23/08/2026
stanbul! The first stop on this summer’s Turkey adventure. It’s a city that has topped our travel list and intrigued us for years. The cultural diversity, east meets west energy, layers of history (home to the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires), and flavorful and varied food have always drawn us in. But what we didn’t know is that every neighborhood has its own unique energy, that you can get peeks of views from hilltops and through narrow streets, that the cafe culture is a very big deal, and that hopping on a ferry to crisscross the Bosphorus is an A+ experience in itself, but might as well be like taking the bus for locals.
We’re in Turkey developing our newest Designed Trip and spent 5 days exploring the city, sleeping in one of the its most gorgeous luxury boutique hotels and armed with recommendations from our wonderful Turkish friend. We visited ancient mosques, experienced a Turkish Hammam (together, which is not traditional but was appreciated), and walked for miles, through both the European and Asia sides, visiting potential hotels for our Designed Trip along the way. Our conclusion was that this city is everything - it’s buzzing, and cultural and modern and traditional and beautiful and busy and all that lies in between. The perfect first stop on what is sure to be an epic adventure ahead. 🇹🇷