have the Kebab which is very traditional and sort of juices you will only find there. I tasted their pomegranate juice , something local and I loved it.
Amazing trip with amazing people. Turkey is unique.
According to the inscription written by Sheikh Hamdullah at the main entrance of the mosque, the construction of the mosque started in 1501 and was opened in 1506 after 5 years of work.
🕕 Visitor hours: 06:00 — 23:00. 🕚
🎟️ Entrance fee: There is no fee at the entrance. You can log in for free.
A beautiful panoramic view from the ship.
It was originally built by Sultan Selim III, but this building burned down completely in 1823. The mosque was rebuilt on behalf of Sultan Mahmut II by the Armenian architect Krikor Amira Balyan under its current name, and completed in 1825. The name Nusretiye (“victory”) refers to the successful suppression of the Janissary revolt
📸 A beautiful photo from my friend Dundley Alfaro.