Discovering Turkey

09/04/2024

Tulips are in full bloom in the Gülhane Park in the historical peninsula of Istanbul.

01/04/2024

Canakkale's delicious dessert Dondurmalı Peynir Helvası, cheese halva with mastik icecream.

29/02/2024

Time for rosemary to bloom.

18/02/2024

Bees are enjoying the almond blossoms.

02/02/2024

Winter in Cappadocia.

25/01/2024

Visiting Anitkabir in Ankara, the Mausoleum of Atatürk - the Father of Modern Turkey.

24/01/2024

Snowy Bolu.

19/01/2024

Crossing the Dardanelles by ferry. The new bridge is visible in the distance.

02/01/2024

Happy 2024 from Ayvalik!

18/12/2023

Colours of December.

16/12/2023

We are having a hot comforting winter drink of SALEP while there is a thunderstorm outside... Salep is made of milk, orchid extract, sugar and cinnamon. Yummy!

14/12/2023

Beautiful Cunda island.

13/12/2023

Tolun is preparing pomegranates for home-made pomegranate icecream.

13/12/2023

Winter blooms in the mountains of Western Turkey.

14/09/2023

Cunda. A pretty island connected to the mainland by the bridge in Ayvalik by Aegean Sea. It is one of the favourite holiday spots for Turks and not many foreigners know about it (yet).

13/09/2023

Those lovely North Aegean beaches in Izmir Province.... The weather is still hot and the water is delishiously refreshing.

29/08/2023

I am back in Cappadocia - an otherwordly place packed with history and located in Central Anatolia. The caves dug into the soft volcanic rock are interconnected by many underground tunnels, forming the whole underground cities. Every time I visit Cappadocia I discover something new... A fascinating place. I have written more about this area earlier: https://privatetourturkey.com/en/cappadocia/ and here: https://privatetourturkey.com/en/magical-cappadocia/

24/08/2023

Yesterday we enjoyed the beach at Karaburun (and I enjyed it so much that I forgot to take any photos until we were already leaving :)). It is a wide and long sandy beach on the coast of the Black Sea, in Arnavutköy district of Istanbul. The water was delicious, warm, yet cooling in the heat of August. As you can see on the photo, it was not crowded at all, although I don't know the situation at weekends. At it is only about a half an hours' drive from the airport!

12/07/2023

Photos of Patara.

12/07/2023

Here I write about Patara - the capital of ancient Lycian League, the birthplace of St Nicholas 'the Santa Claus' and Patara Beach where Caretta Caretta turtles nest:

Patara – capital of ancient Lycia Tolun's private Turkey tours Posted on July 12, 2023 by MarielleJuly 12, 2023 Patara is known as the capital of the ancient Lycian League and the birthplace of Saint Nicholas the ‘Santa Claus’. Nowadays, Patara Beach is also famous for being a nesting place of...

14/06/2023

Summer has arrived in the mountains of Western Turkey. Bees are busy in the meadows and grapes are growing on the vines. It is a good time to collect young grape leaves for making dolma - delicious rolled up leaves with fillings.

21/05/2023

Istanbul has many beautiful parks and in this article I am going to introduce you some of my favourite ones https://privatetourturkey.com/en/beautiful-parks-of-istanbul/

25/04/2023

Balat, Istanbul. Full of character and colourful houses. A short bus ride from Üsküdar.

23/04/2023

We took a boat to Heybeliada. It is the second largest among the Princes' Islands of Istanbul. These islands are in the Marmara sea, a short boat trip from many departure points along the coast of Istanbul city. They are very popular among the residents of Istanbul for weekend as well as holiday trips. We enjoyed strolling on the colourful tree-lined streets with old wooden villas, eating ice cream, ventured into forests where people like to picnic. In summer, the islands' sandy beaches are popular for sunbathing and swimming. Bicycles and small electric vehicles are the only transportation allowed on the islands, keeping the traffic noise and pollution away. No wonder people like these islands so much!

17/04/2023

It's the tulip season in the Emirgan Park, Istanbul!

17/04/2023

Taking a boat on the Bosphorus.

16/04/2023

Today we are in Canakkale - the university and seaside city. The city is by the Dardanelles Strait and just 30 km from the famous site of ancient Troy. The Trojan horse from the 2004 blockbuster film "Troy", with Brad Pitt, was brought to Canakkale and stands there to this day. The city has a relaxed and youthful vibe.

15/04/2023

Spring blooms in the mountains of Western Turkey. Now is that time of the year when the grass is the greenest. There has been plenty of rain and the temperatures are mild, the birds are chirping their loudest and the meadows are the most colourful. A great time for walks in the nature.

14/04/2023

Sage, thyme and rosemary - all powerful medicinal plants as well as great for flavouring dishes and making herbal tea. My favourite is sage tea, adaçay in Turkish. Every time I go for a walk in the forest in our mountain village, I pick up a handful of wild sage and often rosemary and thyme. In the evening, I like to sit outside, watch the sunset while sipping my fresh wild sage tea. These are the plants I picked in the forest today, laid out on the kitchen table to dry.

11/03/2023

About Lagina, a mystical sanctuary of Hekate - the goddess of moon, night and dark powers.
https://privatetourturkey.com/en/sanctuary-of-hekate-goddess-of-moon-and-magic/