A week in Turkiye - Istanbul and Cappadocia

Resorts along the Bosphorus

After years of dreaming of a long Turkish vacation outside of Istanbul (I have been to Istanbul three times already), I finally got to explore Turkiye last year over two weeks. We spent time a week inland, in Istanbul and Cappadocia plus another week along the Turkish Riviera, in Kas and Cesme. And I loved the time I spent in the country. The history, the culture, the architecture, the richness, the mountains, the seas, the warmth, the people, the food, the roads; everything was outstanding. It was like the perfect vacation. Even writing about it brings all those amazing memories back to me. And now Turkiye is added to my list of favourite countries to travel to.

Overall itinerary:
Istanbul - 3 nights
Cappadocia - 4 nights
Antalya - 1 night
Kas - 3 nights
Cesme - 3 nights

Detailed itinerary for week 1:
Day 1: Land in Istanbul, stay at Ritz Carlton: Visit Taksim Square and Istiklal street in the evening
Day 2: Istanbul: Explore Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet area)
Day 3: Istanbul: Take Bosphorus tour up to Anadolu Karagi
Day 4: Drive to Cappadocia (8 hours), stay at Mosaic Cave hotel
Day 5: Cappadocia: Visit Kaymakli underground city, Ihlara valley trek and experience Turkish dinner
Day 6: Cappadocia: Visit Goreme panoramic point, Uchisar castle, Pigeon Valley and Urgup
Day 7: Cappadocia: Explore Goreme open air museum, Avanos pottery and Kizilirmak riverside walk
Day 8: Balloon ride in Cappadocia, drive to Antalya (7 hours), stay at Tara Dinc hotel
Day 9-15: Kas and Cesme along Turkish Riviera


Day 1: Land in Istanbul, stay at Ritz Carlton; Visit Taksim Square and Istiklal Street

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Bosphorus from the Ritz

n my first day in Istanbul, I landed quite late and reached the hotel only by late evening. The taxi ride to the hotel as usual was quite colourful and vibrant. There were loads of high rises all the way, with enough green areas in between to make the ride picturesque. The roads were wide, and people all around made the whole vibe quite inviting already.

As the Ritz is near the Istiklal area, we all just walked out of the hotel for dinner. It was a 15 mins walk to Taksim Square and all evening we explored the area around, a good start to the experience that is Turkiye. There was a new mosque at Taksim Square which had been under construction the last time I had visited. It was now all lighted up and people were just sitting around it in the square, doing nothing. 

We walked along the Istiklal street and it felt like suddenly we were in the middle of a festival. Even though I have been here multiple times, the street didn’t fail to enchant me, again. And it felt so amazing to be back in such a lively culture. Its liveliness even at 10 pm at night can beat any high street in Europe. Full of people walking around, having a nice time, eating, shopping and talking to each other. We did the same - walking around, checking out some local shops, buying some dry fruits and local sweets and just feeling alive.

We had dinner at a small local restaurant, in a covered area with painted ceilings and greenery all around. It was a Turkish restaurant and the food, especially the vegetarian fare was tasty. In addition, there were musicians there who were playing local music and making the guests dance. It was fun to just observe them dance away. And just like that, it got late by the time we came back to the hotel, sleeping much later than we are used to. The whole evening was just so vibrant, it felt like our Turkish holiday had begun.


Day 2: Explore Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet)

Istanbul as a city has so many layers of history and culture, its very difficult to explain it fully. It was the centre of the Christian Byzantine empire, and then became the centre of the Ottoman empire. Over the years, its location at the cross-roads of Europe and Asia meant it was always bustling, as a trading location and as a mixture of cultures. People from different parts of the world have made it their home, making is quite an interesting mix. It is home to the old and the new, the rich and the poor, Asian and the European, Christian and the Muslim and so on. And that’s what makes it a complete wonder – a city with so much to offer and show when it wants. I love Istanbul and every visit makes me fall even more in love with the city, its life, its vibrancy, its colour.

There is an old part of Istanbul – Sultanahmet - where the Ottomans lived and ruled. Then a Greek part which feels different, more trading oriented and posh. And of course the Asian part which is very chaotic. And all these parts are different, even though they are separated just by the Bosphorus. The lifeline of the city, the strait dividing and connecting Istanbul at the same time. Our first whole day in the city - from 11am to 6pm - was spent exploring the old town, Sultanahmet and its historical buildings – the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, Arasta Bazaar, Hippodrome, mini Aya Sofya, Grand Bazaar, Eminonu bazaars and Galata bridge – and they were a pleasure to experience.

We took a taxi to Sultanahmet and the driver took us around the waterfront to get there. The road goes all around the landmass and was perfect for people enjoying walking in the cool breeze. It was also new (and the start to all the new things I would notice around Turkiye on this trip). We got off at the waterfront and then walked up to the top to start exploring. As you walk in, you already start noticing all the old and antique buildings in this part of the city.

Our first stop was the park between the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya. And they both looked grand, standing on either sides of the park. There were loads of crowds all around as it was the first summer open for travel after the pandemic. There were long queues for the Blue Mosque but it seemed to be moving faster, so we went in there first. It was being renovated inside though, so there were pillars everywhere and clothes covered all the paintings on the ceilings and the walls. So we didn’t really get to see its intricate paintings from the inside this time.

Aya Sofya

The Aya Sofya had an even longer queue. And it took us a while waiting in the sun to get in. The place had changed from the last time. When I had visited in 2007, it was a museum. And now it was a mosque. So the tickets were gone. You now had to take off your shoes when you go in. The interiors were fully carpeted now. And some people were coming in to pray, much lesser to just visit. There were more chandeliers inside, all lit up and looking gorgeous.. There seemed to be less of the Christian paintings than before (I saw only one when leaving). And now there was a separate area for men and women to pray, a place I had walked around before was closed to me now. It felt so incompatible with what I had experienced before, to come to a place many years later and find that its entire character had changed. But the outside looked the same as before – the Aya just sitting there grandly like an emperor, unmoved and untouched by what was happening around it.

We then started walking towards the Grand Bazaar through the small streets of Sultanahmet. It was an interesting though ordinary walk all the way. We first passed through the Arasta Bazaar right next to the Blue Mosque, and were totally smitten by all the exquisite handicrafts they were selling. I stopped at the mini Aya Sofya which is supposed to be the test model for the main church which was built later. It was decorated differently, with a lot of blue paintings inside.

We then passed by the Hippodrome which had the Obelisk and a few other mosques and older buildings around it. It looked quite grand and nice to walk through. It also felt newer or definitely better maintained now than before. We then kept walking through the interiors of the city till the Grand Bazaar.

Streets of Sultanahmet

We also passed by mosques every 10 meters. All with the typical blue roofs and unique designs. We also passed by many old imperial buildings, all telling the story of this ancient city. There were some old wooden houses on the way, some very old monuments around. There were so many bazaars too everywhere, it was all so lively and full of people. It was as if every turn in this area had its own history. There was a liveliness in the city which for me is forever the signature of Istanbul. It was bubbling with life at every turn. It was quite tiring too as the whole area is quite hilly, so you need to walk up and down quite a lot.

Lamps in the
Grand Bazaar

Then we reached the Grand bazaar and it was as enticing as ever. With the painted and covered ceilings. Except the really old part, which did not have a painted ceiling but sold the really antique stuff. And small shops everywhere selling all kinds of stuff – the gorgeous Turkish lamps, sweets, antique jewellery, pottery, handicrafts, clothes. Anything you name, it was there. Just so much stuff, in all colours. Exotic and quirky. It was quite a unique experience. And tiring too, so we stopped for some Turkish tea, and that is where my parents became fans of the local tea.

Egyptian Spice Market

Then we walked all the way down the hill to the Galata bridge, through the Eminonu bazaar area. Sometimes we glimpsed the sea through the lanes, and it was such a gorgeous sparkling blue. The rest was all crowded with everyone buying and selling all they have. We walked through the grand Misid Caruso Egyptian spice bazaar, which was a riot of colours and flavours. It was so vibrant, with so much stuff. And so crowded. 

Galata tower

We then reached the Galata bridge and walked along the seaside. The area was full of tourists taking ferries off to somewhere. And this was where we took a taxi to get back to our hotel. The day had been fun, to walk around everywhere and enjoy the refreshing air and the blue of the water everywhere. Even though the day was still to go, the riot of colours and people had been quite a lot already. And we were ready to call it a day earlier than usual.


Day 3: Istanbul: Bosphorus tour up to Anadolu Karagi

The next day, we spent exploring the Bosphorus. We took a local ferry from the Besiktas ferry terminal which was a 15 mins walk away from our hotel. We just walked there, past a big palace, and took one of the local ferries, riding all the way till almost the Black Sea, to the village of Anadolu Karagi. It was a 1.5 hours ride till Anadolu, and we kind of spent the whole day on this tour, there and back.

Along the Bosphorus

First of all, the ferry ride was quite majestic. Open air, all along the settlements along the deep blue Bosphorus. Past a few old forts and some ruins. Past small picturesque villages in hidden coves and large resort towns on the coast. Past luxurious wooden villas on the water, the holiday homes of the rich and the famous. Past deep green forests. And some sandy beaches. Past three huge bridges on the Bosphorus. With the blue waters below and the cool wind above, during the hot summer day. It was a spectacular ride.

Along the Bosphorus

The Bosphorus was busy with loads of ships going to and fro. And we stopped at a few places on the way to drop off passengers. When we were almost at the Black Sea, the ferry turned around and dropped us at the village of Anadolu Karagi. It was a small fishing village made up of colourful houses. A lot of tourists got off there with us, and started walking up to the castle. We started walking too, through the village and up the hill. There were lot of local fruit trees on the way, and we ate a few berries while walking up.

End of the Bosphorus

When we reached the top, we walked to the castle, which was essentially a historical lookout point for the Black Sea. It had some small ruins from those times, but the high point for me was the view from there – of the whole Black Sea (and potentially Ukraine) across it. The water was a deep blue, and the wind chilly. It was fun to sit there for a while, just staring at the vastness and absolute gorgeousness of the nature around.

View from Anadolu Karagi cafe

Then we spent some time getting snacks at the restaurant near the top which also had a break taking view of the Bosphorus on the other side, dotted with ships and lined with small villages on the side. The food there was mostly sea food which the village was famous for. It was quite calming to just sit there and enjoy the afternoon sun. After spending a few hours in the village, we walked back to the ferry for the ride back to Istanbul, which was as fun as the ride in.

Istanbul at night

And just like that, it was time to leave Istanbul. As always, it was fun to be back. This was my fourth visit to the city, and I was impressed with it again. It was quite busy when we went though it was hot and summer. Possibly because it was the year after the pandemic finished. Still wherever we went, some people were tourists but there were lot of locals too. At night, the lights of the city were always impressive, especially around the Bosphorus. The mosques on top of hills would sparkle like diamonds. It was also full moon time, and when the moon would rise above the Bosphorus, the city seemed very magical. With the big moon, the lighted mosques, the colourful bridges on the Bosphorus and the ships criss-crossing it.

Istanbul has a lot of things to do, it’s never possible to explore it fully. A few other things which were on my list but I couldn't get to were the Suleymaniya mosque and the Kadikoy area - maybe for the next time. Most things hadn’t changed from the last few times I had been there. Especially taxi drivers, lot of whom still cheat tourists. So one should always be careful when in Istanbul. One thing different from the last few times though was the number of Turkish flags everywhere. Flying on a flag post or just hung along some huge buildings - there were loads around, which I don’t remember noticing the last few times.


Day 4: Drive to Cappadocia (8 hours), stay at Mosaic Cave hotel

Today we spent most of the day driving from Istanbul to Cappadocia, and it was a nice introduction to the Turkish countryside. We left our hotel early morning to avoid the crazy Istanbul traffic we had heard about. We got onto the highway quickly and then drove through the Asian side. That drive was through a part of Istanbul full of sky high rises.

The roads all the way were outstanding. We took highways most of the time – the O7 and then the O4 - and they all looked like newly constructed roads. They were all toll roads too. We stopped on the way randomly, at a local eatery. It felt like a very simple eating place on the way. The first impression was not too encouraging, but we took the plunge and ordered some food. And we were pleasantly surprised. We ended up ordering multiple helpings of the food - it was so similar to what we eat in India – rice, pita bread, yoghurt and rajma. And it tasted just like Indian food too, especially the rajma. I think this is when my parents finally realised that Turkish food is something they would enjoy eating. At the stop, we also ran into people who had been driving all the way from Netherlands! It was quite far to be honest to drive, and impressive too.

The first half of the drive till Ankara was very green and through small mountains, lakes and forests. We also passed by some picturesque small villages in the valleys, with orange roofed houses. We then crossed Ankara which felt like it was located in the middle of nowhere. It was a huge spread out city, full of high rises and we just circled it and continued on.

After Ankara, the landscape became dry. The mud became a reddish colour, and it was all bare land everywhere. The drive was still interesting though, with all kinds of interesting bare landscapes. We stopped at a salt lake, the Toz Golu on the way. It was an expanse of white till wherever the eye could see. We had stopped there as it was on the way, and later realised that it was actually a tourist place.

Towards the end to Cappadocia, we missed a highway turn and ended up taking smaller roads which delayed us a bit. We did drive through a few small beautiful towns on the way which was nice. But we ended up taking 10 hours (with a 2 hours break) to reach Cappadocia instead of the planned 8.

Goreme National park is a huge area in Anatolia famous for its interesting dry and wind-eroded landscapes and the many rock and cave dwellings of the people who used to live here. The place is popular for hiking, sightseeing as well as the underground caves and painted churches there to explore. And of course for the popular balloon rides which cover the park when the weather is good. There are three main villages within the park – Goreme, Uchisar and Urgup. Some people stay within, in these villages while others stay in the villages nearby.

We were staying at Goreme, one of the villages within the National park. We reached the village around 7pm on the Saturday evening and were a bit overwhelmed by the tourist crowds. We found it tough to drive into the village to get to our hotel. And the whole experience did not have a good first impression on us. But once we reached our hotel and settled in, the place finally grew on us.

Goreme is one of the three cave villages which are located within the park. It is built along a small valley and goes all the way up the mountain. The narrow roads have been maintained well, making it easy to drive within the village. Even though the village was so old, it was very well planned and quite clean. It has a lot of restaurants and tourist guides there. So its always full of tourists, making it very lively at all times.

Goreme at night

It has a lot of cave houses which are very popular with tourists. I think all the houses had been turned into hotels, and some of them were quite fancy. The common joke is that the locals have all moved in to brick houses, while the tourists come and live in their old cave houses😁. The village also has a lot of fairy chimney dwellings, giving it a charming and magical look. The views of the village were gorgeous and it felt great to just sit there and have your meals once the lights would turn on in the village. 

There were also loads of Indians in Cappadocia, as it’s a popular tourist spot in the country. And so the first day, we went and ate an Indian meal at India Gate. It was quite an average restaurant, but it still felt amazing to eat Indian food in a foreign land. And the village looked gorgeous from there – it was scintillating at night, with all the yellow caves and houses shining in the night light.


Day 5: Cappadocia: Visit Kaymakli underground city, Ihlara valley trek and have Turkish dinner

Today was a full day spent exploring the area around and one of my favourite days on this trip. We started with a breakfast at our hotel, with a view of the cave houses around and it was a soothing start to the day. We first drove to Kaymakli, which is an underground city of 8 floors! It could house up to 30 thousand people at a time, and had been fully hand carved over many years. People used to live in this underground city while hiding from invaders. It had been abandoned and lost to the world for many years and was only recently re-discovered.

Kaymakli underground city

When we walked in, I had a moment of claustrophobia where the thought of going 8 floors deep into the earth felt nauseating. But I convinced myself to go in. And my mind was blown away by how well it had been crafted. There were hallways and small rooms everywhere, corridors through which you could walk through the floors and the rooms. It was like a whole world in itself. There were loads of tourists that day, and we avoided big crowds. But surprisingly once inside, it did not feel as claustrophobic as I had imagined. There was fresh air coming in, through multiple vents that had been very intelligently made. And there was a lot of natural and some artificial light too. Its quite a wonder how this underground city was built so well, with so much space, light and fresh air.

There were churches, kitchens, wine storage areas, grain storeyards, stables and what not, everything that you could need. In fact there were a few floors just for keeping and rearing animals. Even now, only 3-4 of the floors have been fully excavated, and the rest are still in various stages of uncovering. We explored a few of the floors underneath and came out quite amazed to see what humans are capable of.

The new Kaymakli town

When we came out, we walked to the top of the mound, and it looked like a small mud hill from the top. All around it was a modern town with normal houses. And just tens of feet from it was Kaymakli, a huge city so completely hidden that no one could have guessed this place could house 30 thousand people within it, going all the way down 8 floors. Apparently there are many such other underground cities around, Derinkuyu being another such big one. And some 150-200 smaller such settlements in the area around. So now when we were driving to the next place, I kept looking for such hidden cities 😉. Finding none though.

Wheat fields

Our next stop was a ride away, the Ihlara valley. It was quite a long drive away, through some gorgeous fields, landscapes and towns. This was quite an agriculture predominant area, with yellow sunflower fields, wheat fields and black gram fields all the way. In fact we got out of our car and picked some fresh kale chane too, which we ate over the next few days. We drove past some small nice towns too, all charming in their own way, and we easily could have stayed in one of these less crowded places.

Ihlara village

And then we came to Ihlara village which is located along a canyon. There were some new houses and some old cave houses in the village, all on the top of the canyon. We got some gorgeous views of the village at the edge of the canyon there – it was quite a picturesque place. We walked along a the canyon a bit, admiring its beauty.

Ihlara canyon from the top

If you go down to the bottom of the canyon along the river, you can hike for 19kms from Ihlara on one end to the Selime monastery on the other. And the marking all along was very good. We hiked only a part of it, from Ihlara to Beliserma. And it was outstanding. First the valley was green all along the river. And then there were old caves in the mountains all along. Apparently those were all parts of the monasteries here, and Christian monks used to live there and pray. Some of those caves were so high up in the canyon walls, it was difficult to imagine how the monks got up there.

Church frescoes

Church frescos

The monks of the valley also carved and painted some gorgeous churches in the cliff walls. There were loads of these ancient painted Byzantine churches all along the way. I visited four of these, the Daniel Pantonassa church, Kırkdamaltı Kilisesi (the St George church), the Jacinth church and the Serpentine church. Each of these still had some painted frescos on the walls and the ceilings. Just walking in to see them felt like we had come to a different era.

Ihlara valley

And the hike along the river was through shrubs and greenery, it was all very fresh and green. We stopped at a cafe on the river, which was another highlight of the day for me. The café had small tents right in the middle of the river. And you could sit in the carpeted tents, with your feet in the river, enjoying the food and drinks. It was fascinating to be there.

 

Beliserma village

We ended our hike at Beliserme, which was an easy spot as the cars came all the way till the bottom of the valley. Driving out from this spot, we again passed by some drop-dead gorgeous villages, with old cave houses lining the edges of the canyon. It was like we were driving through a different era all together. And then we drove back to Goreme, again passing through many villages with cave houses. It’s like they were everywhere here, everyone liked to live in them😊.

Cafe in the river

Our last stop of the day was a Turkish dinner at Evranos. There are many such restaurants arranging Turkish dinners at night, and this was in the town of Avanos. It was in a building which had a cave-like appearance. They served many courses of traditional Turkish food. And all through the night, there were folk dances happening in the podium. 

There was a group of dancers who did a few of their local dances, including showcasing a wedding in this area. They were all lively performances. And then there was a Dervish swirl performance which was quite hypnotic. The dances ended with a belly dancer who got a lot of the guests to also dance in the end. All in all it was quite an active evening and we loved it. The food and the performances were all outstanding. And even though it may seem too typical, too touristy I would recommend the Turkish dinner to anyone visiting Cappadocia.


Day 6: Cappadocia: Goreme panoramic point, Uchisar castle, Pigeon Valley and Urgup

Goreme panoramic point

Today again we spent the day exploring some of the nearby places in the National Park. We first drove to the Goreme panoramic point, which is above a cliff with a 270 degrees view of the park around, the cliffs, the cave houses, the fairy chimney and all the natural wonders around. This place looks a lot more picturesque when the balloons are around, though today was impressive too.

Then we hiked up from the main road to Uchisar Castle, which was the castle at the neighbouring village. The way Goreme was located in the valley, Uchisar was on a hill top. We ended up taking an off the beaten track to walk from the main road to the city up top and walked through some old cave houses and chimney fairies. It was interesting to see how all these rock structures had been converted into places to stay. We even walked in to one of these houses, where the owner had converted the place into a café and hotel. He showed us the inside, also mentioning that he had been born in the same cave house. It was so airy and cool, the perfect place to stay in such a hot climate.

While walking up to the castle, we also picked up some peaches from the trees on the way. They were so ripe and sweet, we ate them over the next few days. We also saw some tomato plants as well as a small tortoise on the hike up. Turkiye does have a lot of local fruits and small animals everywhere, it’s still so wild and raw even now.

Pigeon valley

We walked through the pigeon valley where apparently the pigeons were kept. This area has so many fairy chimneys, it was very surreal. And then we reached the village up the hill, Uchisar. It was quite a big city, with panoramic views all around. And the castle felt haunted given the way it had been carved. This castle was a popular place for people to hide when they faced attack. And now the castle can be seen from anywhere, even from far off. We walked a bit through its ruins and bought some of the dried fruits being sold around, they are everywhere.

Cave hotels near Urgup

After walking back down Pigeon Valley, our next stop of the day was the village of Urgup. We stopped on the way at a nice view point, but it was too windy to stay there longer. We kept driving on and stopped near the Esbelli cave hotel. We walked a bit around that area. If anyone comes to visit, I would suggest them to live here. It was quieter and a bit away from the noise of the Goreme area. There were such nice hotels to stay here. We then drove to Urgup and loved it too, such a nice, clean and spacious place to stay. Anything felt better than the crowded Goreme we had picked 😊.

We came back to Goreme early that day by 630 pm. And then we explored our own village. Goreme looked really nice at night, with all the lights on. It felt like out of a fairy tale. We walked to another Indian restaurant, Namaste Indian for our meal and really liked the food there.


Day 7: Cappadocia: Goreme open air museum, Avanos pottery and Kizilirmak riverside walk

Today it wasn’t as warm as the other days, it was actually a very pleasant day. We had been booking a balloon ride for the past few days but it kept getting cancelled including this day as it was quite cloudy. So we spent the day exploring around some more. We first went to the Goreme open air museum. This area was quite a hub of activities and had some nice shops and handicrafts also nearby. It had some very nice pretty churches, 6 of them. I walked around them for a while. The Buckle church which was outside on the main road had some gorgeous blue paintings on the ceilings. I liked the Sandal church, Dark church and the Apple church too. The rest were just about ok. 

There were a lot of similar kind of places to visit in Goreme still (like the Red Valley with sunset point, Devrent and Pasabagi monks valley, and Cavusin with its 2 famous Byzantine churches), but we had got bored of the same kind of activities everyday. So for the last day, we did something different. We drove to the nearest city, to Avanos.

Avanos ceramics

We first stopped at a pottery shop as this city is famous for its pottery. And the pieces there were so exquisite! So detailed, so artistic. It was tough to pick something and not the rest. We bought a few pieces finally, and were amazed at their quality. My father also tried his hand at making a few pottery pieces. It was a nice experience.

 

Along the river

Then we went to the river, Kizilirmak and walked around it. It had a few parks and cafes next to it. Lot of people were boating in the river too. We walked in the park and had lunch at Mado café. It was a very relaxing afternoon next to a river in warm weather. And felt nice to take it easy one day. And when we came back to Goreme, we had dinner again at the Indian place, Namaste India, closing out our stay at Cappadocia.


Day 8: Balloon ride in Cappadocia, drive to Antalya (7 hours), stay at Tara Dinc hotel; Stops at Sultanhani caravanserai and Lara beach

We had been booking the famous Cappadocia balloon rides for the last 3 days. And they had been cancelled 3 times because of strong winds. We finally managed to get some tickets for the ride on our last day in Cappadocia. So we woke up before sunrise and went to Cavusin valley where even before dawn there were 100s of balloons in the sky, ready for the ride. It was quite a magical sight to see at dawn, all these balloons being filled with air and the air of anticipation all around.

Balloon ride

And then we took off in a group of about 21 people in one balloon. The balloons take off one after the other and even touch each other initially. Ours then took us up very high when we could see over the whole valley and the 100s of other balloons. Colourful and patterned ones. The captain brought us down very close to the ground and just like that you keep floating for around an hour. It was quite a magical sight, especially as the sun’s first light came about. We could see all the natural formations all around, and even our villages far off, Goreme and Uchisar. We also saw so many people doing horse riding and other such activities down below.

In the balloon

We also had a very interesting landing where some people had to pull us towards the right spot to land. Thankfully we made it down safe and sound, totally excited after the ride. It was quite nice to do this activity so early in the morning. And then the whole day was still ahead. Overall it was nice to finally do the balloon ride. And we also saw why Goreme was so popular to stay, it looked fabulous all around with the 100s of balloons dotting the sky – its one of the experiences Goreme is popular for.

Anyways then it was time to leave Cappadocia. It had been a nice relaxing stay for us. I think if you are fond of hiking and nature, there is a lot to offer in the area. Lot of activities everywhere. But if not, then it can get a boring to stay here long.

After the balloon ride we started our long drive to Antalya. First we drove through some dry areas which were clearly not very rich. You could see that the wealth in the area had dropped from the other route we had driven on. On the way we stopped at Caravanserai, which was an old resting place from the silk route times, which had recently been renovated. We also walked through the local market next to it which was selling some really exquisite handicrafts.

After this, the landscape changed to mountains which were gorgeous. The drive was through green areas, through valleys and hills. We stopped at a few local places on the hilly way to eat our meals. The road here was a 4 lane road and a pleasure to drive on. Then we got onto the coastal road which was extremely busy. There was just so much traffic there as it was summer and apparently all the Turkish people come to the Riviera then. So we took an internal road to get to our hotel, which was all along the sea. It had nice parks next to it and gave a sea resort kind of vibe. The weather got warm by now, it was 35 degrees and driving along this road we saw all the grand resorts along the sea which Antalya is famous for.

Lara beach at night

We checked in to the Lara Dinc hotel, which was very basic, simple and sweet. It was located in almost a residential area with lot of high rise apartments near it. And we could see the flights landing from there all day, there were just so many! It was near the Lara beach and we walked there in the evening to eat. It was so full of people, even at 10pm! It was so warm even at night, in the 30s, it felt amazing. There were not a lot of good food options there though, so we just ate at a local café on the beach and called it a night as we had some more driving to do the next day too.

Continued (part 2)...

A week in the Austrian lake region

Wolfgang see

This summer, I spent a spectacular week in the Austrian lake region called Salzkammergut, staying at many of its picturesque lakes and villages. It was such a picture perfect holiday – towering green mountains, clear skies, a glorious warm summer and sparkling lakes with warm waters to swim in. Just thinking about it makes me happy again. I landed in Salzburg, and then spent 3 days around the St Wolfgang lake and another 3 next to the Fuschl See. The whole week felt so surreal, I loved it. And as always, Austria remains one of my favourite countries to visit. (I realised this was my 11th visit to the country, so clearly it’s a favourite of mine 😉).


Salzburg

Having shifted from London to Amsterdam, I am slowly realising that getting direct flights to anywhere in the world was a luxury I had in London, and is not necessarily something I can take for granted anymore. While planning to join a friend in Austria on her wedding anniversary celebrations for 3 days, the only way I could take direct flights was to go on a one week holiday😊. And so I did, as it was in Austria – one of my all-time favourite countries.

It took a bit longer to get to Salzburg than I would have expected, given all the chaos currently going on in so many European airports, including my home one, Schiphol. So what could have been a 4-5 hour journey turned out to be a 9 hour one! I turned up 4 hours earlier at the airport when it ended up taking just 45 mins to get to the gate.

Anyways, it was nice to get back onto a plane, as it’s become so much rarer since the pandemic. The whole week I was in Austria was warm and sunny. And it started with when I was landing - the green fields everywhere, all the way to the snow covered mountains, sparkled in the sun just as I was landing. Everywhere it felt warmer and sunnier than where I had flown from, summer was here. It was 26 degrees and I soon got into the relaxed holiday mode.

The Salzburg airport was the anti-thesis of Schiphol, it took me just 3 mins to enter and leave the airport building! I decided to go local and took the local bus to get to my hotel. And it felt nice to slowly drive through Salzburg town, with all its colourfully painted buildings. It felt like a sleepy place which moves at its own pace. A place you can relax in while staring at the snow covered mountains far off. The bus passed by the river and through some of the stunning neighbourhoods next to it, and that is when I decided that would be where I would spend my one evening (and run) in town.

Walk along the Salzach

I was staying at a small hotel near the city centre which was a nice clean hotel. After checking into my hotel, (and getting over the laziness of the 9 hours to get there), I left soon to explore the city, the way the locals do. My hotel was about 10 mins walk to the river, and I decided to just walk towards it. I walked through the old market lanes of Salzburg where I had spent some time 15 years ago. They all seemed to not have changed a bit.

Walk in the countryside

And then I came to the Salzach river where I had one of the most magical evenings ever. I walked for a couple of hours just next to the river, on either side. Initially the walk was still in town, but very quickly I was in the suburbs, and it was enchanting. Walking through forests, huge wooden houses and so on, with the snow covered mountains far off. There were so many birds on the trees, runners and bikers on the roads, and restaurants all along the river. It was fun to just walk along, stop and sit in the grass next to the river, dip my feet in the water, and then start again. Lots of people that day were doing the same. (I was surprised to see the number of people biking here. Also the bikers here were much nicer and polite than the ones in Amsterdam).

Salzburg at night

There were multiple bridges on the river, and I just crossed across on the one which was full of people just sitting and chilling with their friends in the sun. It was really magical. I had dinner at one of the restaurants lining the river, the Gasthof Ueberfuhr while enjoying a warm sunset. 

Castles of Salzburg

I walked back after, and made a short stop at the city centre where were located all the churches, many castles and the shopping streets I had visited last time. This side of the river was definitely grander than the side I was living on. I also realised how much I had changed since then, just choosing to walk along the river rather than visit all the places listed in the must visit websites for Salzburg😊. I really enjoyed this evening in Salzburg, it had felt like I was walking and dancing on air.

Morning run

The next morning, I went for a run along the river, in a direction opposite to the previous evening, apparently north this time. The run turned out to be tough as it was already extremely warm even at 8 in the morning (20 degrees with full on sun). But the scenes were so charming, it was worth being out in the sun. I ran while gazing at all the colourful houses around as well as the majestic castles on top of the mountains. I also stopped to dip my feet in the water, along a beach like part of the river. The water felt icy cold, and totally welcome on such a warm morning. And just like that, it was time to say goodbye to Salzburg.


St Wolfgang am See

The wedding anniversary celebrations I was joining were in the village of St Wolfgang am See, which is on the banks of one of the lakes in the area, the St Wolfgang. I hadn’t been able to figure out a way of getting there easily, so was just going to take a taxi. But my hotel receptionist suggested that I take the local bus as it would be cheaper. I wasn’t able to find the route online but she found it for me (A good example of where you can sometimes still find better options by asking people rather than depending completely on information available online).

Bus stop at Strobl

So I took the local bus from outside my hotel, first to the village of Strobl (which could have been one of the prettiest bus stations ever 😊). And then I took a short connecting bus to St Wolfgang. And as it turned out, the buses ran free on Fridays. So I got this spectacular and lazy ride along the lakes all for free! The drive was right out of a Yash Chopra movie – green lush hills and grasslands along large blue lakes, with fresh air and lot of sunshine all around. It was such a delightful ride.

St Wolfgang see

Very soon, I was in St Wolfgang and checked in to my hotel, the Scalaria. It had a great location right on the lake, with panoramic views all around. And there were birds chirping outside my window the whole time. It was like being in a different world altogether. The view of the lake from the window extended till everywhere and was quite surreal. Like out of a painting, except some yellowish stuff floating along the banks. Which I later figured out was the Sahara sand which had blown over across the continent in a storm a few weeks before.

The first day, I went out for a walk in the village, and it was a typical Austrian village, with colourful houses all along. There were a lot of nice shopping streets. And the area around the lake was really relaxing. I just sat there for a bit, enjoying the serenity around. The church bells from the local church rang soon, adding even more to the serene ambience around. There were loads of people swimming in the lake, and that inspired me to go swimming every day for the rest of my stay in Austria. As the water was so warm, and the outside even hotter.

The next three days, we had various events related to the anniversary in different parts of the Salzkammergut area. The first evening, we drove to the Wirtskultur restaurant in the town of Mondsee for dinner. It was located right on the Mondsee lake. The food there was amazing. And it was so hot, we got outside the restaurant to cool down for a bit. That’s how I got to see the local church, the only bit of local sightseeing we did there. It was all lighted up at night and looked majestic. And just like that, after a really hot day, it started pouring in the middle of our dinner! So we all had to run in, and then run back to our hotel in pouring rain. As they say, you can never be sure of the weather in the mountains.

During the boat ride

The next day, in the morning we did a yacht ride in the lake and the weather which started out cold and rainy turned warm and sunny suddenly. We spent 2 hours on the boat, just chatting and enjoying the stunning environs around. We passed by huge peaks, charming villages and so many people on the water enjoying water sports. It was so breath-taking, that after some time we just stopped taking pictures. Every moment, every turn was mesmerising.

Wolfgang church

In between the yacht ride and the evening event, I again went into town. I finally got to go to the Wolfgang church which has a lot of historic significance. It has two altarpieces which is apparently quite rare. And its outside looked impressive too with some grand views of the lakes around. I also realised that lot of people don’t take credit cards in Austria even till now, which felt quite a surprise after being in NL for so long. After the church visit, I went for a swim in the lake and it felt amazing, just like the swims of the last year in Switzerland. It felt refreshing, even though the water was freezing and I loved it.

In the evening, we had a function in the Scalaria itself, including a laser show to celebrate the event. It was fun. I also wore a saree, which felt like being in a Yash Chopra movie, saree and the Alps😊 .

The last event of the anniversary was a lunch at my friend’s place which is on the banks of the Mondsee lake. They live in a huge house overlooking the lake, it looked amazing in the sun. This is the life – to live in a village with such gorgeous nature around. It felt heavenly to visit her and made me resolve again to buy a holiday home in Austria😊.

Once the anniversary celebrations finished, I drove to my abode for the next 4 days, the small charming little hotel of Seewinkel in the village of Fuschl am See (which surprisingly is the headquarters of Red Bull). Again through the green mountains and lakes of the Alps.


Seewinkel hotel

I spent the next 4 days of the holiday in the lakeside village of Fuschl am See. And it was like being in paradise. I did a different activity every day, depending on whether the weather was sunny or rainy. And all of them were fabulous. I could have lived in this small village and its environs for a few more days too and not get bored. There were just so many ways to enjoy the nature around, it was perfect.

View from the hotel

The first afternoon when I reached the village, I was just blown away by the simplicity of the views outside the hotel. It was a small family run chalet right on the lake with lot of sun beds kept outside. It had a beach like area with sand on the lake and a walkway going into the water. And total calmness around. Oh my god, what a sight it was.

Seewinkel hotel

One of the highlights of my stay in Fuschl am See was definitely the hotel, so small and yet so contained and relaxing to stay in. I had a great time there, both inside and the areas around. It had many seating areas for you to relax – outside on the beach, on the ground floor next to the spa, the restaurant on the first floor with glass windows to enjoy the lake views and so on. It also had sofas and chairs on each floor to just sit and chill. And was always cosy and warm even when it was cold outside.

It had a nice restaurant offering lunch and dinner, with a tasty menu. I had dinner there one day and enjoyed it. They had many water sports equipment available for their guests – paddle boats, surf boats, canoes, kayaks, SUPs etc. They also offered tours for mountain biking or hiking in the area. The highpoint for me though was the small little spa in the hotel with sauna and steam bath, it was cute and I went there every day after the day outside in the cold and rain.

Reflections along the Fuschl see

Right in front of the hotel was the huge lake, where you could just walk in and swim. And right outside my window, there used to be llamas and horses and ponies grazing all day. How much more idyllic can a holiday get? I will always recommend this hotel to everyone who goes there, totally worth it. 


Fuschl am See

The first afternoon in Fuschl, I just sat outside the hotel in the sun for a while. And then went for a swim (which I ended up doing 4 of the next 5 days too😊). The water was actually so warm, it felt amazing. I swam to the other side of the lake to see the village centre. There were lot of people doing different water sports in the lake, including sailing and boating. And loads of people sitting around it fishing all day long too.

Dinner at Seehotel Schlick

In the evening, I walked along the lake to the Seehotel Schlick restaurant which was one of the 5-6 open air restaurants lining the lake. It had a beautiful view of the lake and the sunset. And the best part of the dinner was a boat with some locals just floating on the lake. And they were playing local folk music late into the evening. The whole time. It turned out to be such a captivating background to the dinner. I just fell in love with the village already. Apparently, the local group does this type of jamming every Sunday whenever it isn’t raining. What an idyllic life they have.

Sielbach village on the hike up

The next day, I went for a short hike nearby, up the Ellmaustein peak. I left a bit later in the day around 1 pm as it was a rainy day and I wanted to avoid the rain. I used the local Austrian bergfex hiking app during the day. I first walked to the Sielbach village and then took a turn up towards the peak. All along, there were so many wildflowers in yellow and white, with full fields in these colours. The path up was full of pine trees.

View from the top

I took more than 2 hours to go up and from there, got such a breath taking view of the lake. There was a huge wooden cross on the top and I sat under it for two hours, enjoying the sun and reading my book. I did not want to leave the spot, but good I did when I did. The path back was extremely steep, and coming back was quite tough, taking me more than an hour. Also, it started raining by the time I reached Fuschl. So to avoid the rain, I just stopped at the first restaurant I saw, Jacob’s and had an early dinner while sitting on the jhoola there. And the rest of the day was just spent resting at the hotel, enjoying the views outside as it rained all night.

Around the river

The next day, most of the day was raining but there were a few hours in between when it was quiet. So I went for a flat hike around the lake during this break. The path circled the lake, mostly close to it, but through very different terrains – small villages, hotels, golf courses, picnic areas, forests, restaurants, farms and so on. The water of the lake had a green emerald shade, and looked different at every turn. Within the 13 kms walk, there were so many differences in flora and fauna, it was fun. Each place felt more idyllic than the one before.

Hiking path

I started with walking past the Red Bull headquarters which were a cluster of modern buildings in the middle of nowhere. It did look cute though, sitting in this idyllic Austrian lake side village. Their HQ also had a few training buildings next to it – what fun it would be to come for corporate trainings to such an idyllic location. We passed through some wildflowers pastures in white and yellow, some gorgeous holiday homes with boats and boat ramps going into the water, the many many beaches and benches along the lake, the spruce and pine forests and so on. There were typical farm smells everywhere and a lot of cow dung smell at times too.

Beach along the lake

All the time, it kept raining in spurts, but it was fine as the trees protected me for a while. And when the rain got too much, I stopped for lunch at the SchlossFischlerei. They were selling raw, just freshly smoked fish there, and it was really tough to eat. I didn’t, choosing to eat something easier. But it was quite a sight to see people have the whole fish just like that. And as usual, I made it back to the hotel just in time before the rains. Enjoying the rest of the evening sitting by the cosy places in the hotel, enjoying the views of the lake outside.

 

The next day was mostly rainy and foggy. And whenever there was a break, I would sneak out to do something. In the afternoon, I went boating in the lake, and it was so relaxing, just floating along with such picturesque views. It got sunny then too, and was nice to see all the villages from down below in the lake. Such places always give a new perspective.

Fuschl am see at night

That evening, I walked to a restaurant in a golf course nearby, in the neighbouring village but it was already closed by then. So I ended up having dinner at the Eden burger, again by the lake. I tried sitting outside as it was gorgeous. The restaurant got the last rays of the sun when it set at the other end of the lake. But soon it got too cold to sit outside, so I just sat inside and had a nice cosy dinner.

On my last day I again went for a swim and kayaking in the water. And then I realised there were waves in the water! Huge ones. Anyways I came back safely and then it was time to leave. And I found it tough to leave the lake, seriously. I had loved going swimming in its warm waters every day. Surprisingly, it was warm even in the morning and even when the temperature outside was 14 degrees! Don’t know how, it felt swimmable all the time.


Leaving Austria

And just like that, it was time to leave the Austrian lake district. I was still going local, so took the bus to Salzburg. And as I reached Salzburg, it felt like I was back in a city after a long stay in the countryside. Even though Salzburg was small, it still felt like being back in a different world, a world I did not want to come back to.

I had reached much before time as I had kept a lot of buffer for buses being late but they were totally on time. So I stopped at Mirabell gardens in Salzburg for a bit, just to look around and also slept on the park bench, for a bit – the last of the sun I was going to get for a long while. And very quickly, I was back at the airport. Also interestingly, we could see one of the city castles from the airport itself, even though it was 2 miles away. And then soon it was time to say good bye to even the mountains. To come back to rainy and foggy Amsterdam.

This was a great holiday, as usual. And I can see myself going back again. Maybe to a different part of the lake district, like the Attersee, St. Gilgen or Gmunden am Traunsee. This area has a lot to offer, to everyone, always.

Bay area and around

Around Half Moon Bay

During my visit to the US in the winter lockdown of 2021, after spending some time travelling around San Diego and Joshua national park, I also spent two weeks working in Mountainview and exploring the areas around. It was a different experience, both to live in the Bay Area, and also to explore the cool things to do around on the weekends.

Living in Mountainview

I lived two weeks in Mountainview, and most of the time I was working. I was still doing European hours, which was a bit crazy. But I could manage for those two weeks. All around the area, most of the houses were just 2-3 floors which was nice as we got to see the sky enough. And the sunsets there every evening were just stunning. 

During this time, I did get around a bit. And was again struck by how much this whole area was a car city, it was very tough to get around walking. Actually impossible. Thankfully we had a small park 10 mins walking from our apartment. Even that was a struggle to get to as the pavements weren’t really built for getting across. But somehow I managed. 

Driving around

We drove around a bit around San Francisco. We visited Vacaville one day, and the place felt just like an American style city. All around were green hills (as apparently it had rained very well that year). And the houses all looked very charming in such a refreshing green setting. And one other day we drove to Sacramento. It felt like a typical American city too, with high rises of glass and cement everywhere.

Del Valle Lake

Del Valle lake

On one of the weekends, we drove to a lake nearby, called the Del Valle lake. The scenery all around was stunning. Lush green grass on all the hills around. We then hired a boat and were on the lake for the whole day, aimlessly floating around. After that we visited a winery nearby for some snacks. It turned out to be such an amazing relaxing day, I loved it. I guess this is an advantage of living in the Bay Area, all the greenery around with mountains and the sea and vineyards makes it definitely the life to want.

Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay

Another weekend, we went out for a day at Half Moon Bay, a beach nearby. It was a windy day, but as it was sunny, it was still comfortable to be there. The beach was crowded with lot of people engaged in waterspots. And it was fun to walk around and eat there. After walking on the beach's we walked on some of the trails near the beach and enjoyed admiring the greenery and the houses there. It was another nice day out. 

Sailing from Golden Gate

Sailing in the Bay

This was the best experience I had in the Bay Area on that trip. We rented a huge sail boat and were off to explore the Bay around Golden Gate. The weather turned warm and sunny (unexpectedly) and we just spent the whole day, sailing in the sun. With Bollywood music in our ears and a gentle cool breeze on our faces. We sailed between the mountains, under the bridges and were there all day. I would recommend this to everyone, it's a not to be missed experience.

Under the Bridge

Waterfront

Impressions of living in the Bay area

During this stay, there are some things I noticed. Sharing a few here 

• We saw fall colours on the trees, even in December. It was definitely a huge surprise 
• We found a lot of European food here but it felt so different from what I eat in Europe. A lot more quantity, and a lot less delicateness - so American! 
• In San Diego, the restaurants put heaters for outside seating even when the temperature was 16 degrees. It was quite a big difference from Amsterdam, where this happens only below 5 degrees
• The infrastructure everywhere is only focused on driving rather than walking. Walking isn't as comfortable as in Europe and many times not even feasible 
• Pet resorts are common here 
• Getting a corona test was very challenging here, there were just not enough stations or testing equipment. Also the way the tests were done here was different - the testers didn't touch the nose or throat deep. Just on the surface! I wasn’t complaining though.