5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Turkey

There are hundreds of reasons, but for the sake of time, I will just highlight my top 5 reasons why you should visit Turkey as your next destination.

Note* Recently, Turkey’s tourism has been overshadowed by its political issues. When discussing Turkey as a potential destination, most people’s first thought is “Is it safe?”, and the numbers have reflected that. Tourism is on a slight decline, but that makes sense given the situation in certain areas. Most of these travel advisories however, exclude the main tourist destinations. Avoid the border areas and the southeastern regions and you’ll likely be fine. Always check with your government for the latest advisory.

Here are 5 reasons why you should visit Turkey:

1) The Food

Food is important when I travel, there is nothing worse than traveling to a country where you don’t enjoy the local cuisine. I never had that problem in Turkey, everything was incredible. As a non-pork eater, it was especially nice to eat stuff without asking if it had pork in it. In Turkey, you often get a basket of bread as soon as you sit down. It’s real bread too, not that American sandwich stuff you get in stores that weighs nothing. This bread, with the variety of soups in Turkey, is something special, I know it sounds basic, but trust me. While the locals often eat meat, you can easily find opinions for vegetarians here too.

2) Ease of travel

Getting from city to city in Turkey is easy. They have clean and spacious buses leaving throughout the day. It’s very straightforward and hassle free to purchase tickets, you can even do this online before you come. I took 3 night buses while I was in Turkey and was impressed with the service; it was on time, comfortable, and the staff is helpful towards tourists. In Istanbul, you can get around by bus, boat, metro, and tram.

3) The Culture

I know, everyone says Turkey is where east meets west and that statement can be a bit cliché, but it’s really true. In Istanbul alone, you literally have a chunk of the city called the “Asian Side”, and another called the “European Side.” Turkey perfectly blends multiple cultures and this is reflected in the architecture, food, art, and people.

4) So Many Things to See!

I don’t know too many countries jammed packed with this much adventure. Whatever your interests are, Turkey likely has it. Great beaches, museums, city life, nightlife, Roman ruins, nature, thermal pools, caves, you name it. Turkey is suitable for a 60 year old grandparent, a first time traveler, and the hardcore backpacker all in one.

5) It’s cheap

Unless you’re wealthy and have money to blow, you’re likely trying to spend as little as possible. In Turkey, you don’t need to spend a lot to have a good time. Good meals at nice restaurants average under $5. A subway ride one way costs you less than 30 cents (USD). Night buses from city to city average around $20 one way. A single room in a budget hotel (nice, clean one) will run you about $20 a night. Entrance fees are low too. If I had to compare in terms of price, I’d say Turkey is comparable to somewhere like Thailand.

and there you have it. Those are my top 5 reasons I’d consider Turkey as your next destination. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!