7 Engaging blogs about Turkey

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I’m a member of a Facebook group for travel writers and I recently asked for suggestions of blogs about Turkey and neighbouring countries. Surprisingly, at least to me, there were few suggestions. Naturally, I decided to compile my own. Listed below, in no particular order, are some but by no means all, the blogs about Turkey I recommend.

These blogs about Turkey are not to be missed

Janey in Mersin
The fact that Jane is from Sydney, Australia, like me, doesn’t affect my judgement of her blog at all. Not a bit. It’s simply brilliant, because unlike most starry-eyed “I came to Turkey as a village bride/novice English teacher, everything’s always wonderful” blogs, she writes as she sees it, warts and all.

Jane moved to Mersin in 2012, and she writes about the everyday battles of the typical (not) Turkish housewife – getting on with the neighbours while plotting to kill their cockerel, learning to make salça even a Turkish mother-in-law will approve of and my favourite, how to drink too much wine and walk through fields safely, a skill Jane sadly and hilariously lacks. If you’re sitting at home after yet another argument with the family and thinking life must be better elsewhere, this blog about Turkey for you.

She also writes steamy chick lit books set in Turkey too, and believe me, they’re hot!

Back to Bodrum
Annie Onursan boarded a plane to Turkey in 1982, planning to board a sloop moored in Bodrum’s then new marina. She had no set plans and never expected to still be in Bodrum more than 30 years later, having met her soul mate, married and had a daughter. Unlike many blogs about Turkey detailing expat life, Annie wants to capture Bodrum’s past as she lives it in the present, with painting, dogs and food.

Art of Living in Turkey

Kimberly is fairly new on the scene in Turkey but in five short years she’s built up an impressive blog full of practical ideas of where to go and what to see in Istanbul and Turkey for first timers.

Katrinka Abroad
Katrinka lives in Istanbul and uses it as a base to travel deep into Turkey and the Middle East, as well as making regular incursions into Eastern Europe. Her main focus in photography but as with most people who want to capture the spirit of a place, she always shares the story behind the image. Useful for those who want to hone their photography skills and explore interesting corners of the city.

Turkish Travel Blog
Founded by the inexhaustible Natalie Sayin, the Turkish Travel Blog is the perfect go to guide for planning your travels in Turkey. From practical advice on how to get around to brutally honest reviews of must-see or better left off the itinerary places, Natalie has left no stone unturned in her quest to entice visitors to Turkey. Unlike many similar websites Natalie always goes to the places she writes about and tells you exactly what she thinks, making it easy to make up your own mind on whether to visit a particular place. Highly recommended.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table
Although I’m not a bad cook, the kitchen isn’t my favourite room in the house. I rarely cook from a recipe because I usually get bored before I’ve even finished reading it. However, I do like food and Turkish food in particular. For this reason I love Ozlem’s page, because she writes so carefully about the history of the food she makes, and her recipes are so delicious even I can use them. Her site is great for people who want to expand their Turkish cooking repertoire, no matter where they live in the world. Even better, you can now buy Özlem’s Turkish Table: Recipes from my homeland, her cookbook in digital form.

If you know of any other blogs about Turkey you think I should add to this list, let me know!

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Planning to come to Istanbul or Turkey? Here are my helpful tips for planning your trip.

For FLIGHTS I like to use Kiwi.com.

Don’t pay extra for an E-VISA. Here’s my post on everything to know before you take off.

However E-SIM are the way to go to stay connected with a local phone number and mobile data on the go. Airalo is easy to use and affordable.

Even if I never claim on it, I always take out TRAVEL INSURANCE. I recommend Visitors Coverage.

I’m a big advocate of public transport, but know it’s not suitable for everyone all the time. When I need to be picked up from or get to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport, I use one of these GetYourGuide website AIRPORT TRANSFERS.

ACCOMMODATION: When I want to find a place to stay I use Booking.com.

CITY TOURS & DAY TRIPS: Let me guide you around Kadikoy with my audio walking tour Stepping back through Chalcedon or venture further afield with my bespoke guidebook Istanbul 50 Unsung Places. I know you’ll love visiting the lesser-known sites I’ve included. It’s based on using public transport as much as possible so you won’t be adding too much to your carbon footprint. Then read about what you’ve seen and experienced in my three essay collections and memoir about moving to Istanbul permanently.

Browse the GetYourGuide website or Viator to find even more ways to experience Istanbul and Turkey with food tours, visits to the old city, evening Bosphorus cruises and more!

However you travel, stay safe and have fun! Iyi yolculuklar.