Reyhane Parsa with her mother and brother in Istanbul

Fantastic Food

The combination of Middle Eastern, Asian and European influences come together once again, this time to create a wonderful array of cuisines. Expect mezze platters filled with fresh, seasonal products; delicious kebabs (much tastier than the Doner kebab you might find at your local take-away), shawarmas, stews and so much more. Each region in Turkey has different local specialities: sample freshly caught seafood and wild herbs along the Aegean coast, kebabs aplenty in the country's centre, while in Istanbul try the exotic flavours of Ottoman cuisine in broths and red meat and rice based dishes that were enjoyed by the sultans and their courtiers during the Ottoman Empire. If you haven't filled up too much on your main course(s), you can't miss out on trying the deliciously rich, sweet dessert, baklava, which originates from the Ottoman Empire. And remember, trying the local delicacies is all part of the cultural immersion, so you never need to feel guilty about spending hours on end indulging your taste buds.