Turkey ended up being one of the most memorable surprises of our Eastern Europe trip, and one of the countries I still find myself telling people to visit whenever it comes up.
We started in Istanbul before continuing on to Romania, and from the moment we arrived, the city felt completely unlike anywhere else we'd been. Part Europe, part Asia, layers of history everywhere, the call to prayer echoing across the skyline — Istanbul immediately felt immersive in a way that's hard to describe until you're standing in it.
We stayed near the old city at the Orient Occident Hotel, which turned out to be the perfect base because so much of what we wanted to see was walkable. Most days involved wandering between major historic sites like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar while stopping constantly for Turkish coffee, pastries, kebabs, or whatever else smelled good along the way.
The food ended up being one of the biggest highlights of the trip. Before visiting, I don't think I fully appreciated how broad and flavorful Turkish cuisine actually is. One meal we'd be eating incredible kebabs or freshly baked bread in a tiny local spot, and the next we'd be having one of the best modern tasting-menu dinners we'd had all year. Turkish breakfasts alone deserve their own category. We had one on a rooftop overlooking the city as Istanbul slowly woke up around us — seagulls circling overhead while plate after plate kept arriving at the table: cheeses, olives, eggs, breads, spreads, tea, pastries, honey, vegetables. Breakfast in Turkey feels less like a meal and more like an event.
One of the best experiences of the trip was doing a food experience hosted by a local. We started on a rooftop overlooking the city while the evening call to prayer echoed across Istanbul, then spent the rest of the night eating our way through hidden local spots with a small group of travelers. Kebabs, mezze, baklava, tea — the kind of night where you leave feeling like you experienced a version of the city you never would've found on your own. We also did a Turkish coffee-making and fortune-reading experience, which was equal parts cultural experience and complete chaos in the best way possible.
Another standout was visiting a traditional hammam. Steam, scrubbing, soap, the whole process. It's one of those experiences that's slightly intimidating at first but becomes hilarious in hindsight once you realize you were basically being professionally exfoliated, washed, scrubbed, and repeatedly splashed with water while lying on a giant marble slab. There's really nothing else quite like it.
What I appreciated most about Istanbul overall was how distinct and alive it felt. The city is crowded, loud, layered, and sometimes chaotic, but that's also exactly what gives it its own personality. It's almost like a Middle Eastern version of New York in that sense — endless energy, constant movement, and something interesting happening around nearly every corner. Another mosque, another café, another rooftop, another market, another smell coming from a grill somewhere.
At the same time, Istanbul also felt deeply historic in a way very few cities do. You constantly feel aware that civilizations have been passing through that exact area for thousands of years.
If we return, Cappadocia and the Turkish coast are both very high on the list.