What this site is
Explore Turkey is a guide to the historic places that give the country its shape, and to the food that gets served around them. It is written in English for people planning a first or second visit who want the dates, distances and practical details in one place.
The site is organized as twelve sheets, each covering one region or one subject. Nine describe places, from Istanbul to Lake Van. Three cover the kitchen, starting with an introduction to Turkish cuisine and continuing with the country's two best-known sweets, baklava and Turkish delight.
The place sheets begin in Istanbul with Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace, then move to Cappadocia, the tombs of Lycia, the marble streets of Ephesus, and the inland loop through Konya, Pamukkale and Bursa.
Who writes it
We are a small editorial team based in Istanbul, publishing under the name Explore Turkey Editors. Between us we have lived in the city for decades, and we travel to the sites we write about rather than describing them from other people's photographs.
We are not archaeologists or historians by profession, and we say so. Where a question is contested, we give the date or interpretation that the site's own museum uses and note the disagreement.
How a sheet is made
Each sheet starts with a visit and a list of questions a visitor would actually ask: how long it takes, when the light is good, what the ticket covers, which building matters most. The answers are checked against museum labels, official documentation and published excavation reports, and every date on the history sheet has been traced to at least two sources.
A second editor reads every page before it goes online. When ticketing rules, opening hours or restorations change, we update the page and note the change. If you find something wrong, we would like to know.
What we do not do
We sell no tours, hotels or tickets, and we take no commissions on anything mentioned here. There is no advertising on the site and no paid placement in the text. When we name a restaurant, a bakery or a museum, it is because we think it is worth your time.
We also do not pretend to cover everything. A place like Cappadocia could fill a book; our sheet gives you the two days that matter and leaves the rest for a second visit.
How to reach us
Write to editors@exploreturkey.com. Corrections get answered first, followed by questions about planning a trip. We read everything, though we cannot reply to every message, and we do not give individual itinerary advice by email.
Questions
Do you sell tours or book hotels?
No. We do not sell anything, take commissions or run advertising. Our recommendations are our own.
How do you check your facts?
Every sheet is researched from site visits, museum labels, official documentation and published archaeology, then reviewed by a second editor before it goes online.
How do I report a mistake?
Email editors@exploreturkey.com with the page name and the sentence in question. We correct errors quickly and note significant changes on the page.
Can I use your text or photographs?
Short quotations with a link are fine. For anything longer, or for images, please write to us first.