An Istanbul Weekend

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Some Turkish desserts made of honey and nuts at the spice market in Istanbul

Some Turkish desserts made of honey and nuts at the spice market in Istanbul

I spent nearly a week in Istanbul in 2008. I was working in Moscow at the time and took advantage of a cheap flight for my spring break. I absolutely fell in love with the city and it was one of my first solo trips where I felt fully comfortable meeting people and coming out of my shell a bit. Istanbul has a bit of a sweet spot in my heart.

On this trip I knew I had to come back to Turkey, and while my priority has been to explore the coast and other more rural areas, I was excited to get back to one of my favorite cities. On my first visit I saw all the major sites: the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia, Galata Tower, a tour of the Bosphorus. During this weekend visit I got further east along the river to some of the ritzier areas, thanks to a friend of mine who lives in the city and acted as tour guide. I also went to the amazing spice market and Grand Bazaar and got my fill of Turkish delight!

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The Ancient Сity of Nessebar

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The beachfront at Nessebar on the Black Sea

The beachfront at Nessebar on the Black Sea

I spent a very pleasant few days in Nessebar, a 3,000 year old city on the coast of the Black Sea. Tourist season had ended two weeks before I arrived, so I managed to beat the crowds and savor some peaceful moments on the beach. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has Thracian, Greek, Roman, and Ottoman influences and its ancient architecture is very well preserved, so strolling around the town is a great way to spend some time. There are loads of cafes and restaurants as well, with an abundance of fish.

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Layers of History in Sofia

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The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral at night

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral at night

I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely and livable Sofia, Bulgaria was, especially coming from Bucharest which was very much the opposite. I only spent a couple of days in the city but of course took advantage of a free walking tour to make the most of my time. There are nearly 2,500 years of history visible right in the middle of the city, including 4th century churches, a colorful Ottoman-style mosque, and remnants of communist rule. In addition to the free city tour, I also took the free Balkan Bites food tour, which was a real treat.

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Romania Roundup

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A street in Brasov with the Hollywood-like sign in the background

A street in Brasov with the Hollywood-like sign in the background

I spent 15 days in Romania and spent an average of $24 per day, not including the money lost on my car rental fiasco. I visited six places: Timisoara, the Apuseni mountains, Deva, Sibiu and Cisnadioara, Brasov and Bucharest. Overall I was very impressed by the enormously friendly people and pleasant atmosphere in most of the places I went to, although Bucharest was not a very enjoyable city. I also loved eating papanasi!

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Serbia Roundup

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The view of Novi Sad from the fortress

The view of Novi Sad from the fortress

I spent 19 days in Serbia and spent an average of $38 per day. I visited 6 different places – Subotica, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Tara National Park, Nis, and Vrsac. There wasn’t too much that I missed out on that I would have liked to see, but I’d love to return to Tara to camp and see more of the sights there. The highlights were the food (although I got sick of meat after just a few days!), the language, the people, and the history.

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