We bought our bus tickets from Istanbul to Safranbolu (6 hours) for 50 lira. We arrived in the city center and had our guesthouse booked in the old part of the city. The transition between the new and the old part was huge! And it was like going way back in time. The little city is protected and added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites due to its well-preserved Ottoman architecture. When you get to walk around there, it’s surreal. The typical wooden old-fashioned houses along the small streets (which are also not from this era) are remarkable to see. When you get to the old city center you may find many small shops where you can buy typical Turkish stuff like traditional handicrafts, cute souvenirs and many cloths. There are restaurants/houses with an open kitchen where cute Turkish old women prepare food and you can have your dinner for a small amount. The first evening we arrived, we weren’t even sure if we could walk in, because it seemed like the women were making dinner for themselves. When we asked if it was possible to order some dinner, they invited us to eat with them. Walking around in Safranbolu makes you feel like you are back in the Middle ages where woodcarvers and ironsmiths, working in their small shops, are very common. You don’t get to see them anymore these days. The people are extremely friendly and welcoming. Safranbolu is where you can get peace of mind; it’s amazingly calm and almost tourist free, especially around this time of year. The owner of our guesthouse told us that it’s extremely safe; shop owners don’t put away their stuff outside their shop when they close. People don’t always lock their doors when they go to sleep; our hostel for example was also open for anyone to enter. The locals told us it can be touristy in certain months, yet the people aren’t after your money and don’t try to sell you things which is really nice for a change.
The food was good and not very expensive, yet variation in choice was minimal though. Most of the small restaurants/cafes offered the same. We did have the best manti we’d ever tasted. The owner and his wife run this small restaurant where they function as the waiter/cook/owner at the same time. They were really very nice, we couldn’t really communicate because of their poor English but we could manage anyway. They allowed me to go to their kitchen and film how they make their dishes which was really cool to watch! While eating there, we met a korean guy who was also traveling around in Turkey for some time. We talked a bit while we noticed a Turkish couple watching and listening to us. The guy was interested in our travels and started a conversation with us. The couple left sooner than us and the korean guy. When we had finished our food, we wanted to pay but the owner told us the Turkish couple had already paid for all of us. Wow, how friendly! Not sure why they paid, but I think they really liked it how people from all over the world were sitting there and discussing how beautiful their home-country is.
Safranbolu is also very special to us since we met some nice fellow travelers. A couple from New Zealand and one from China. We hanged out with them, traveling together to our next destination. Since all of us were going to Cappadocia, we also got together over there to chill before our journeys separated. Thanks for the great time Morgan & Veronica and Laura & Mark! Hope to meet you again in Shanghai & Auckland.
Recommendation? A big yes! Safranbolu is in our top 3 among Bursa and one-other-destination-you-will-read-about-in-our-next-blog. The reasons may be obvious if you have read the blog, it’s just amazing and out of this time. I don’t think there are many villages left which are so well preserved, so go there and visit for sure! Experience the magic, far away from the crowded world & let your mind and soul come to rest.
Laden
Manti is on the wayyyyy! #manti #doughdish #homemade #food #Turkishcuisine Weergeven op Instagram
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