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How to Get from Istanbul to Bulgaria
Getting from Istanbul to Bulgaria is quite simple, cheap, and convenient. From Otagar international coach terminal (Aksaray metro stop) in Istanbul you can purchase your ticket. There are several companies, but I went with Metro, which is probably your best bet. A one way ticket costs 75 Turkish Lira ($21 as of 2016) and leaves several times a day. I opted for the bus departing at 10:30 PM. I purchased the ticket in the morning and was able to leave my luggage at the station. The Journey to Bulgaria The bus itself was pretty nice, but a little too cold for me. Definitely bring a jacket regardless of the season. When…
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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…
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Staying in a Cave Hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey
I often heard that no trip to Turkey was complete without staying in a cave hotel in Cappadocia. Being one to make the most of opportunities, I made sure to make this happen. When I first searched for cave hotels, I saw many of them were out of my price range, often hovering around $100 per night. Seeing how I was a broke graduate student at the time, I wondered if a budget cave hotel existed. I did further research and found out about Elif Star Cave Hotel in Goreme. For just $20 a night, I was amazed by the quality of the room; it was spacious, clean, had strong…
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A Day in Pamukkale, Turkey
If you’re in Turkey, you must spend a day in Pamukkale. Pamukkale (meaning cotton castle) is a site in western Turkey famous for its mineral rich thermal pools. Hieropolis, the ancient Greco-Roman city, was built on top of this cotton castle in the early 2nd century BC. Pamukkale is now one of Turkey’s most famous tourist destinations, with thousands visiting annually. There are 17 hot water springs, which range from 35 to 100 degrees celsius. Pamukkale was high on my bucket list, so I had no choice but to make time to visit. I made the journey over on the last leg of my trip in Turkey. After a long bus…
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Cappadocia Green Tour
Turkey is one of my favorite countries; there are a number of things to see and do here, but nothing quite impressed me like the historical region of Cappadocia. When I travel, I rarely like to return to the same place, but Cappadocia is so great, I’d consider it. I visited in the beginning of March, which I found to be the perfect time; tourist numbers are low and the temperature is warm during the day but cold at night, which is ideal for me. While many recommend 3 days in Cappadocia, I believe 2 days is enough time, especially if you start the day early. For the first day,…
