Explore Turkey

Thin sheets of dough, boiled briefly then layered with cheese and butter, creating a soft, savory pastry unlike dryer versions.

Shaved spiced meat (lamb, chicken, or beef) from a vertical spit, served in bread or as a platter, reflecting the region's Turkish influence.

Flaky pastry made with thin phyllo dough, filled with cheese (peynirli), spinach (ıspanaklı), or minced meat (kıymalı) and baked until golden.

Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Constantinople, Turkey. It was formerly a church (360–1453) and a museum (1935–2020).

The Galata Tower, officially the Galata Tower Museum, is a medieval Genoese tower in the Galata part of the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey. Built as a watchtower at the highest point of the mostly demolished Walls of Galata, the tower is now an exhibition space and museum, and a symbol of Beyoğlu and Istanbul.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, popularly known as the Blue Mosque, is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I. It attracts a large number of tourists and is one of the most iconic and popular monuments of Ottoman architecture.

Turkey's BIGGEST public holiday — 4-day national shutdown (sometimes extended to 9 days by presidential decree, called 'Bayram tatili'). Traditional sheep sacrifice (kurban) where families buy, slaughter, and distribute meat to the poor. Istanbul-to-Anatolia migration is massive. Hotels in Istanbul empty; coastal resorts (Antalya, Bodrum, Çeşme) completely sold out. International flights to Europe from Istanbul are jammed.

3-day public holiday ending Ramadan. Colloquially called 'Şeker Bayramı' (Sugar Feast) because children go door-to-door for sweets. Banks, government offices closed all 3 days. Istanbul airports are jammed (Turks fleeing to coastal resorts); buses/flights sell out. Families visit elders, kiss their hands, receive money. Mosques hold pre-dawn Bayram prayers (dawn services).

Month-long Islamic fast. Istanbul's iconic experiences: mahya (Arabic calligraphy illuminated between mosque minarets, unique to Turkish Ramadan since the Ottoman era), Sultanahmet Square iftar tents serving free food to thousands at sunset, the Blue Mosque grounds filled with families sharing iftar picnics. Davulcu drummers wake residents for suhoor pre-dawn meal. Restaurants in religious neighborhoods reduce daytime service; tourist areas mostly normal.

Heavy-gauge hammered copper conducts heat evenly for a proper brew.

These geometric flatweave textiles are lightweight and easily packed.

Fresh batches made with regional pistachios contain no corn syrup or preservatives.