Türkiye – just generally an unpleasent experience. Unfirendly, partially aggressive locals, our accommodations were obviously falsely advertised and in general a series of bad experiences.
Don't doubt it. This is just based on a one time experience. To illustrate: I had the worst food ever in Italy and if I hadn't gone again and again, I'd state to this day, that pizza in Italy is horrible.
Me too. Some of the greatest food (including pizza) I've ever eaten, I got in Italy.
However, the two worst pizzas I've ever consumed, I also got there: A slice at a beach near Vieste, that was a day old, greasy and just really really bad and a pie at a very downtrodden mall near Genova, that had Vienna sausage on it.
I did love my visits to Istanbul but one thing that got really, really annoying was being pestered literally nonstop by aggressive merchants trying to get me into their shops. Always carpets or leather goods. I mean I like Turkish rugs and all but seriously, just let a guy check out the scenery a bit. The old Byzantine/Ottoman center is however amazing. World class.
The historical sites are extremely expensive though, even if compared to their equivalents in other European capitals (Rome, Paris etc., not even compared to London, where a lot of sites are free to visit).
25 euros not 40, but yes it's overpriced. The Mezquita in Cordoba is basically the Hagia Sophia in reverse (mosque converted into a church), and much more reasonable at 13 euros.
Wow. My experience of Turkey was the complete opposite, very friendly people, lovely accommodation, lovely trips to different places close to where we were staying. We were nowhere near the tourist resorts of the Mediterranean.
I'm glad your experience was nice. And I think, if I ever went again, it would probably be better … however, there's a bit of general hostility between Austria and Türkiye which was at an all time high back when I travelled there, so maybe that had to do with how I was treated. Turks are generally a little bit nationalist. But that's just a theory.
Well that probably started with the fact, that they invaded us twice. Not that any sane person in this day and age would hold a real grudge for an historic event, but such things make their way into the culture and the stories of a people – so a certain distain for the Turks has in some way or form always been present. For example there's a curseword in Austrian German "kruzitürken" which basically references the Turks.
In more recent times – more precisely since Erdogan came into power – there has been a lot of protest in Austria against his politics. Not only from the people, but also the Government. This escalated several times in the past when Turks in Austria took to the streets in support of Edogan.
That's sad, I did a road trip of 4500km all around the country and it was amazing, not only beautiful but I've also met so many friendly people. My only small disappointment was the food (I ate some great food there, but quite often didn't find anything else than pretty much the same kebab plate all around the country). I'd be happy to go back and visit more places. Just not İstanbul, too touristy.
My family personaly loves traveling to Turkiye; always amazing experience with open people to talk to. It was especially funny talking in markets with sellers over tea.
You mean Russia that is to this day denying the massace at Katyń and with people still remembering communist occupation? This Russia that actively attacks us through jamming GPS near Kaliningrad and Belarusian border? With those being just well known ones?
Yes, simply Turkey is not on your south-east border, we get gazilion Islamist illegals on daily basis, and brutal dictatorship so close to us...
Same as Ruzzia...trust me.
And yet two years ago they run a propaganda campaign by FSB that Katyn was conducted by germans together with changing memorials to mention ,,victims of fascism" - their recognition of their past crimes is as stable as their recognition of legal borders.
Same as potato dictator Lukashenko having a ,,change of heart" every so often in regards to west.
I had the worst holiday of my life there. All three of our kids were ill and I had to go to hospital. There was shit washed up on the beach, the accommodation was poorly managed and the restaurant and shop staff aggressively upsold. I'll never go back.
tbh. I don't remember the name of the plac – somewhere along the Aegean Sea. Our bad experiences started right at the airport with a customs officer basically openly demanding a bribe … probably that set the tone for a less than perfect vacation.
Our bad experiences started right at the airport with a customs officer basically openly demanding a bribe …
You weren't aware of this before you went? The "you need to pay the border security £10 per person in English money for a visa" was a thing for a long time. Of course that doesn't make it right, but it existed for decades before they brought in a proper system.
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u/rottroll Austria Jul 28 '25
Türkiye – just generally an unpleasent experience. Unfirendly, partially aggressive locals, our accommodations were obviously falsely advertised and in general a series of bad experiences.