My Favorite Market in Istanbul: Çarşamba Pazarı

My Favorite Market in Istanbul: Çarşamba Pazarı

The Çarşamba Pazarı, or Wednesday Market, is hands down my favorite market in Istanbul. I visited six different open air markets while living in Istanbul, and although each one holds a special place in my heart, the Çarşamba Market is the one I will continue…

A Very Turkish Weekend: Urla Wine Route and The Alaçatı Herb Festival

A Very Turkish Weekend: Urla Wine Route and The Alaçatı Herb Festival

After spending the morning visiting Ephesus, we continued onward towards the sleepy village of Urla. A short 90 minute drive from Ephesus (and only 30 minutes from Izmir), Urla is located on the large Karaburun Peninsula to the west of Izmir. This is known as…

From One Ancient City to Another: How To Visit Ephesus From Istanbul

From One Ancient City to Another: How To Visit Ephesus From Istanbul

We took a last minute trip from Istanbul to the ancient city of Ephesus in the April of 2019. Despite planning the trip only a few days in advance, it was easily one of the highlights of my two months in Turkey. Ephesus was one…

Wine Tasting in Cappadocia, Turkey

Wine Tasting in Cappadocia, Turkey

We spent a month in Istanbul prior to our visit to Cappadocia, so we were aware that many of the most popular wine labels call central Turkey their home — most notably the Turasan and Kocabağ wineries.  Having done a lot of hiking in Cappadocia,…

How To Get Through Love Valley to Uçhisar Castle

How To Get Through Love Valley to Uçhisar Castle

Love Valley is one of the most hilarious creations I’ve seen from Mother Nature to date. Over millennia, various types of rock, including volcanic ash, have eroded to create dozens of massive, phallic-shaped rock formations, technically known as hoodoos. Love Valley eventually gives way to…

The Absolute Best Hike in Cappadocia

The Absolute Best Hike in Cappadocia

While researching how to fill our time in Cappadocia, one thing was immediately apparent: it is a beautiful landscape to see by hot air balloon, but it must also be spectacular to explore by foot! Although online articles about hiking Red Valley and Rose Valley…

Five Things To Do In Cappadocia When There Are No Hot Air Balloons

Five Things To Do In Cappadocia When There Are No Hot Air Balloons

We visited Cappadocia (Kapadokya), one windy weekend in March of 2019. Due to weather conditions, the hot air balloons did not fly once during our three night stay in Göreme. Despite mild disappointment, we managed to have an absolutely fantastic time — filled with hiking,…

The 17 Best Things to Eat in Istanbul and Where to Find Them

The 17 Best Things to Eat in Istanbul and Where to Find Them

I’ve made it my personal mission to taste as many wonderful foods in Istanbul as possible. This is a list of the absolute best things I’ve had (and none of the bullshit tourist-y foods) and where to find them. See my map at the bottom…