Turkey Travel Guides: Ancient History, Food and Hidden Gems
We spent six months housesitting across Turkey not a two-week loop through the highlight reel, but long enough to have a favourite bakery in more than one town, to know which hours the ruins are empty, and to learn that the best hot springs are rarely the ones with a car park full of tour buses. Housesitting meant we lived in ordinary neighbourhoods between stays, shopped at the same markets as our neighbours, and had the flexibility to go back to a place a second or third time once we knew it was worth it. That’s the perspective behind every guide below: not what to see in three days, but what’s actually worth your time, and why.
Turkey rewards travellers who slow down. Empires from the Hittites to the Ottomans have layered their history here, and that history shows up as much in a bowl of soup or a cup of coffee as it does in a UNESCO site. Below, we’ve grouped our guides into the ancient sites we returned to again and again, the destinations that surprised us most, and the food and drink traditions that ended up teaching us as much about Turkish culture as any ruin did.
Ancient Sites & History
Ephesus was the site we came back to most it’s a short trip from where we were based for several of our stays, and each visit revealed something the last one didn’t. These guides are built from repeat visits, not a single rushed morning.
Visiting Ephesus: The Ultimate Guide to the Ancient City
Our full guide to Ephesus, including how to time your visit to avoid the cruise-ship crowds, what’s actually worth the entry fee, and the details most day-trippers miss.
Temple of Artemis Ephesus: History, Myth and Visitor Guide
One column is almost all that remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World here’s the myth behind it, and whether it’s worth the short detour from the main Ephesus site.
The House of the Virgin Mary Ephesus: Visiting Guide and History
A quiet, sacred site above Ephesus that draws both Christian and Muslim pilgrims. Tips on getting there, what to expect, and why it’s worth slowing down for.
Destinations
Beyond Ephesus, two places stood out enough to earn their own guides one for its otherworldly landscape, one for genuinely restorative hot springs we’d go back for on their own merit.
Best Things to Do in Cappadocia in Winter
Most guides cover Cappadocia in balloon season. Here’s what it’s like and why it’s worth visiting when the crowds and prices drop in winter.
Turkey’s coastline gets all the attention, but its thermal springs are some of the best we’ve soaked in anywhere. Seven spots worth the detour, from well-known to barely marked.
Turkish Food & Drink
Six months is long enough to move past the tourist menu. These guides cover the dishes and rituals that became part of daily life for us, not just the food we tried once for a photo.
Traditional Turkish Foods to Try
42 dishes that make up one of the world’s great cuisines from the everyday to the celebratory, with notes on where and how to try them properly.
Turkish Coffee: 7 Things You Should Know for the Perfect Cup
Turkish coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a ritual with centuries of tradition behind it. Seven things worth knowing before your first cup and your fifth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is six months enough to see Turkey properly?
It’s enough to see it well, not exhaustively Turkey is roughly the size of Texas and spans wildly different regions. Six months let us cover the west coast, central Anatolia, and Cappadocia thoroughly, but we still left with a list for next time.
Is Turkey safe for slow travel and housesitting?
We felt safe throughout our stay, including as a woman travelling independently between sits. As with anywhere, normal precautions apply, and local advice from hosts made a real difference.
Explore Further
Loved Turkey? You might also enjoy our Greece Travel Guides, where we spent four more months housesitting, or head back to our Europe Itineraries hub.
Countries I’ve Lived In
Some European destinations became more than just places I visited — they became home. Living in these countries allowed for a slower pace of travel and a deeper understanding of daily life and regional differences.
These hubs are built around long‑term living rather than short trips and sit alongside this page as core European cornerstones.
If you’re exploring more of Europe, or thinking about living here longer term, I’ve put together a few guides that might help:
Europe Travel Guide and the Ultimate Europe Travel Resource Guide
How to Avoid Travel Scams in Europe
Schengen Rules Explained when travelling to Europe
Carryon Luggage Rules Across Europe