Turkey’s Warm Hospitality
It’s been almost a year since we were in Turkey, but I still think of that trip often. We saw some really amazing sights, ate delicious food, and had incredible experiences. It’s definitely high on my list of “must return” countries. But the memories that really make me smile are the ones about the people. We met some of the warmest, friendliest and most helpful people during our brief time in Turkey.
Cappadocia
Our time in Cappadocia got off to a rough start when we thought our plane might crash on the way there. But when we arrived at our hotel, Spelunca Cave Hotel, we were immediately greeted by the friendly manager who became such a big help to us over the next few days.
Our first request? A drink. After a flight like that, we needed something to take the edge off. The manager pointed us to the hotel’s restaurant where he was hanging out with friends at 1AM.
When we booked a tour that never came to pick us up, that same manager called around for us to get things straightened out. Another van came to pick us up 20 minutes later, and we were on our way.
After that tour, we told him we wanted to make sure we saw a certain section of Cappadocia. He told us if we wanted to go after our balloon ride, he would drive us out there. How much would that cost? Nothing. He wasn’t even going to charge us, he just wanted to be helpful.
He also helped us get our hot air balloon ride scheduled when our first choice was booked up. And afterwards, he helped us figure out how to get to Selcuk, our next stop, so we could see Ephesus. The bus companies only had overnight buses, which I didn’t want to do, and they had no information on routes beyond theirs. But the hotel manager told us what cities would be good for finding connecting buses, and it worked perfectly.
Bus from Konya to Izmir
In our journey from Cappadocia to Izmir, we switched buses in Konya. The Turkish bus system is actually really great and stopped often enough for bathroom breaks and food. At one stop, Andy and I were trying to decide on dinner when another passenger from our bus saw came over to talk to us. He pointed at the doner in front of us and said, “Try that one, it’s the specialty of this town. Would you like to try mine?”
Really? Some stranger was going to let us try a bite of his doner wrap? I was shocked at his generosity. We didn’t take him up on his offer, but instead decided it was such a great endorsement of this particular doner, that we bought some for ourselves. It did not disappoint.
Selcuk
You may not have heard of Selcuk, but it’s the closest town to the ruins of Ephesus. While most people decide to visit Ephesus as a day trip, we decided to stay in Selcuk for a few nights. After settling into our wonderful hostel run by two helpful brothers, we went looking for dinner.
I normally shy away from restaurants where someone is standing outside trying to convince you to come in, but this time was different. He wasn’t being pushy, just really friendly. When I ordered a vodka (the only alcohol on his menu that wasn’t beer) and Coke, his face fell because he was all out of vodka. So he ran across the street to another restaurant and got some from them. Then he spent the night telling us about the food and getting the cook to answer questions when his English was failing him.
We went back the next night.
Pamukkale
I know it’s usually expected that people who run hotels will be helpful. But sometimes they go so far beyond our expectations. The man who owned the hotel we stayed at in Pamukkale was one of those. We were just asking how to get to the top entrance of the travertines, and instead of giving us directions, he drove us up there himself.
The day we checked out, as we were waiting for our ride to pick us up, he invited us to sit with him and a couple of other travelers and have some tea. It was only about 10 minutes, but to just sit and get to know us and his other customers was something you just don’t see often.
Istanbul
I wouldn’t necessarily expect overwhelming friendliness in a big city like Istanbul, but we found it everywhere. Riding the tram one day, a man who turned out to be a carpet salesman started talking to us and gave us advice on things to do in some of the other places on our itinerary. I’m used to people on public transportation keeping to themselves, so it was refreshing to have someone reach out to us.
I always heard the Grand Bazaar was full of people trying to sell you stuff. While this was true, it doesn’t mean the place was devoid of kindness. We were looking at a very basic map on the wall when a man came walking out of a nearby store. He handed us a really great paper map, pointed out a few things to us, and helped us get oriented. Never once did he try to get us to come into his store and buy anything – he just wanted to help.
When we arrived in Istanbul the second time, at the end of our trip, it was pouring. But when the taxis quoted us a much higher price than we were willing to pay for such a short ride, we started walking and unfortunately got a little lost. Another taxi stopped to help and offered to drive us, but he wouldn’t answer when we asked how much it would cost. It turns out he wouldn’t give us an answer because he was driving us for free, just to be nice.
Turkey is one of my top five favorite countries. I absolutely love the food, the sights are amazing, and the varying landscapes are gorgeous. All of these things drew me in, but the thing that makes me want to go back is the hospitality, friendliness and warm of the people who live there.
You might also enjoy:
- 5 Things to do in Istanbul
- Istanbul in Photos – Blue Mosque
- How Much I Spent Traveling in Cyprus and Northern Cyprus
- Exploring Kosovo: A Country Under the Radar
February 4, 2013 @ 10:02 AM
I absolutely love this post and couldn’t agree more. I went to Istanbul in November and was so impressed with the city, which is just gorgeous. But it’s the random encounters we had throughout our trip that stand out most in my mind. The people we met there were just incredibly kind and generous. I can’t wait to go back….
February 4, 2013 @ 12:31 PM
Thanks Nicole! Such a great country. I really want to go back too because I just felt so welcomed there. I’ve met friendly people all over the world, but Turkey really sticks out as one of the best. I wish I could hop on a plane to Istanbul now!
February 4, 2013 @ 2:36 PM
Great post! I’m often overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers around the world. It’s too bad singular incidents like the woman that was just mysteriously killed in Istanbul keep people from traveling. Those incidents aren’t the norm.
February 4, 2013 @ 10:09 PM
Thanks Jennifer! I try not to even read about that kind of stuff. It’s so sad, but like you said, not at all what the place is really like. And things like that could just as easily happen when you’re home.
February 4, 2013 @ 5:41 PM
Ugh take me there now! Such a dream destination for me!!! LOVE the pics!
February 4, 2013 @ 10:10 PM
Thanks Andi! Whenever you get to Turkey, you will LOVE it, I promise!
February 4, 2013 @ 7:17 PM
OMG the pic of you guys is so CUUUUUUUUTE.
February 4, 2013 @ 10:13 PM
Aw, thanks Erica!
February 5, 2013 @ 5:53 AM
We are hoping to hit up Turkey in the latter half of 2013, and this post has made me all the more excited for that trip! I admit, I find the country a bit daunting as it is so huge, so posts like this that help us find the best places are truly invaluable! Also, Selcuk looks gorgeous, and that dining experience sounds fabulous!
February 5, 2013 @ 11:49 AM
It’s definitely a huge country, some parts more touristy than others. You’ll probably have a lot more time than we did though, so you’ll be able to experience a lot more and take your time exploring. It really is a wonderful country!
February 5, 2013 @ 6:28 AM
Make sure the return visit is soon Ali – still so much more to see and more people to meet!
February 5, 2013 @ 11:51 AM
I know! I have no idea when we’ll get back there, but I hope it will be sooner rather than later. There aren’t many places that pull me back like Turkey!
February 5, 2013 @ 6:37 AM
Great post! I did a solo trip several years back and completely agree that the friendly people is what I appreciated the most. From helping me find the right bus at the station to packing me a to -go lunch, I met some amazing people.
February 5, 2013 @ 11:53 AM
Thanks Tim! The people really do make or break a trip most of the time. I’m glad you had such a great experience, it’s wonderful to meet so many friendly people around the world!
February 5, 2013 @ 11:42 AM
Hmm… I’ve only been to Turkey once. Years ago with my parents. Didn’t get to see much of the coutnry then and I must say your posts are convincing me to go back.
Might have to ask you for a list of the places you stayed at 😀
February 5, 2013 @ 11:55 AM
Sofie, you will love Turkey! I actually need to go find links for some of the places we stayed at and put them in this post. Check back later!
February 5, 2013 @ 3:04 PM
This post is cool and this type of post encourages traveler to explore new places. Everyone feels good if he is welcomed with warm greetings. Tourist activities not only depend on beauty of that place but also on the nature of local people.
February 5, 2013 @ 4:28 PM
Thanks Peter! Friendly locals certainly go a long way in making tourists feel welcome and enjoy themselves.
February 7, 2013 @ 1:43 PM
Completely agree with you about the Turkish people being friendly – they are amazing. As is the country with all of it’s beautiful history and amazing sites.
February 7, 2013 @ 2:49 PM
Thanks Andrea! Turkey is such a great country, and I was constantly overwhelmed with how kind and helpful everyone was.
February 7, 2013 @ 9:19 PM
Can’t wait to finally get to Turkey. Hopefully this year!!
February 8, 2013 @ 11:54 AM
I hope so too Julia! You’ll love it!
February 8, 2013 @ 12:48 AM
That’s a great photo of you two! I have to admit, the media started to make me a little nervous about Turkey, but then I snapped myself out of that pretty quick because there can be danger anywhere you go. I’m glad you had such a great experience and can shed some positive light on Turkey.
February 8, 2013 @ 12:00 PM
Thanks Christy! Please don’t let the media scare you away from Turkey! It is such an amazing country with kind, friendly, helpful people. It is so sad that that woman got murdered in Istanbul, but she just as easily could’ve been killed at home. Check out all the posts going around for #WeGoSolo. That situation had nothing to do with Turkey or the fact that she was a solo traveler.
February 8, 2013 @ 5:56 AM
I love Turkey. I spent a great 6 months there when I was younger and it was such a fantastic place to be.
February 8, 2013 @ 11:51 AM
Thanks Cath, so glad you had a good experience in such an amazing country!
February 12, 2013 @ 5:07 AM
I totally agree about the warmth and hospitality of the Turkish people. We were there in October 2011 and I too have so many fond memories. Thanks for sharing!
February 13, 2013 @ 4:03 PM
Thanks Dana! I’m glad so many people have had such good experiences visiting Turkey! It’s truly an amazing country with wonderful people.