Erzurum & Bodrum (Türkiye)

A split image shows an old stone building with a lit tower at dusk on the left, and a historic structure with two illuminated minarets at night on the right.

Hi everyone, how are you? I just got back from spending a few weeks in Türkiye with my family. This was my first time traveling so far with a 4 1/2 month old baby, so you can imagine how nervous I was considering our journey would take almost a full day including layovers. But we got through it! We did so much in Türkiye: we went to markets and shops, ate at lots of restaurants, we went skiing, sightseeing (like the historic buildings pictured above)… It was so amazing.

Side-by-side images of a produce market with fruits and vegetables in blue crates on the left, and a fish market display with various seafood and price tags on the right.

First, we went to my hometown of Erzurum to spend time with family. Being postpartum made me miss them dearly, so it was so lovely being surrounded by the people who care about me and have their support. It was so nice to see everyone meet the baby, and for him to meet them!

Shelves filled with vintage items, including old cameras, clocks, lamps, ceramics, glassware, and decorative figurines displayed in an antique shop.

One of the best parts of Erzurum are the ski slopes. I got to go skiing with my husband and oldest son. Because of the climate there, the slopes are always snowy and there is no need for artificial snow! The view of the mountains from the extra-long slopes is absolutely breathtaking, I wish you all could see it in person. I love skiing in general, but nothing beats skiing the mountains in Türkiye.

Four winter scenes: snow-covered mountains, a ski lift under bright sun, a sunset over snowy slopes, and a lodge with snow-laden trees and a clear blue sky.

Of course, it wouldn’t be wintertime without some seasonal illness. We all got sick, which was unsurprising considering the cold weather and that so much of my family were gathered together. Thankfully, we were able to go to a warmer part of Türkiye for the second leg of our trip.

A collage of four coastal scenes showing cloudy skies, calm water, boats, distant hills, and palm trees at varying times of day.

We wanted to go to Istanbul, but we decided the atmosphere would be too busy and crowded for the baby. We’ll have to go back to Istanbul when my little one is a bit older. Instead, we went to Southwest Türkiye to spend some time in Muğla. Bodrum was so warm and the weather was that perfect not-to-hot, springlike weather. I love how in the same season Türkiye has snow-covered mountains in one city, and warm beaches in another, and that they’re all so beautiful.

Collage of four images showing cozy, elegantly set restaurant interiors with warm lighting; one image features a tabby cat sitting on a chair at a dining table.

I missed the food in Türkiye SO much. I was craving simit all throughout my pregnancy, but it just doesn’t taste the same in America. I went to my favorite bakeries in Türkiye and had simit pretty much every single day for breakfast. Turkish cuisine is so delicious, so we ate a lot of good food. There are coffeeshops and bakeries wherever you go, and we tried so many desserts and pastries.

A skewer of grilled meat placed on flatbread, served on a white plate with a glass of water and a small dish of sauce in the background. — Cağ kebab from Nezih Cağ Kebap

A wooden table set with tea, a bagel, a croissant, two scones, and a plate of cheese, falafel, cucumber, tomato, and olives. — Cağ kebab from Nezih Cağ Kebap

In Erzurum, we ate a lot of home cooking. Both my husband’s side of the family and mine have so many amazing cooks, so we were eating well every day! When we did eat out, we went to some of our favorite casual spots like Nezih Cağ Kebap for kebabs (pictured above) and döner from Dönerci Hacıbaba. Cağ kebabs are an Erzurum specialty!

In Bodrum, there were so many tasty fine dining restaurants:

A white platter with grilled shrimp in garlic butter sauce, garnished with chopped parsley, and a serving spoon on the side. — These gorgeous prawns were huge

A table set with plates of assorted appetizers, including roasted red peppers, a cheese and vegetable salad, green beans, and a green spread, on a white tablecloth. — These gorgeous prawns were huge

Karavida: A quiet and chic seafood restaurant with so many meze options like marinated roasted peppers, tomato salad with roasted eggplant, girit ezme, and a tahini mousse for dessert! The service here was so warm and welcoming, and that’s where we met the cat friend pictured above.

A plate with a grilled kebab, a single asparagus spear, two grilled onion halves, a side of red sauce in a small bowl, and a plate of fresh herbs. — Ground meat kebab

A rectangular flatbread topped with minced meat and vegetables on a wooden board, served with a plate of fresh parsley and lemon wedges. — Ground meat kebab

Kurul Bitez: This restaurant was featured on the Michelin guide! Here we tasted couple of mezes, and they were all so delicious. I highly recommended their Adana kebap and lahmacun. It was also beautifully decorated inside.

A plate of hummus topped with olive oil, pine nuts, almonds, and garnished with sliced pickles, served on a white tablecloth. — This hummus was so delicious!

A black oval dish filled with grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, garnished with cooked tomato pieces, served on a white plate. — This hummus was so delicious!

Senato: Another beautiful restaurant with Antakya cuisine. Everything we tried was amazing, so it was hard to pick our favorite dishes. The hummus and zucchini dolma were absolutely gorgeous!

A white plate with small portions of cooked spinach, tomato salad, meat, fried cubes, red cabbage slaw, and a dollop of white sauce on a table. — My plate 🙂

A table set with various dishes including baked cheese, sautéed greens, French fries, olives, a tomato salad with mozzarella, bread cubes, a cutlet, and drinks. — My plate 🙂

Karma: A popular spot known for its good food and lively ambience, located right on the harbor! They always have live music here as well. We had seafood and mezes, and the tomato salad and lamb liver were some of our favorites.