Explore Turkey
Beyond the
Guidebook

I grew up in a small town in central Anatolia where the horizons stretched endlessly and every valley held a story older than memory. From an early age I was drawn not to the polished coastal resorts — but to the unmarked dirt tracks that wound through pine forests, over mountain passes, and into villages where the pace of life still followed the seasons.

Over more than two decades of road travel across Turkey, I have navigated crumbling Byzantine trade routes in Cappadocia, traced the ancient Lycian way on foot and by motorcycle, discovered hidden waterfalls in the Kaçkar Mountains, and camped beside Bronze Age ruins on the Aegean plateau. What I found again and again was that Turkey's truest character lives far from the beaten path — in its geography, its silence, and its people.

mehmet-tuncay-akyuz is my attempt to document those discoveries honestly. This is not a commercial venture, not a sponsored travel agency, and not a list of the most Instagrammable spots. It is a personal atlas — carefully written route guides, practical navigation notes, and cultural context — freely shared with anyone who wants to explore Turkey the way I do: slowly, curiously, and with deep respect for the land and its communities.

Whether you are planning your first trip to Turkey or your fifteenth, I hope these routes lead you somewhere genuinely unexpected.