The thought of visiting Turkey came after watching "Aladdin", how they shot an Arabic country so beautifully; and also because Turkey is one of those countries that you get to ride a hot air balloon! This trip is planned to be a 10-day Turkey + Bulgaria trip, covering Cappadocia, Istanbul, Sofia and Plovdiv. The best time to visit this 2 country is between April-May, and September-early November. Having staying in Asia all my life, and only visiting Asia countries and Australia, and once to India (school trip) for voluntary work, Europe seems so foreign and far away to me. So so so much research was needed, and safety was at the very top of my head, since I'm a solo traveller and I do not know much about the European countries. What languages do they speak? Hopefully they do speak English. What is their cuisine like?
First of all, the travelling between cities goes like this:
- Singapore to Kayseri, transit at Istanbul, via Turkish Airlines. 2D1N at Cappadocia + hot air balloon experience.
- Kayseri to Istanbul via Turkish Airlines. 1D1N at Istanbul.
- Overnight bus ride from Istanbul to Sofia, Bulgaria. 2D2N at Sofia.
- 2hrs bus ride from Sofia to Plovdiv. 3D2N at Plovdiv.
- Overnight bus ride from Plovdiv back to Istanbul, Turkey. 2D1N at Istanbul.
- Istanbul to Singapore via Turkish Airlines.
Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of the Ottoman cuisine, which is a mix of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Eastern European and Armenian cuisines. The Turkish cuisine is mainly light on spices, rice and wide variety of vegetable stews. The Black Sea Region (north of Turkey) uses fish, especially anchovy, and corn extensively. The southeast of Turkey is famous for kebabs, mezes and dough-based desserts. The west of Turkey, where olive trees grow abundantly, olive oil is the main oil used for cooking.
Turks usually prefer a rich breakfast, and a typical Turkish breakfast would include cheese, butter, olives, eggs, muhammara (hot pepper dip), tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, honey, kaymak (like clotted cream), sucuk (like sausage), pastrami (air-dried meat), borek (pastries), simit (a kind of bread), pogaca (like focaccia), pisi (fried dough) and soups. Menemen is sometimes served as well, which is a Turkish-style scrambled eggs cooked with tomatoes, green peppers, onion and olive oil.
In the early days, meat is only consumed on special occasions like weddings, thus the wide variety of vegetable dishes. The main use of meat in cooking still remains as ground meat with vegetables. Since fruits are abundant and cheap in Turkey, it is often used to accompany meat. Plums, apricots, pomegranates, pears, apples, grapes, figs and citrus fruits, are commonly used, either fresh or dried. On the other hand, Turkish desserts normally do not contain fruits. At coastal regions, cheap fish like sardines and anchovies are largely consumed.
Bulgarian cuisine is a representative of Mediterranean cuisine of Southeast Europe. It shares characteristics with Balkan cuisines. Bulgarian food often includes salads, appetisers, dairy products and wine. Main courses are typically stews or vegetarian. Deep-frying is not common, but grilling is. A typical Bulgarian breakfast would include eggs, cheese and yogurt.
Time difference: Singapore is 5hrs ahead
10-day (+1 day due to time difference) Turkey + Bulgaria itinerary:
To Cappadocia via Turkish Airlines, transit at Istanbul Airport > Arrive at Kayseri Erkilet Airport > Check-in to Goreme Mansion Cave Hotel > Lunch at Gorkundere Cafe Breakfast > Gerome Open Air Museum, Cave Churches > Sunset Camel Riding > Dinner at Fat Boys > Early night rest for Hot Air Balloon Ride at 4am
4am: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride + light breakfast and glass of champagne > Hotel Breakfast > 9am: Cappadocia Tour - Soganli Valley, Mustafapasa Old Greek Village, Sahinefendi Ancient City, Keslik Monastery and Urgup Fairy Chimneys > Dinner at Omurca Art Cave > Grab luggages, to Airport > 1.5hrs flight to Istanbul > Arrive at Istanbul Airport > Check-in to The Galataport Hotel
Breakfast at Cafe Velvet > Suleymaniye Mosque > Lunch at Erhan Restaurant > Topkapi Palace > Hagia Irene (Museum) > Break at Cafe Rumist > Grand Bazaar > Dinner at Roof Mezze 360 > Grab luggages, to Esenler Otogari > Overnight bus (9hrs 30mins) to Sofia
Arrive at Sofia, Central Bus Station > Check-in to Airbnb > Breakfast at Chucky's Coffee House > Seven Saints Church > Lunch at Spaghetti Kitchen > Alexander Nevsky Cathedral > Saint Sofia Church > Break at Barka Coffee Gossip > Dinner at Avtentichno
Breakfast at Barista Coffee and More > Banya Bashi Mosque > Central Market Hall > Lunch at Pizzeria Felicita by Leo's > Russian Church, National Gallery for Foreign Art > Gelato break at Affredo > Ivan Vazov National Theatre > Dinner at Skaptoburger
Grab luggages, to Central Bus Station > Bus (2hrs 20mins) to Plovdiv, Arrive at Plovdiv, Central Railway Station > Check-in to Airbnb > Lunch at Multi Culti > Ancient Stadium of Philipoppolis, Dzhumaya Mosque > Break at Barabana > Dinner at Pizza Lab
Breakfast at Central Perk > Ancient Town of Plovdiv, Gate Hisar Kapia > Regional Ethnographic Museum > Lunch at Rahat Tepe > Klianti House > Ancient Theatre of Philipoppolis > The Holy Assumption Cathedral > Dinner at Brick House
Roman Forum > Breakfast at The Family Coffee Roasters > Regional Archaeological Museum > Lunch at Skaptoburger > History Museum of Plovdiv > Tigan Pancakes > Walk around Kapana > Dinner at Pavaj > Grab luggages, to Central Railway Station > Overnight bus (7hrs 30mins) to Istanbul
Arrive at Istanbul, Esenler Otogari > Check-in to The Galataport Hotel > Breakfast at Brew Coffeeworks > New Mosque > Lunch at Massa Bistro > Isfanbul Theme Park
Breakfast at Sofa Cafe > The Blue Mosque > Lunch at Marbelle Restaurant & Bar > Dolmabahce Palace > Ortakoy Mosque > Walk around Taksim Square + dinner > Grab luggages, to Istanbul Airport > Back to Singapore
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