Life in Turkey Blog Posts

Turkey's largest city and one that brings the East to the West, Istanbul is making a name for itself as a popular city break destination of the world. The city attracts millions of tourists every year who enjoy the bustling vibes, exotic ambience, and sheer size of the region to explore. More often than not, first time visitors find themselves returning every year, and some even purchase a second home in the city - giving you a perfect place to getaway to enjoy some Turkish culture. So, for those who already know Istanbul or have been before - what is there to do? after the touristic sites? Actually, in this blog we will show you that there is a lot to put on your bucket list, from the less well-known attractions to places where the locals hang out - have a read.

Are you an expat, traveller, or tourist in Turkey looking for things to do or see while on this side of the world? In this blog we give you our top hobbies and activities to undertake whilst in Turkey - some that might be obvious, some not so. A large percentage of foreigners in Turkey are either retired or cannot work legally in the country for one reason or another, so what do you do with your time if this is the scenario you find yourself in? At some point, dreams of sitting by the pool, basking in the sun while sipping on a glass of wine soon become monotonous. Find out how to keep yourself entertained here. 

How do you choose the right property in Turkey? What do you look for in a home to live in? We speak candidly to Petra Michelson and her husband, who are two globetrotters who finally decided to settle in Side after a long and wide search around the globe, we speak to them about why they chose Turkish shores over other destinations around the world. What is exactly about Turkey that draws people from all over to settle here? Find out in this blog and let us know your own reasons for why you chose to move to this sunny side of the world or want to make the move. 

Not known around the globe for its fine wines, Turkey's vineyards are actually some of the oldest and biggest you will find in the world. Here we take a look at wine in Turkey and include some of our favourite hotspots and bars to grab a glass of some of the finest Turkish wine. With more than 140 registered producers in the entire country, we hope that you are thirsty - you surely will be after reading this blog. If you ever happen to find yourself sipping on a glass in one of the great restaurants or bars listed in this article, give us a call - we will most likely not be too far behind! 

Believe it or not, we promise to you that there is much more to Turkish food than the traditional kebab or doner. In a blog that is sure to arouse the taste buds in many, we bring you our guide to enjoying Turkish street food and give you our top 15, yes 15, Turkish dishes to try for you foodies out there. Don't worry, we haven't left out the kebab or doner - we love them just as much as you do. Think we haven left something off our list? Let us know what Turkish food you love and enjoy most and we just might feature those in our next blog. 

Those of us who have animals, know that an animal is certainly for life. Falling in love with your pet is easy, but what happens when you also fall in love for a region abroad? How easy is it to take animals abroad and back home? Karen tells her story about how she fell in love with Fethiye but was reluctant to move to Turkey at first for fear of leaving her beloved cat, Bungle, back home in the UK. It turns out, bringing a pet to and from Turkey isn't as hard as Karen first thought. Read how you can do the same, here with this blog and guide to all you need to know about pets and life abroad. 

Do you find yourself sitting in your desk job on a rainy day in the UK wondering just what life would be like if you got up and moved to a warm country abroad? Find out exactly what life is like in Turkey for those that decided that enough is enough - those that got up, chased the dream, and are now enjoying life in Turkey working (if that's what you call test driving yachts, chasing the sun in the Mediterranean, and enjoying fine dining under the stars in t-shirts and shorts) Have a read of Adrian's journey to Fethiye where he now works and lives - will you be brave enough to follow in his footsteps?

Straddling two different continents, home to over 12 million residents, Turkey's largest and busiest city - you might think that life in Istanbul could be a bit overwhelming, not knowing which area to visit or which district is best for certain pasttimes. In this blog we give you inside knowledge to surviving Istanbul and experience Turkish culture like never before. From trendy districts such as Bahcesehir or Cihangir, to where old meets new in Cukurcuma, Istanbul is awash with a history like no other city - come explore with us. 

Bodrum is home to people from all walks of life, from all ages, and cultures. You might not necessarily think that Bodrum will capture your heart, but once you spend any period of time in this haven in Turkey - you will soon be calling Bodrum 'home'. From being "adopted" by Turkish families, welcomed into the relaxing pace of life in Bodrum with a pot of tea, to endless nights of partying by the beaches; read one man's story on hipster Bodrum leading the way for those seeking a bohemian lifestyle in Turkey. Warning: one read of this blog will surely leave you green with envy at life in Bodrum; read with caution. 

Perhaps not known for its wealth of National Parks, did you know that Turkey is actually home to over 80 of them? With each measuring thousands of hectares in size, it is most definitely worth taking a closer look at for anyone travelling through Turkey. Discover some of the hidden gems in this blog as we take a deep look into the diverse selection of parks ranging from the impressively sized Mount Ararat National Park to The United Nations protected Canakkale-Gelibolu Peninsula Historical Park to the gorgeous nature retreat Artvin-Hatila Valley National Park.

Since first being introduced to golf in the 1800's, Turkey has become one of the premier locations for golf around Europe with hundreds of thousands of tourists heading each year to one place - Belek. Home to over 17 Championship Quality golf courses, Belek is a golfers paradise that attracts those who are looking for exotic holiday homes within walking distance to world class clubhouses and golf courses. Within driving distance to neighbouring regions, Belek awaits over 300 days of sunshine per year, and you'll find plenty of expats and friendly faces awaiting. Find out what makes Belek tick here. 

Awash with a rich cultural history, lots of fantastic sites and places to see such as: Apollo Theatre, Aspendos Bridge, plenty of museums, a golden beach, calm water, and not forgetting properties starting from as low as 70,000 Euros; there are many sides to Side that make this charming region within Antalya one of the favourite hotspots for overseas investors, lifestyle buyers, and those looking to retire abroad - read on to discover what makes Side tick and why you should consider Side when looking for your dream home in the sun and follow in the steps of Alexandra and Cleopatra by making Side your secret getaway.