COVID-19 Travel Diaries: Turkey Edition

Tasnia Mozammel
Jan 6, 2021
9 min read

Updated: Apr 26, 2021

With the COVID-19 Crisis fluctuating and international travel bans loosening by opening borders for tourism, many people have been taking the bold decision to travel with utmost precaution. This post features our experience travelling to Turkey during the global pandemic and insights on how you can make a safe yet unforgettable journey!

Although many states claimed to have re-opened borders for tourism over the summer (2020), the outbreak and rapid emergence of COVID-19 or the Coronavirus has left many of us fearful and unable to travel since March 2020. Despite these tense circumstances however, my family and I had taken the daring decision to travel to Turkey from Bahrain with utmost precaution and prayer. This post seeks to share our experiences travelling during the global pandemic, our three-week itinerary, as well as insights on how we maintained safety procedures while exploring featured highlights of Turkey's most breathtaking regions.

Before You Go (COVID-19 Edition):

Anti-COVID Bag. We carried anti-COVID ziplock bags individually consisting of sanitizer, masks, gloves, wipes, and sprays. Please make sure to have anti-virus products for maximized protection.
Pre-bookings and Reservations. I made all our pre-bookings and reservations for hotels and tours via Booking.com and GetYourGuide prior to our trip. The tours were all private, with an exception of Cappadocia, and maintained COVID protocols of social distancing, temperature checks, sanitation, masks, etc.
Domestic Flights & Transportation. My family and I booked all our domestic inter-city travels via Pegasus and SunExpress. The flights were all one hour between cities and very cheap. We had no difficulties with cancellation during our domestic flights. We also pre-booked all our transfers from airports to hotels via GetTransfer. I have used this site for over six countries now and they have been reliable and decently priced!
Restaurants. When we arrived in Istanbul, there had been new national restrictions employed by the government restricting restaurants to only offer take-out. This affected part of our trip, but we just had to re-strategize our day trips and accommodate meals. Many Istanbul restaurants still offered dine-in however. Please be sure to check latest restrictions prior to travel.

ROUTE:

Our route comprised Istanbul > Izmir > Cappadocia > Istanbul. Our stay in Turkey was almost three weeks, however, our itinerary was made to compliment our online work/study schedules (perks of COVID). We stayed the longest in Izmir (7 days) and visited Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Ephesus, and the House of Virgin Mary on two separate day-tours. Two or three days in Izmir is good enough otherwise. On the return to Istanbul, we took an Ertugrul Tour that consisted of visiting Sogut, Bilecik, Inegol, Bursa, and other outskirt towns! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, some tourism locations and activities such as Basilica Cistern, Kubbe, the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise, and Troy were closed or did not have tours available. On the more positive note, this post will feature all the highlights that you can look forward to to make a memorable trip! Moreover, Turkey in general has infinite places to explore and thus requires multiple visits. Hence, we'll return again and hopefully you will too!

ISTANBUL: Asia

November 19-23, 2020

We arrived in Istanbul late at night and had an early start the next day. We decided to stay in Sultan Ahmet (Asian side, within the walls) during our first part in Istanbul and resided in Hilton Bosphorus (European side) during the return portion. There are many local hotels within the UNESCO Heritage walls of Sultan Ahmet. We stayed in Sunlight Hotel that offered exceptional views and was just minutes away from Blue Mosque by foot (only reservation being that the paths were inclined).

DAY 1: Istanbul Big Bus Tour (Hop-on-Hop-off) & Seven Hills Restaurant

On our first day in Istanbul, we took a city tour operated by the Big Bus company (pick-up/drop-off at Blue Mosque park), followed by an early dinner at Seven Hills Restaurant. The views during the bus tour were phenomenal as they simultaneously offered Istanbul's diverse and intricate history. We always find tour busses a great way to get familiar with the city! Upon our return to Sultan Ahmet, we dined at Seven Hills Hotel. Seven Hills has always been one of my preferred restaurants to enjoy a meal (their selection of breakfast especially) as the terrace venue offers a 360 range of Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Bosphorus Strait. Seven Hills is thus one of Istanbul's best #instaworthy locations!

DAY 2: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace & Grand Bazaar

On our second day in Istanbul, we took a private walking tour of Sultan Ahmet which included Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Our tour guide was Hakan and tour guides can easily be spotted in the Blue Mosque square for very reasonable and negotiable prices. The guides all wear city-accredited tags. Blue Mosque was under restoration during our visit, but the guide gave us insight regardless! Masks and social distancing was in place everywhere, despite the quite limited number of tourists. Additionally, there was sanitizer offered at every entrance and exit. Following our walking tour, we visited Grand Bazaar and Arasta Bazaar for some shopping!

Note that this was a very eventful and exhausting day plan. You can easily take a taxi from the Blue Mosque square to Grand Bazaar if needed, and MUST check all hours of operation during COVID-time especially. Opening and closing hours vary on daily bases. For instance, when we went, there had been a new national curfew implemented. Although the laws do not affect tourists, they do impact our plans. Thus, best to strategize tours/visits accordingly.

DAY 3: Taksim Square, Galata & Grand Bazaar

We had initially reserved our third day in Sultan Ahmet to visit Basilica Cistern, however came to know that the underground attraction was closed during the pandemic. Thus, we swiftly shifted our plans to visit Taksim Square, Galata, and returned to Grand Bazaar for last minute shopping prior to our departure to Izmir the following morning. Note that street food and snacks are all great, but salep and sticky ice cream must be tried!

“Salep" - a deliciously comforting hot beverage circa the Ottoman Empire.

IZMIR

November 23-30, 2020

We reached Hilton Garden Inn Izmir around 9am in the morning. Our stay in Izmir was lengthy due to our mobile work and online university schedules. Thus, we only really had the weekend for day tours, while scattering spare times throughout the week to explore the little that Izmir had to offer. I would not recommend staying in Izmir for more than three days. There is not significantly a lot to see, however, the Greek and Roman influence on the silently sparkling city on the coast of the Aegean Sea is definitely worth a short visit! Due to COVID circumstances, an extra two days to visit outskirts of Izmir may deem sufficient.

Izmir reflects Aegean culture peacefully and silently sparkles as opposed to Istanbul's bustling diverse crowds.

DAY 1-4: Saat Kulesi, Konak Square, Kizlaragasi Hani, & Kemeralti Market

Some tourist attractions to visit included Saat Kulesi, Konak Square, Kizlaragasi Hani, and Kemeralti Market. Note that these spots are all located adjacent to one another within the walking district of Konak. These locations were also the only places open during COVID and no city tours were available. Regardless, we enjoyed Kizlaragasi Hani the most and found it to be a hidden gem. The quality of jewelry was better in Kizlaragasi Hani than Istanbul, and was significantly reasonable. We also shopped a lot in Koton and other Turkish brands during our spare times, and fed birds.

DAY 5: House of Virgin Mary & Ephesus

On our fifth day in Izmir, we took a day tour and visited the House of Virgin Mary and the ruins of Ephesus. The House of Virgin Mary is a 5th Century Catholic shrine that sits on Mount Koressos, adjacent to the Hellenistic and Roman settlement of Ephesus. It is said that the Virgin Mary had spent her last days in hiding in this small peaceful home within the vicinity of Ephesus. We booked our tours from GetYourGuide.

From the House of Virgin Mary, we drove down to explore the excavations of Ephesus circa the Roman Imperial period which comprised monuments, the Library of Celsius, the Great Theatre, and parts of Artemis' Temple claimed by UNESCO as one of the "Seven Wonders of the World!" This tour was absolutely breathtaking, especially for keen historians such as my father and I. We (my parents and I) strolled the archeological city alone mesmerized and imagining the ancient buzz along the white marble structures and paths still considerably intact while Isik, our tour guide, shared insights like a storyteller. A MUST-do tour!

DAY 6: Pamukkale & Hierapolis

On our sixth day, we arranged a tour to Pamukkale-Hierapolis with the same tour company and guide who took us to Ephesus the day prior. Pamukkale, translated to "Cotton Palace," sits on a 200-meter high cliff that overlooks Denizli plains. The site consists of natural spring waters that have created a "series of terraced basins of waterfalls"and was also a possession of the Roman Empire circa the 2nd Century BC. Hierapolis further has Cleopatra's personal thermal pool that the general public can now swim in with a minimal additional fee.

"Mineral forests, petrified waterfalls, and a series of terraced basins... an unreal landscape" - UNESCO (Pamukkale)

CAPPADOCIA

November 30 - December 3, 2020

DAY 1: Galarie Ikman & Goreme Downtown

We arrived in Milat Cave Hotel on the morning of the 30th. The location, service, views, and breakfast of the hotel was absolutely exceptional! Once we arrived and settled in, we walked to the Goreme downtown area (just about 4 minutes by foot; a straight and very pleasing path), and headed directly to Galarie Ikman. Galarie Ikman is one of the most #instaworthy carpet shops in Cappadocia. I had been in touch with Suleyman Ikman (instagram: @suleymanikman) for a while prior to our visit and met his family who took wonderful photos of my family and I in their breathtaking shop.

DAY 2: Hot Air Balloon Watching & Red Tour

On our second in Cappadocia, I coerced my parents to wake up before dawn to visit peak spots for Hot Air Balloon Watching. I informed Hussain from Milat's reception the day prior to arrange a car. We woke up at 6am and headed downstairs. A taxi driver picked us up (charged us reasonably at 100TL) and took us to three different viewpoints to watch the balloons! It was absolutely worth it. We watched the balloons from the departure location, on a hill, and from Love Valley. The balloons fly up only once a day at dawn and light up the sky brilliantly like floating lanterns! The photos unfortunately don't do Cappadocia justice.

Upon our return from balloon watching, we rested for an hour or so, had breakfast and was later picked up by our tour guide for the Red Tour. Cappadocia offers a Red Tour and a Green Tour. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the Green Tours were limited. On the positive note, however, most of what was on the Green Tour was shifted to the Red Tour. Hence, we only really missed the underground cities for which we shall visit again in the future! The Red Tour consisted of Fairy Chimneys, Goreme Open-air Museum, Pigeon Valley, Imagination Valley, Uchisar Castle, and more. The guide was very detailed and knowledgable.

DAY 3: Hot Air Balloon Flight & Exploring Goreme

On our third day in Cappadocia, we woke up again at dawn and was this time picked up for our Hot Air Balloon Flight. The Hot Air Balloon Flight in Cappadocia is a sincerely MUST-make trip as the views hovering over the 60 million year old valleys are unique and remarkable. The flights are all one-hour more or less, and the views from above are completely different than watching the balloons from the ground. I strongly recommend spending at least three or four days in Cappadocia as Balloon Flights may possibly get cancelled due to weather conditions. Photos do not do the experience justice once again. Upon our return, we spent the day exploring the city on our own. There are many other activities such as horse/camel riding, quad safaris, hiking, etc. to consider. We just enjoyed strolling freely and admiring the region for the rest of the day.

Two hundred lanterns brilliantly light up Cappadocia's sky and float above valleys of distinctive rock formations inhabited by settlements circa the Palaeolithic era...

ISTANBUL: Europe

December 3-6, 2020

We returned from Cappadocia to Istanbul in the evening and stayed in Hilton Bosphorus (European side of the city). Having been Hilton members for years on end, Hilton Bosphorus was unique due to its attractive location against the Bosphorus Strait, and pleasing aesthetic of past famous guests from a wide range of politicians to Hollywood stars including Queen Elizabeth, Muhammad Ali, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, and more!

DAY 1: Ertugrul Tour (Sogut, Bilecik, Inegol & Bursa)

Our day started early as Cengis, our Ertugrul tour guide, picked us up at 7am. The history of the Ottoman Empire had begun with Ertugrul, the son of Suleyman Shah (leader of the Kazi nomadic tribe). For those who are unfamiliar, Resurrection: Ertugrul has become an international hit series, now available on Netflix. Thus, the Ertugrul tour has become one of the most popular tours in Turkey. Cengis also became a lasting friend as our diverse discussions involved topics from history to religion to politics to economy to the cinema industry. A worthwhile tour to take for a thorough comprehension of how Turkey evolved as a nation while simultaneously visiting stunning outskirt towns!

Tombs of Ertugrul Gazi, Alps & Hatuns, Turgut Alp, Osman Gazi, Orhan Gazi, & Sheikh Edebali...

DAY 2: Sultan Ahmet & Dolmabahce Palace

On our last day before our return to Bahrain, we decided to head back to Sultan Ahmet for a last visit, minimal shopping spree, and lunch. Our day was somewhat hectic as due to the new restrictions, there had been a rumour that everything including tourist attractions would be closed that very Sunday. Despite the controversial responses, we took a taxi straight to Dolmabahce Palace from Sultan Ahmet and blessedly found it to be open! (A shoutout to the woman whom I observed capturing the impermissible indoor photos below ;) and forwarded them via WhatsApp).

Dolmabahce's magnificent architecture symbolically represents the Ottoman Empire's 19th Century identity transformation into Europeanization...

We returned safely to Bahrain and tested negative! Stay tuned for new posts in this COVID travel series...

GALLERY

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