MoMo Takes You to a Turkey Beyond Just Hot Air Balloons

Discovering a Different Turkey

Ever since the pandemic started, I haven't had a chance to travel abroad. I often look at photos from trips before the pandemic. After tossing and turning, I finally made up my mind to write this travelogue. The reason for writing about Turkey is more about my feelings for this country—I experienced so many unique things here:

Like how I, who grew up in a southern city that never sees snow, drove in a snow-covered landscape.

Discussing American politics with a pharmacy uncle using Google Translate.

Getting a haircut from a Turkish barber at a roadside shop.

Adding the owner of a burger shop on Instagram at midnight in Izmir.

Being stranded in Turkey as the pandemic broke out, debating whether to return immediately or change tickets, and all the other twists and turns. I hope to record these beautiful memories with my clumsy writing and share them with you. The pandemic will end eventually, and the time to step abroad again will come. I hope to give everyone more anticipation and expectations. The beauty of the world is interconnected, and I wish everyone can visit the beautiful and romantic Turkey.

The planned itinerary was eight days, specifically from January 19, 2020, Chengdu - (transfer) Wuhan - Istanbul - (flight) Kayseri - (private transfer) Göreme - (flight) Izmir - (self-drive) Çeşme - (flight) Ankara - (self-drive) Safranbolu - (flight) Istanbul - (transfer) Wuhan - Chengdu on January 28, 2020.

Keen-eyed friends will notice that our trip overlapped with the pandemic in Wuhan. Before heading to the airport on the 19th, we cancelled our original tickets and changed to the next day, January 20, flying via Beijing to Istanbul. For the return, we also changed to a direct flight back to Chengdu. During our stay in Turkey, as the pandemic worsened, we postponed our return again. In the end, we spent 13 days in Turkey. However, due to cancellation and change fees, as well as the price difference for new tickets, the two of us spent an extra 30,000 yuan on airfare. But it turned out to be the right decision.

What moved me to make sure I wanted to go to Turkey?

Turkey lies between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Too many stories have happened here since ancient times, and countless legendary events were born here. Istanbul has too many labels: "The Capital of the World," "Murder on the Orient Express," "The Meeting Point of East and West"...

Our story today also begins in Istanbul.

This chapter covers: Chengdu - (transfer) Beijing - Istanbul

From Chengdu to Beijing, even the shuttle bus seats at Beijing Capital Airport in winter had heating, which surprised us southerners. A three-hour layover was more than enough. We ate a bowl of instant noodles in the lounge and prepared to board.

We arrived in Istanbul at 5:30 a.m. local time. I had booked a transfer online in advance. The one-way transfer from Istanbul New Airport to our first hotel, Pera Palace Hotel, was a fixed price of 350 yuan, taking about an hour. The vehicles were all comfortable Mercedes vans. To rest better, we had booked a room for the arrival day, so we could check in at 9 a.m. directly, without waiting until noon. Our first hotel was Pera Palace Hotel in Beyoğlu, just a ten-minute walk from the famous Taksim Square, and only one street away from Istiklal Avenue (Independence Avenue). Pera Palace Hotel was Istanbul's first and only luxury hotel at the end of the 19th century, and it was also the only hotel in Turkey with an elevator (the second in Europe). The old elevator still operates, but it is best known for the Orient Express and Agatha Christie's famous mystery novel "Murder on the Orient Express," which was completed in Room 411 of this hotel. We stayed in the Greta Garbo Corner Room. The hotel price is not too expensive. When we went, the basic rooms were around 800 yuan, while our Greta Garbo Corner Room was about 1,000 yuan per night, with an area of about 42 square meters. We deliberately booked a corner room with views of two streets and a small balcony. It was really great, this hotel.

After resting and adjusting to the jet lag, we tidied up and went out shopping in the afternoon. The first step was to turn left out of the hotel and withdraw cash from an ATM. I must say, withdrawing money in Turkey is really convenient, available anytime. Then we headed to Istiklal Avenue. After a 7-minute walk, we arrived.

After strolling around, we experienced Istanbul's public transport for the first time. A single subway ticket was 7 Turkish Lira.

In the evening, we went to the famous "Salt Bae" steakhouse to experience a Turkish-style internet-famous restaurant. But to be honest, Salt Bae was the biggest failure of this trip, and the only time we got an upset stomach during the entire Turkey trip. Poor service, high price, average quality—it was a typical internet-famous place.

Istanbul's Most Famous Instagram-Worthy Terrace, But...

The terrace I had been longing for, with carpets and seagulls overhead—like this online photo—completely captivated me. I went there for this very reason. It was a must-visit spot promoted by influencers from all over the world on Instagram.

(Found this online; if infringement occurs, please contact for removal)

With the strategy ready, I walked through the Grand Bazaar,

Passed through the flower and bird market,

And then reached the layered residential buildings.

I walked until I doubted myself: Is this really the place? When I asked a passerby, I didn't understand much, but he pointed up to the residential buildings. So we went through layer after layer of apartments, climbing up the stairs step by step. Finally, perseverance paid off—I found it! But... wuwu, it had been demolished. I tried to contact them on their official Instagram but got no reply. Alas, it is truly a big regret of my life. I hope when you go there in the future, they have found a new location. However, taking photos on the terrace, you can see the bridge and the sea, with seagulls flying overhead—beautiful.

Insert: Turkish pickles (I can't remember what they call them) are served with every meal at every restaurant. You must try them! In the end, we even went to a specialty store and bought a jar. There were many varieties.

Istanbul - Kayseri - Göreme

Göreme town is located in Cappadocia, which is Turkey's most famous tourist destination. It is full of fairy chimneys of various shapes, surrounded by beautiful Rose Valley and Pigeon Valley. My biggest expectation for Turkey was the hot air balloon ride, like the one in "Up," offering "the closest view to God." Unfortunately, during our days in Cappadocia, it either snowed or was windy, so we never got to experience the hot air balloon. But because of that, we unlocked many beautiful sceneries we hadn't fully appreciated before.

The most convenient way to get from Istanbul to Göreme is by plane—about an hour and a half, with tickets around 200 yuan per person. It saves a lot of unnecessary travel time and allows better rest. We took a 1 p.m. flight to Kayseri Airport in Cappadocia. Kayseri is the airport closest to Göreme, and transportation is convenient, with about an hour's drive. We booked a transfer in advance for a fixed price of 380 yuan.

On the plane, we saw Mount Erciyes, a volcano.

Göreme is known as one of the ten most beautiful small towns in the world. The town is small, running north-south, and you can walk from one end to the other in half an hour. There are countless "fairy chimneys" here, formed by volcanic rock from five large volcanoes that erupted in ancient times, weathered and eroded over millions of years, making this place look more lunar than the moon.

Among the most distinctive features are the cave hotels built into them. During this trip, we stayed in two cave hotels: Travellers Cave Hotel (small suite 666 yuan/night)

and Oliver Cave Hotel (executive suite 1,200 yuan/night).

Both hotels were great. If I had to choose, I personally prefer Oliver Cave Hotel because it has a balcony, and behind the hotel is the Göreme Sunset Viewpoint. Staying there means you don't have to pay for the viewpoint ticket.

About a 20-minute walk from the edge of town, you can climb a small hill to the Göreme viewpoint, which is the best place to enjoy the panoramic view of Göreme town and the sunset. You have to walk up; cars can't go. It's very windy up there, so remember to bring a shawl. That night was Chinese New Year's Eve, and we spent the Spring Festival abroad for the first time—a truly special feeling.

The town has many food options, including Sichuan-style spicy hot pot and sour and spicy noodles, and several Chinese restaurants. It seems many Chinese people visit here. Recommend the clay pot beef and kebab shops; the taste is good.

There is also a must-visit internet-famous carpet shop in town. I didn't go specially because the hotel we stayed at had carpets, but you should check it out.

Among the tours offered by travel agencies, besides the traditional green and red line tours, be sure to join the open-top car photo tour. Especially the local drivers are mostly handsome guys with high noses and big eyes, driving like in Hollywood movies. Ladies, make sure to bring all your gear: beautiful dresses, sunglasses, headscarves, etc.

Göreme - Izmir - Çeşme - Alaçatı - Ephesus

Besides famous Istanbul, the places that captivated me most on this trip were Çeşme and Alaçatı! These two lesser-known destinations belong to Izmir, Turkey. It takes about an hour and a half to fly from Kayseri to Izmir, with tickets around 300 yuan per person. They are not popular among ordinary tourists, so you can experience the city's true face most naturally. These are the small Aegean Sea romantic spots that I absolutely love and miss. Across is the famous Aegean Sea, completely Santorini style. Most visitors here are Turkish locals. Highly recommended.

Our itinerary here mainly involved self-driving with a rental car. A simple note on self-driving in Turkey: you only need an international driver's license translation permit (no threshold) processed online with your domestic license. I highly recommend renting a car and driving yourself. The driver was a lady (myself) the whole time. Don't worry, drivers in Turkey follow the rules very well. As long as you drive slowly, it's fine.

It takes about an hour to drive from Izmir Airport to Çeşme. Çeşme is a beautiful seaside town, most famous for its Islamic and Byzantine-style buildings and the Genoese castle by the sea.

The hotel we stayed at in Çeşme was Çeşme Boyalik Beach Hotel & Spa, a typical seaside resort.

Alaçatı is about an hour's drive from Çeşme. It is famous for its vineyards and windmills. The town itself is worth exploring, but it is pedestrian-only; vehicles are not allowed in the core area. Izmir, as Turkey's third-largest city, became just a transit point for these two attractions.

If you drive, you can also visit Ephesus to experience Greek city scenery. It takes about two hours to drive from Çeşme to Ephesus. Ephesus was a famous ancient Greek city, mentioned in the Bible. It was a port city whose maritime trade maintained its prosperity, but its peak was during the Roman period. In 27 BC, Augustus made Ephesus the capital of Asia Minor. It is the most complete large ancient city in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, are here.

Izmir - Ankara - Safranbolu

Many friends may not know that the capital of Turkey is not Istanbul but the inland city of Ankara. However, on this trip, Ankara was just a transit point, so we did not experience the capital's prosperity. It takes about an hour to fly from Izmir to Ankara, with relatively expensive tickets around 500 yuan per person. We drove from Ankara to Safranbolu, about two hours, mostly on highways.

The hotel we stayed at in Ankara was Divan Çankaya Hotel, about 800 yuan per night. A hotel built in the 16th century, it exudes a medieval atmosphere throughout, converted from an Ottoman historical building. The architecture and interior design are truly stunning, with many specimen-like artifacts. The hotel's restaurant was also great—the best Western meal I had in Turkey. Across the street is Ankara Castle, from where you can climb up for a panoramic view. Wonderful.

The small town of Safranbolu in northern Turkey. It has neither the towering columns of the Basilica Cistern nor the intricate giant crystal chandeliers of Dolmabahçe Palace. What it has is simple and direct—it instantly transports you to the tranquil rural life of the Ottoman era. The town is very peaceful and comfortable, the locals are simple and natural, and the scenery is beautiful all year round. I went in winter, and the town was completely covered in snow—breathtakingly beautiful! I stayed for two days and one night, so comfortable, and the scenery is unforgettable.

This city, seemingly frozen in the 17th and 18th centuries, was declared a World Cultural Heritage site in 1994. Tourists from all over the world come and go, but it retains its accessible beauty. Walking into Safranbolu is like flipping through a history book of the Ottoman Empire. After hundreds of years of change, it still maintains its strong local style and traditional houses. We went in winter, and the snow covered the historical buildings with a white veil.

The Ottoman-era houses and buildings in the old town are perfectly preserved. Hundreds of houses were renovated and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, making it the best-preserved Ottoman town in Turkey. The town's name comes from the trade and cultivation of saffron (safran) in the region.

Staying in a local residence in Safranbolu is a great choice. Sleeping in a centuries-old house is an extraordinary experience. The local people are very simple and kind, with super sweet service attitudes. This time we stayed at Safranbolu Luvi Konak Hotel, an Ottoman-era building located halfway up a hill, with views of the town as soon as you open the door.

Ankara - Istanbul

Next came the tail end of the trip. We drove back to Ankara Airport and took a one-hour flight back to Istanbul. The tickets were very cheap, about 130 yuan per person. We stayed in Istanbul for the last four days and three nights. During these days, we mainly wandered through Istanbul's streets and alleys to buy masks, and also took my husband to a roadside barber for a Turkish-style haircut.

On the way back, the airport and plane had already implemented strict controls. As a result, we missed the famous Sichuan Airlines in-flight meal. We wore masks and gloves for the entire 8-hour flight and didn't even dare to drink water. It was really pitiful, but we felt relieved to be back in the embrace of our motherland.

I wanted to take you to romantic Turkey, and finally, this dream came true. But there are still many regrets from the trip. I will go again next time.