My Turkish top 10

East is east, west is west, but Turkey is a world all its own. Voted by TImeOut as one of 2011’s Top 10 travel destinations, exploring Turkey can be relatively inexpensive but infinitely loaded with interesting sights and experiences.

As for getting there, Turkish Airlines flies frequently to Istanbul via Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, and soon, Manila.

I used Aristo Tours, which has been in the travel business in Istanbul for more than 10 years, with satellite offices in China, India and United States.

Besides providing excellent travel management and vacation planning within Turkey, Aristo has a dynamic pool of expert tour guides that speak English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean and more.

The agency offers a wide range of travel packages and cultural tours for adventurous individuals, corporate business groups, even gay and lesbian travelers.

Here’s a list of Top 10 places to visit in Turkey’s two key cities of Istanbul and Konya.

Istanbul

The Sahaflar Carsisi or series of old bookshops is located at the famous Grand Bazaar, offering a wide selection of books in English and Turkish, as well as antique maps, stationery, and postcards.

Archeology Museum in Topkapi Palace — The museum consists of three huge sections: Archeology, Ancient Orient and Islamic Art. Each holds a massive collection of Ottoman architecture, porcelain, ceramics, Greek gods/goddesses sculptures and Islamic calligraphic manuscripts. A day isn’t enough to cover the entire museum. One of the more famous pieces is the remarkably well-preserved Alexander Sarcophagus sculpture that excavated from a graveyard in Sidon. Its ornate carvings depict the beliefs of Alexander the Great.

Sahaflar Carsisi — If you want to learn more about Turkey’s rich history and culture, Sahaflar Carsisi — or series of old bookshops at Grand Bazaar (Istanbul’s famous shopping mecca) — offers a wide selection of antique and limited edition books, both in English and Turkish. This historic area has about 50 small bookshops in its original set up. Books are randomly organized and piled on small tables and shelves. Book vendors are very knowledgeable and helpful in assisting literary intellectuals or bookworms.

Cagaloglu Hamami — The Hamam or Turkish bath is a must-do in Istanbul. Cagaloglu is a 300-year-old Turkish bathhouse located at Yerebatan Caddesi.

Throughout centuries, it has been a place for believers to fulfill their Islamic precept of cleanliness as well as social interaction. The place is entirely made out of gray marble and impressively constructed with large dome structure, segmented in trumpet-like vault panels. It is considered one of the classic architectural monuments made during Ottoman Empire period.

The Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge in Ataturk International Airport provides special amenities for business class passengers such as a wide variety of food and drinks, private relaxation rooms, shower facilities and even prayer rooms.

Traditional Turkish afternoon tea and snacks in Ortakoy — Probably my favorite place to hang out in Istanbul, as it’s by the water and made up of tiny winding streets lined with little cafes and bars where you can have drinks and play backgammon.

Only few places serve tea, so just ask. Ortakoy is also popularly known for its mouth-watering street foods such as the DIY Turkish sweetened waffle and Kumpir, a giant jacket-boiled potato piled high with cheese, mixed pickles, sausages and salad.

To get there, take a bus with route numbers DT2 or 40T at Taksim Square area.

Bosporus Cruise — This 1.5-hour ferryboat tour starts from a dock station near Galata Bridge and heads towards Black Sea. It journeys around both sides of Istanbul’s magnificent landscapes (European and Asian) and passes through six Ottoman palaces, bridges, houses, and modern districts. 

The most impressive sights are along the southern part of Bosporus where you can enjoy fantastic views of Topkapi Palace, Dolmahbace, Bosporus Bridge, and the chic village of Ortakoy.

Tandir Kebab is a specialty dish at the Konya Mutfagi Restaurant.

Konya

Dervishes Felt House — Owned by Konya’s renowned craftsman, Celalettin Berberoglu and known for quality felt goods such as hats, scarves, and bags, this arts and crafts studio is very exclusive and accessible by appointment only.

At present, Celalettin is the only artisan in Turkey who continues to manufacture hats for whirling dervishes. He also holds workshops on felt making and whirling education on the life and teachings of Mevlana.

Mevlana Museum — Opened to the public in 1927, this museum introduces you to the great life of Mevlana Celaleddin, a Muslim saint and poet. On display are Mevlana’s personal belongings such as musical instruments, specimens of calligraphy, fabrics and carpets, and his refined poems and words of wisdom translated into different languages.

Whirling Dervishes — Konya is the birthplace of the Sema ritual movement commonly known as the whirling dervishes. The best place to witness this magnificent ceremony is in the rose garden outside the Mevlana museum.

Whirling dervishes at the rose garden of the Mevlana Museum in Konya.

A long period of spiritual training is necessary before a dervish can wear a conical hat and billowing white robe and participate in the whirling dance.

Dervishes are enlightened during the ritual dance as their bodies leave their frames and reach unification with Allah.

Catalhuyuk — This 7,000 B.C. archeological site was first excavated in 1965 by British archeologist James Mellaart and is considered one of the first Neolithic settlements in Anatolia. Frescos on the site illustrate its past inhabitants’ artistic expressions.

Many unearthed artifacts found in the digs are displayed at the Konya Archeological and Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museums.

Konya Mutfagi Restaurant — Famous for its specialty dish called Tandir Kebab, or lamb pieces slowly baked for hours in a clay oven with sand and served with flat bread and raw onions. Other specialties include etli-ekmek (bread with minced meat) and my favorite Turkish dessert, kunefe, or breaded deep-fried cheese topped with light syrup and gooey ice cream.

* * *

To know more, go to http://www.aristotours.com or http://www.kececiyiz.biz

* * *

Special thanks to Sema Kocakanat; Filiz Basaran; Mehmet Torun Kaplan; and Muge Hasdal of Aristo Tours Istanbul, Tuna Atala of Turkish Embassy Manila, Dir. Huseyin Ceyhan; Serdak Citlak; and Christina Villarin of Turkish Airlines.