Sold Out (30 June – 4 July 2022)
The Taste of Turkey Trip was an introduction to Turkiye. We met up and explored Istanbul – the city that separates Asia and Europe.
We spent 2 days in Cappadocia, and then returned to Istanbul, where some travelers returned home and some chose to stay and explore Turkey.
Turkey is the ultimate summer destination!
From world-class hospitality, rich culture, cruising routes, amazing hotels, unforgettable food, vibrant arts, and culture you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
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Why Escapes by LB
Our trips are designed by solo female travelers for women who love to travel solo. This means you don’t need to book with a friend, we won’t be rushing you around ticking boxes and there will be plenty of time to customise your trip to your liking – you can visit other places during your free time or even extend your trip and visit other destinations.
Taste of Turkey Memories
- Dates: 30 June – 4 July 2022
- Travelers: 5
Turkey Trip Highlights
- Bosphorus Cruise
- Shopping at Grand Bazaar and Spice Market
- Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Dolmabahçe Palace, Hagia Sophia, Galata Tower, The Basilica Cistern, and Rustem Pasha Mosque (Blue Mosque Inspiration).
- Hot Air Balloon in Cappadocia
- Cappadocia: Uchisar Castle, Göreme Open Air museum, Love Valley, Avanos (for Pottery Lessons), Paşabağı (Monks Valley to see Fairy Chimney), Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley), and Turkish Carpet Factory.
Dondurma (Ice Cream) outside Blue Mosque
Taste of Turkey Testimonials
“Turkey had always been on the bucket list and I went back and forth with dates and eventually decided on their summer.
I usually enjoy planning and doing solo trips but I wasn’t keen on doing solo anything post covid, So I signed up for Lerato’s taste of Turkey trip…. And this was simply because I knew she had lived there so she knew her way around it and that I could get the best experience from it.
Planning went well, communication, information, assistance with visas, and general advice… just to ensure everyone felt comfortable and knew what was going on.
The trip started rocky for half of the ladies in the group, ending up with 24hr delays, but luckily Lerato worked her magic and re-arranged the activities to minimise the losses on the experiences.
Day 1: We landed in the afternoon, took a bus from the airport and checked in showered, and hit the streets, to the Grand Bazaar, which is a market. We didn’t really buy much but it was good to have a view of what I could come back to buy before going home.
The sunset at 9 pm, so we still had lots of daytime hours to use, so we left for the Blue Mosque, which is one of the biggest mosques in Turkey and attracts tourists because of its beautiful architecture and its relation to the history of Turkey dating back to 400 years ago. We also got smits (Turkish circle bread) and ice cream (with theatrics) and headed back to the hotel to rest and get ready for dinner.
Had dinner in the Galata area, which was amazing, and hit shops for some shopping until late at night because shops close at 2 am.
My highlights were the fact that blue mosque tiles are all handmade and the ice cream, not only the performance but the actual taste, perfect consistency, not too milky, not too sweet -couldn’t get over it.
Day 2: We started the day with a tour, which included a visit to another mosque, the spice market, where we tasted some teas and some Turkish delight, and then we hopped on a boat for the Bosphorus midday cruise … which is an a way to relax and just appreciate the beauty of the city because it passes iconic buildings.
My highlight was the cruise and discovering what real Turkish delight looks like and that there is so much variety … even found sugar free version.
It was now time for Cappadocia. A short flight and a transfer later, we arrived at our hotel and went to dinner shortly after. We had tea, food and tasted some Turkish desserts (kunefe). Every meal comes with amazing bread. So this one wasn’t any different. We called it a night!
Day 3: We spent the day exploring the north of Cappadocia, with beautiful views, fairy chimneys, and open-air museums showing us how fairy chimneys were used as living spaces in the past. Had the most delicious lunch – a buffet of Turkish cuisine.
We headed to pottery and a carpet-weaving factory and witness how they actually get manufactured by hand. After the tour, we explored the town on foot and bought some souvenirs before sitting down for tea and dinner for sundowners.
My highlight was the open-air museum and the Turkish buffet. And learning that there are some silk carpets cost over a million rand…it doesn’t come with a husband or new house, it is a carpet that one will have to wash when it is dirty.
Day 4: Had an early start to catch our hot air balloon ride, which really gives one a proper view of the Cappadocia town and go to appreciate and take in its beauty with the sunrise views – a major highlight.
After the ride, we rushed to the airport, from where we bit each other goodbye as we hopped on different busses as the group tour came to an end and people went our different directions.”
“One of the best holidays I have had in a long time. All suggestions and planned locations exceeded my expectations. Every day was an adventure and the itinerary was fantastic. Keep up the good work and more trips in future.”
“Thank you for organizing this incredible group trip – I had the most amazing time and made life long memories!”