Amazing Grace: History, Hummus and Happiness When You Travel to Türkiye
To travel to Turkey – or Türkiye, as the country is now officially named – is to fall in love with it. With millennia of history and rich cultural exchange, Türkiye is packed with incredible historical and archaeological sites. Surrounded by four seas, the country has 5,000 miles of coastline, sunny beaches, and world-class resorts. Mountain ranges dominate the center where you’ll find some of the world’s oldest human habitations. The enticing aromas of skewered meat cooking on wood fires greet you at every step. Every region has a varied cast of favorite foods, but kebabs, mezze, and kuru fasulye, the Turkish white bean stew, top the list. As do the accompanying warm Turkish hospitality and endless cups of Turkish tea or coffee.
Are you drawn to historic ruins, vibrant cities, seaside resorts, or wine regions? Türkiye has diverse attractions, and your Enchanting Travels consultant will help you navigate them. Like the delicious layers of the famous Turkish dessert baklava, we know how to build the perfect multi-layered itinerary for your Türkiye vacation.
Travel to Istanbul, once called Byzantium and later Constantinople, capital of the Roman, Ottoman and other empires. Start your discovery of this enthralling city with a cruise on the Bosphorus, a natural waterway that connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara and forms the line that separates Asia and Europe. Spend your time in the Sultanahmet area where most of Istanbul’s landmarks sit: the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome, and lively bazaars.
Fly to Central Anatolia to glide over the surreal rocky landscape of Cappadocia in a hot-air balloon at sunrise. On the ground, explore cone-shaped geological formations (fairy chimneys), cliffs, and cave dwellings on foot, horseback or jeep. The UNESCO World Heritage Site at Goreme has a series of rock-cut churches and monasteries, while Derinkuyu and Kaymakli are subterranean cities that once sheltered 20,000 people. For a deeper insight into local culture, attend a tapestry- or pottery-making workshop and a whirling dervishes ceremony.
Izmir is a historic city on the Aegean coast with excavated ruins and ancient aqueducts. Kemeralti Bazaar is a delight to wander through and savor the city’s famous street food. From Izmir, visit the ruins of the Greek city of Pergamon or the Roman city of Ephesus. Close by is charming Sirince village, studded with olive and orange groves, and vineyards where you can sample local fruit wines and meals made with the freshest local produce.
Türkiye’s finest golden sand beaches and turquoise waters are south on the Aegean coast. Pretty coastal towns like Cesme and Alacati boast luxurious resorts, spas, and charming Greek stone houses. Further south is Bodrum, its harbor filled with yachts in the summer. Taste local Turkish wines, explore Bodrum’s fine dining scene, and visit its 15th-century castle with an underwater archaeology museum.
“Afiyet olsun”, bon appetite and good health, and give us a call when you want to travel to Türkiye.
Popular Trips to Türkiye
Our popular sample itineraries offer you ideas and inspiration about what you can experience in Türkiye with us. Discover the vibrant cities of Istanbul and Izmir, dive into the brilliant blue waters of the Turkish Riviera or explore the unique landscape of Cappadocia on a tailor-made adventure.
From Istanbul to Cappadocia and the Turkish Riviera, uncover the best-loved sights of Türkiye. Through guided private tours, gain a deeper understanding of Turkish history and culture as you explore the Old Town of Istanbul, Cappadocia’s heritage sites, and the ruins of Ephesus at Sirince.
If you are looking for the perfect summer destination with stunning beaches, vibrant culture and fewer crowds, plan a trip to Cesme. It’s a fantastic place to unwind and relax, there are excellent food and wine experiences, and you can also use this as a base to explore the ruins of Ephesus.
Nurit Hod
Travel Consultant
Best Places To Visit
On a private Türkiye tour with us, you can explore some of the most iconic destinations in the country – from timeless Istanbul to the glamorous Turkish Riviera, and charming mountain villages such as Sirince. Select as many places as you wish, or embrace slow travel in your favorite destinations – your Türkiye vacation can be completely customized to your interests.
The spring and fall seasons are the best times to visit Türkiye with pleasant temperatures, low rainfall, and relatively fewer crowds, while summer is great for exploring the coast.
Our destination experts have put together everything you need to know – from practical tips about currency to useful information about local festivals.
Türkiye is a relatively safe and stable destination for tourists. Popular areas such as Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Mediterranean Coast are secure and easy to explore. However, petty crime such as can pickpocketing can occur, so it is always a good idea to remain vigilant, especially in crowded areas. In general, we advise you to exercise caution and read the travel advisory issued by the US government.
What is the best time of the year to visit Türkiye?
Spring and fall are some of the best seasons to visit Türkiye, when the weather is pleasant and crowds are fewer. Summer can be extremely hot in the region. While the winter months offer ideal temperatures in places such as Antalya, it can get quite cold in the eastern parts of the country.
What currency and cards can I use in Türkiye?
The Turkish Lira (TRY or ₺) is the official currency of Türkiye. Mastercard and VISA are accepted across the country, however AMEX is not as widely accepted. Ensure that you have a four-digit PIN for making card payments or withdrawing money from an ATM. We advise you to carry some cash for tipping, visiting remote areas or purchasing from smaller vendors and businesses.
What Our Guests Say
Enchanting Travels is the first travel agency I have ever used. The trip was the first overseas trip I have ever been on. Enchanting Travels really listened to what I wanted, asked plenty of questions so that they understood my goal for the trip, offered suggestions that made our trip even better, and kept in contact with me from start to end. They are very knowledgeable about the locations, the customs of the regions, and what the best experience for you will be. This may have been my first trip, but it will not be my last, and I will definitely be using Enchanting Travels again!
Rating 5/5
Gemma McLendon
USA
Enchanting Travels was successful in what they sought out in helping us make our trip truly Enchanted. It was magical in the ways that their staff showed up on time, the stories they shared on our tours, and the goodbye gift in our final stop. We could not have asked for a more perfect way to celebrate ten years together!
Rating 5/5
Samantha Speir
USA
Shannon listened to our preferences and how we like to travel and designed an amazing vacation for us. Our trip was beautiful and stress free from start to finish!
Rating 4/5
Ellis Carr
USA
So many things we loved! We loved having Anto as our constant contact. He really cared about our well-being, from making sure our travels went well and we arrived at our destinations safely, to providing us with Celiac restriction cards written in Greek that we could share with restaurants to keep our newly-diagnosed daughter safe. Each on-ground representative was kind, friendly and helpful in locating us at airports, ferries and hotels as well as transporting us to each. Lastly, our tour guide in Athens, local chef/teacher and sunset cruise staff couldn’t have made our experiences any better: amazing experiences with amazing people. All of our land contacts were overseen by Anto who did an incredible job in keeping things coordinated, seamlessly. Anto was nothing short of kind and professional.
Rating 5/5
Stephanie Erwin
USA
Could not have been more happy with the thoughtful planning and support offered by the entire Enchanting Travels team. They created an unforgettable trip for our family.
Rating 5/5
Lisa Hazen
USA
From the planning process to the actual trip, Shannon and Anto were perfect. Shannon developed an amazing itinerary and walked us through each part (hotels, activities, etc). Anto was able to provide us with recommendations for restaurants and was our go-to person for the entirety of the trip. Throughout the whole process, we felt heard as this trip was tailored to our interests completely. It was an outstanding honeymoon. It is important to mention that Shannon and Anto made the planning process seamless as it is stressful planning a wedding and honeymoon at the same time. Though, at no point did we get stressed with honeymoon planning as they had it pretty much covered. Additionally, when in Greece, it was AMAZING having timely private transportation planned for us. Having Anto on call at all times was important and very helpful when in Greece. We appreciated how Anto, Shannon, and everyone at Enchanting Travels organized a honeymoon treat for us at each hotel. I could not recommend Enchanting Travels more. We will without a doubt use them again for future European trips.
