Rediscovering Turkey in a Motorhome

Back in 2018, as part of the Bailey’s Bristol to Bosphorus trip, one seemingly innocuous wrong turn led to an afternoon fraught with stress as we found ourselves lost in a maze of streets so busy and narrow that it would have been a job to navigate them on foot, let alone in a convoy of two caravans and a motorhome.

Thankfully, by the time we reached Turkey on The Big European Odyssey, that day was a distant memory, and there was never any doubt that we’d visit a city that straddles two continents. We did decide, however, to leave the motorhome at a campsite for the weekend and rent an apartment to avoid the unnecessary stress of driving into the city.

The further east we’ve travelled, the greater the number of comments we’ve had wondering not only if it’s safe, but also if there is a touring infrastructure in place. There seems to be a common misconception that once you get past a certain point on the map, something suddenly changes and it’s no longer safe to travel, and campsites become as rare as unicorns. It’s been the opposite – the people have become more welcoming, and while there’s not an abundance of campsites, we have yet to find a country without enough to make touring fairly straightforward, as long as you have a mild sense of adventure.

Still, it was something of a surprise to find that the superb Star One Caravan Park was not only a great campsite with fully serviced pitches and a pool but also home to a Bailey of Bristol caravan dealership. Murat and his team could not have made us feel more welcome, or indeed at total ease, leaving the motorhome safely while we visited Istanbul.

Cities have not been high on our agenda during our travels, but there are certain exceptions to the rule, and Istanbul was not to be missed. Even if you never venture this far east with your leisure vehicle, we highly recommend a long weekend here to soak up the atmosphere and delve into the rich and storied history that makes it such an intriguing place.

A combination of the heat (35 degrees at its peak) and the children’s energy levels meant that we split our days in two: exploring after breakfast, a mid-afternoon break at the apartment, and then an early evening activity before dinner. This way, we were, over three full days, able to see and learn a great deal.

Ever since the dawn of history, Istanbul – or Constantinople as it was originally called – has been a melting pot of cultures, the gateway between two continents. Great trade routes such as the Silk Road, the King’s Road, the Spice Road, and Via Egnettia all passed through, each leaving a lasting mark and contributing to what the city is today. Walking through the Grand Bazaar, it’s hard not to imagine stepping back to a time when tradesmen from all over the world would be peddling their wares here.

If Istanbul were to be known for one thing, it would have to be its mosques, with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia being the jewels in an impressive crown. There’s no doubt that aesthetically speaking, the Blue Mosque is the most picturesque from the outside, with its jaw-dropping symmetry and a multitude of rippling domes. However, there’s no equal to Hagia Sophia when it comes to the interior; its scale and grandeur are mesmerising to the point of overwhelming.

Not all that’s great about Istanbul is in plain sight, as is the case with the Basilica Cistern. To discover what is, in the simplest terms, an old water storage system, you need to head underground, where not only will you find much cooler temperatures (if you’re visiting in the summer like us), but also a majestic example of Byzantine architecture. With 336 hand-carved pillars, two colossus Medusa heads, and huge domed ceilings, it’s easy to forget that far from simply being a marvel to explore today, it was a vital part of the city’s functioning for many years.

As was the Galata Tower, the main focal point of what was originally the Genoese stronghold of the city before it came under Ottoman rule. Travel can invoke many emotions and feelings – it’s one of its great appeals to us. As we stood at the top of Galata Tower, it was surreal to think that the buildings and mosques we could see so clearly on the other side of the Bosphorus were on a different continent.

The mere mention of Asia conjures up thoughts of faraway places – places that you wouldn’t imagine possible to reach in a motorhome. Quite what the road ahead holds for us as we venture into Asia, we don’t know, but one thing is for certain: it’s most definitely going to enable us to expand our horizons and expose us to new and unique experiences and take a Bailey of Bristol motorhome to places it’s never been before.