Turkey Travel Planner

Whenever we begin our travel planners, we ask you to send in questions about a given place. In this case, the preponderance of them were about where to eat, stay and shop in Istanbul and the gorgeous coastline along the Aegean and Mediterranean flanks of the country. Which makes sense, as the majority of Turkey’s tourism is concentrated in this western region. But quite a few of you were curious about itineraries that took you farther—beyond Ephesus, which is indisputably amazing, to lesser-known archeological sites, or to mineral hot springs that aren’t as full of tourists as Pamukkale. Then, once we’d Zoomed with the tourism board of Türkiye (as of 2022, the country’s official spelling) and dug into our research, we had our own questions. Like, what’s going on in the Black Sea region? (Evidently a lot of hazelnut production!) So we tapped our network of local experts and creatives to answer all of your and our questions, and help us navigate this historically rich and culturally layered country. And we couldn’t be more excited about their responses. Together, they pointed us to hidden antiquities, an emerging wine scene, healing thermal pools once visited by Cleopatra, best coastal routes for a gulet trip, and storybook towns by the Black Sea… and also shared insider intel on the best ways to see the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, the beach towns with old-world charm, and their favorite markets/restaurants/hammams in Istanbul. And yes, we made sure to find out the best stops for kilim carpets, Ottoman-era brassware and artisan-made jewelry to bring home!

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Adviye Bergemann is the founder of AIDA Tours, launched in 2003 as a boutique destination management company based in Istanbul. Born into a family rooted in the tourism industry of Kuşadası—where Türkiye’s tourism story began in the 1960s—she loves sharing her homeland with discerning travelers.

Aida Bergsen is an Istanbul-based jeweller and sculptor who creates jewellery with different themes that reflect traces of her hometown and its multi-layered cultural fibre. She draws inspiration from mythological tales and symbolic natural forms.

Anton Lynch has been working in travel forever, and joined Trufflepig almost at the outset. It’s easier to make a list of the places he doesn’t know. He plans trips worldwide through an unparalleled network of personal friends and professional contacts and calls London home, because occasionally he has to stay in the same place long enough to get his passport renewed.

Ata de Cin began his career as a pilot in Türkiye, and after training at the Turkish Military Academy, he moved to Florence in 2019 to study Political Science. He’s been working as a photographer since 2023, a craft that started as a long-time passion and evolved into a professional pursuit.

Arin Forstadt is a global travel advisor at luxury tour operator Black Tomato. Though a born-and-raised New Yorker, she’s traveled extensively across the world and Türkiye was one of her most recent passport stamps.

Chiara de Rocchi is a Turkish-Italian designer and sculptor born in Istanbul to a family of Italian descent. Raised in an art-focused household, she’s been immersed in both Turkish and Italian cultures.

Christos Stergiou is the founder and CEO of TrueTrips, a luxury travel company specializing in tailor-made journeys that span Greece, Turkey and beyond.

Claire Watkins and Chris Evans are travel experts at luxury travel company Red Savannah. Claire is the Europe Regional Manager and resident Turkey specialist, and Chris oversees all their yachts & gulets, many of which are located in Turkey.

Dayna Lee & Ted Berner are the dynamic duo behind Powerstrip Studio and the principal designers of Aliée Istanbul. Though they’re based in LA, they’ve spent countless weeks in Istanbul over the years, digging deep into the design scene as they sourced hundreds of pieces for Aliée Istanbul.

Demet Müftüoğlu Eşeli is the curator and co-founder of ISTANBUL’74 Arts & Culture Platform, Istanbul International Arts & Culture Festival, and the co-founder of ‘74Studio and ‘74Escape. The 15th anniversary edition of the festival is set to take place October 10-12, 2025.

Eda Sokmen is the founder of istanbulite, a boutique luxury travel agency that specializes in tailor-made itineraries throughout Turkiye with a focus on local perspective. Find her on Substack and Instagram.

Enis Karavil is an interior designer and creative director who owns Sanayi313, a design studio, curated retail space, and canteen in Istanbul.

Esra Levent is a native of Istanbul and a managing partner of IDEE Travel. She has extensive experience in personalized travel planning across Turkey, with creativity and a keen eye for detail.

Feleksan Onar an internationally recognised glass artist and the founder of Fy-shan Glass Studio. Known for her conceptual installations showcased in prestigious museums worldwide, Felekşan uses the delicate medium of glass to tell powerful stories of displacement, identity, and resilience.

Feride Yalav-Heckeroth has been writing about Turkish contemporary culture since 2012 and is the author of the guidebook The 500 Hidden Secrets of Istanbul and the Softer Volumes Istanbul City Guide for Design Lovers. Her work has been published in Kinfolk, Wallpaper*, Decanter and Condé Nast Traveler, among others.

Lucy Scovell is a British freelance journalist who writes about art, design, travel and lifestyle for various publications including Christie’s and Wallpaper*. She also maintains a Substack, The Istanbulist, which explores all things art, design & travel in Istanbul, London & beyond. Before moving back to London in May 2025, she lived in Istanbul for five years with her husband and daughter.

Mina Dilber is the founder and creative director of Anim, an Istanbul-based lifestyle brand on a mission to celebrate a life well-lived. With a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and creativity at its core, Anim offers thoughtfully designed collections in both ready-to-wear and home textiles.

Naz Cuguoğlu is a curator of contemporary art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, whose experience includes exhibitions and programs at documenta fifteen, 15th Istanbul Biennial, Taiwan Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, 4th Istanbul Design Biennial, and more. As a co-founder of Collective Çukurcuma, she experiments with collaborative curatorial practices through reading groups and international exhibitions.

Noona Smith-Petersen is a veteran PR officer and comms manager, whose clients have included the likes of Armani, Valentino and Calvin Klein. She now runs her own PR and communications strategy firm in Milan and regularly visits Türkiye, where her family has a home near Izmir.

Pinar Ellialti is the co-founder and creative director of Suvla Winery, Suvla Bistro Wine Bar, Suvla Concept Stores, and Kilye Natural Products.

Serena Uziyel is the founder and designer of her eponymous footwear and accessories brand, known for using time-honored techniques like loom weaving, crochet, and filigree. Committed to social impact, she collaborates with around 200 female artisans in Türkiye, offering training and employment to preserve traditional crafts.

Serra Türker is the founder and creative director of MISELA, a line of premium handmade bags and travel accessories that blend bold pattern, sculptural form, and feminine energy with Turkish artisanal techniques. Now in its 17th year, MISELA has grown into a global brand with boutiques in Istanbul, Bodrum, London, and New York—while remaining proudly female-led and rooted in Serra’s vision of empowered design.

Şule Uzun is the managing partner of ITEM Travel, which creates and delivers beautifully planned experiences for individuals, groups, and organizations. Above all, they want their clients to love Turkey as much as they do.

Ülkü Eruçar-Kenny is the president at Alice Marshall PR. Based in New York, she is originally from Turkey and still visits family there.

Ümit Mesci is a curator at Istanbul Modern, working across contemporary and modern art, as well as design and architecture. Based in Istanbul, he develops programs for the museum alongside curating exhibitions.