Out of all the places I’ve been to so far, Turkey has been one of my absolute favorites! No matter where I am or what I am doing I dream of returning to Turkey. Now, Western Turkey definitely has its hidden gems and everyone should visit. However, Eastern Turkey holds so many amazing destinations and people rarely make it out that way. In hopes of inspiring travelers to explore more of this stunning country, I wanted to share 5 hidden gems in the mountains of Turkey that will make you book your ticket ASAP!
1. All the villages
Walking throughout these small villages makes you feel like you are walking back in time! They are full of life and make you feel at peace. I would give anything to live in one of the villages I visited. Everyone I met was so welcoming. You will find the opportunity to explore all the little shops that no one goes to making all sorts of friends along the way, just be prepared to sit and share quite a few cups of tea:)
2. narman peribacalari sosyal tesisi
This was such a cool and random find! The English name for this place is Land of the Red Fairies. There was no one at this park but a couple of shepherds who we quickly made friends with. It was like you stepped onto Mars with the red rock look giving you an otherworldly feel. The contrast between the rocks and the sky also made this the perfect picture-taking spot if you are into photography. Since this is tucked away in the mountains there is a good chance you’ll have this spot to yourself to explore to your heart’s content!
3. The Euphrates river
This was by far my favorite thing we did while in Turkey! If you are a history buff like me you know the importance of this river. To see it with your own eyes is the next level! There are so many activities to do while visiting the river, one of my favorites was taking a boat tour down the river. Now I’m not really a huge tour person, but again since there was really no other tourist we had the boat to ourselves making it feel like we were just hanging out with old friends rather than on a tour. I would definitely do this excursion again! We also zipped-lined across the river which was a fun splurge and left us with a cool story of the day we zip-lined over the Euphrates River!
4. visit a local market
If you are from the west like me then you will love the different feel of a good Turkish market! It feels like a farmers’ market on steroids. All the hustle and bustle, while everyone is trying to get their goods for the week, is exciting! They have all the fresh produce you could want, nuts and seeds of every kind, or any little household gadget you could need! This was an afternoon event as there was so much to take in. This was the perfect place to pick up some snacks for the road and make some new friends along the way. If you are into getting local packaged snacks as your souvenirs for your loved ones back home, this is the place for you!
5. The history
The history in Eastern Turkey is astounding! There is so much architecture that is all filled with such rich stories. You will come across many places to stop and get the chance to learn about the culture/history of the region while on your trip. You can learn how people lived hundreds of years ago and how time has shaped the culture we see now. You can witness buildings built hundreds of years ago and learn about the foundational moments of different religions. If you take the time, your trip to Eastern Turkey can be a great opportunity to learn about the importance of history as a whole.
conclusion
Traveling to Eastern Turkey is such an amazing experience and if you have the opportunity to see it first hand you should take it! There is so much to learn, see, and do in Turkey that you could spend years here just exploring and never get tired. We haven’t even touched on the food or hospitality of the people here yet! Have you been to Turkey? What are your must-sees’? Let me know below!
Until Next Time – Olivia Grace:)
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