What’s it like to travel in Europe as an American now? Here’s a first person account of the first leg on our trip and first stop, Turkey, a favorite of ours, along with my picks for hotel, sights, restaurants and a guide. Bottom line, it’s easier than I anticipated, there are a lot of safety protocols in place such as health forms for visitors, and a few restrictions that are pretty much respected. It was wonderful, too, to not have any crowds in what is one of the most beautiful months of the year here. We combined the Istanbul visit with a trip to the little touristed region  of Southeastern Turkey, once ancient Mesopotamia, crossed by the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers, with unique sights, and the capital of the kebab and baklava for you foodies.Read about this in Part 2.

Notes: For more information on my travel suggestions indicated with an asterisk, see below. They do not include the most iconic sights which are well worth seeing (e.g.Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Cisterns), but ones that you may not readily find in general travel guides. Also, be sure to check protocols before you leave as they can change quickly.

To prepare for our trip we had our e -visa (easy to get online), proof of COVID-19 vaccination (not essential but if not then you need proof of a PCR or antigen test a few days before), and ready with our Turkey health form (you need to fill it out a few days before and they send you a QR code in return) .  The health form is essential, as it’s used for contract tracing and, together with the Istanbul Card, is needed for public transportation and museum entrances.

The non-stop flight Miami/Istanbul on Turkish Airlines was completely full, though with few Americans, and we departed on time.  We whizzed through immigration and customs, and grabbed a taxi to the hotel with a mask clad taxi driver. Everyone who was dealing with the public whom we came in contact with wore a mask.

An important and interesting note to know about Turkey. Three percent of the country is in Europe and 97% is in Asia! Istanbul straddles both continents, connected by a bridge over the Bosphorus.

The biggest change at the Amira Hotel*, a boutique hotel in the Old Town where we had stayed before, was at breakfast. Every guest had his or her own set of individually wrapped metal tongs to take food from the buffet along with individually wrapped cutlery and just about everything on the buffet table was covered. A waiter was there to help and get special order coffee. In guest rooms towels, bathrobes were in individually wrapped plastic bags.

Our culinary market tour of the Grand Bazaar with Culinary Backstreets* turned out to be a private tour, since we were the only ones.In two cases we were the only ones at two jewels of small museums*, and at other places big on tourists such as the Hagia Sophia mosque, our experience was repeated. Everywhere our temperature was taken when entering. Certainly one reason for ease of travel was our extraordinary guide, Gamze Artaman*, whom we used last time.

The one bit of a hassle was having to fill out a form with the numbers of the health form and Istanbul Card. Speaking of the Grand Bazaar, a paradise for shoppers, the vendors shall we say, invited us nonstop to see their shops,though they were pleasant enough about it. Their sales pitch is more original than ever. A favorite pitch was “ let me sell you something you don’t need”.  There were some truly amazing deals on leather clothing and their incredible imitation luxury brand handbags and shoes (I got a pair of Chanel look alike flats in fine leather for $75), stunning textiles, and everything else (ceramics, jewelry, home décor). If you go and plan to buy a lot and hope to ship it home, note that shipping prices have skyrocketed during the pandemic so be prepared.

A top shopping spot if you like ceramics is Iznik Classics which I wrote about on my last trip.

Fabulous Friday: Iznik Ceramics

Another “find” was a shop, La Tienda de Finito de Cordoba, selling finely made in Turkey look-alike designer handbags and accessories for a fraction of their original price. Look for an upcoming blogpost on their soon to open new store (they do mail order).

We spent a glorious day at one of the nine Princes’ Islands* in the Bosphorus, seeing the 19^th century wooden homes with their elaborate woodwork and lovely gardens and wooded hills by electric vehicle, and enjoying a lunch of mezze overlooking the Bosphorus.

The food in Turkey is extraordinary and inexpensive. They grow or raise just about everything given the fertile land, waters rich in seafood and varied climates and terrain. The local cuisine is so delicious, with just about everything home grown or home raised . Plus, the ambiances and settings are memorable. On our night of departure we dined at Sarnic in a converted Roman cistern with classical music playing in the background.Another favorite for seafood is Sur Balik which overlooks the Bosphorus and Pandeli in the Spice Market.

Turkish people we met all along the way were friendly and welcoming, and prices in everything are very reasonable. So my advice, go as soon as you can before the crowds.

*Hotel Amira is in the Sultanahmet area which is the historic section of the city on the European side of this city that bridges Europe and Asia. It’s within walking distance of the most iconic attractions, no small thing in a city of 16 million with a lot of traffic. It’s independently owned, the service couldn’t be friendlier or more helpful, the guest rooms are well equipped and attractive, and it’s fairly priced. Note: there’s a wide variety of hotels for all price points and luxury international brands.

*Culinary Backstreets specializes in themed food tours. Turkey is just one of their many destinations and they offer a variety of excellent foodie offerings in Istanbul so keep them in mind for all your travels.The tour we took, the culinary tour of the Grand Bazaar (this was our second time) lasts from 9:30 to 2:30 or 3 with serious tastings at 9 different places, and all first rate.

*The Turkish and Islamic Museum. Considered one of the finest museums of Islamic art in the world, the museum features  rare examples of civilizations in Turkey throughout its history: Emevi, Abbasi, Artuklu, Eyyubi, Ilhanlı, Timurid, Safavi, Kaçar, Memluk, Seljuk and Ottoman periods,collected from different areas of the Islamic world. The museum is famous for having the best rug collection in the world. A large hall in the courtyard of the museum is devoted to the collection of ethnography, reflecting the daily life of 19th century Istanbul.

*An absolute jewel and little known is the Sadberk Hanim Museum, Turkey’s first private museum. Its total collection numbers 20,000 objects, though only a portion are on display. This ranges from archaeological items to textiles, costumes and embroidery. There’s also a temporary exhibit, now “Motif”, that has a stunning collection in all the categories.

*The guide we use, Gamze Artaman specializes in touring in Istanbul, though she can also set up itineraries in any part of Turkey and help find the best local contacts for sightseeing tours if needed.  She has a degree in international relations and has been a state licensed professional tour guide since 1991.. To contact her write to gamze.artaman@gmail.com or call her on what’s app: 90-532-2367910.

Stay tuned for more on Turkey and also, travel tips from visits to other European countries: Greece, Italy, Spain.