Exploring the Capital City of Three Empires: Nikhil’s 10-day Trip in Istanbul with Thrillophilia

Thrillophilia Verified Booking ·
PNR: BKDYMVAUOVD 
Traveller: Nikhil Radhakrishnan 
Trip Duration: 10 Days | 9 Nights
Date of Travel: 12 June 2024 - 21 June 2024
Package Booked: Glimpse of Turkey | Exploring the Legends and Lores 

Behind every city hustler drowning in work, there’s a traveller with a bucketlist. One, they cannot commit entirely because they simply lack the time to design an itinerary keeping all trip logistics and considerations in mind. 

But that didn’t stop Nikhil from browsing travel options to tick off Istanbul from his list anyway. His objectives were simple: a hassle-free trip which is paced well enough for him to soak in all the highlights Istanbul has in store for him. Since he couldn’t do the panning himself, he was simply looking for someone who could. 

Thankfully, he didn’t have to look too far. Nikhil’s Istanbul review on Thrillophilia's platform recounted the story perfectly.

“We had planned for our vacation to tukey but did not have time because of our work to plan the itenary for the travel. We were searching the internet and got hold of thrillophilia pacakage for turkey . Starting from the time we spoke to the time we got the vouchers everything was handled perfectly by Aashi Sachdeva.”

Arriving in Istanbul and Getting to Know the City

The driver was already waiting with a private vehicle at the airport when he arrived. The team had already briefed him as to exactly how the trip is going to progress and how they’re planning to manage each day. With contacts of an on-ground support team, available 24/7, already provided to him, Nikhil wasn’t worried much.

He used the leisure day to relax in the centrally located hotel chosen by the team and rest up for the next day, which took him to the Princess Island for a full-day tour.

A serene archipelago in the Sea of Marmara, the day went by leisurely but thoroughly fulfilling without being too physically demanding. Nikhil went for the cruise and just let himself go once he found himself surrounded by the striking blue of the water. 

After exploring Büyükada, the largest of the islands there, Nikhil had his lunch amidst the serene landscapes, one that he didn’t rush to capture a picture of, because he had realised by that point that a camera can never do justice to what he was witnessing right now, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Chasing Sunrises and Creating Lifetime Memories 

After exploring Bursa and its highlights in the city centre, the next two days were spent exploring Cappadocia. The fairy chimneys of Devrent Valley, the ancient rock-cut monastery of Selime, and the picturesque valley of Pigeon are still all too clear in Nikhil’s mind. The underground city’s hum in Kaymaklı and the rock-cut churches of Göreme Open-Air Museum each became a highlight that redefined his perception of Istanbul altogether.

But the trip wasn’t entirely without its doubts. Nikhil prominently remembers how Asi Sachdeva assisted him during his confusions. 

When alone in a foreign country, an assurance that someone has got your back at all times is everything that matters. Nikhil felt exactly like that, and his Istanbul review on Thrillophilia's platform didn’t shy away from highlighting that.

“Very Big Thanks to her for helping in times were things sometimes were not moving forward . She listened to the problem and helped us with everything she can.”  

Falling in Love with Antalya's Coastal Charm 

Landing in Antalya, Nikhil could feel the air shift. It was humming with an amalgamation of history and coastal landscapes. Both co-existing with their own charms and significance in shaping the destination’s traveller pull.

Nikhil took that day to explore Antalya by himself. After covering Hadrian's Gate and the Antalya Clock Tower, he decided to end the day at Düden Waterfalls, nestled in a landscape that Nikhil wasn’t going to forget anytime soon.

The next day marked a full-day tour of the natural wonders of Antalya. Exploring the ancient ruins of Perge and Aspendos, including the well-preserved Roman theatre and the idyllic Kurşunlu Waterfalls nestled amidst lush greenery, made Nikhil fall back in love with travelling, a feeling he thought he’d lost with the arrival of a daily busy schedule. But he hadn't, and that realisation was everything to him.

The trip was brought to an end with a Pamukkale and Hierapolis excursion the next day. For the last time, Nikhil found himself immersed in ancient ruins and surreal terraced hot springs. Every moment of the excursion, from the travertine terraces to visiting the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis, weighed in how smooth the trip had felt and how soon it was going to come to an end.

He knew all good things come to an end, but this one perfection was what made him feel melancholy.

Nikhil’s Review and Thrillophilia’s Management

“The itenary planned by thrillophilia was good and had lot of activites . Hotels were good and had hygenic rooms , Onground team in turkey was very helpful in resolving any doubts or questions we had regarding the itenary or any new tour . Happy we visited turkey. One Country of the bucketlist. Thanks to thrillophilla and Aashi.”

Bucketlist trips come with a lot of expectations. It comes with a responsibility that goes beyond just travelling to multiple destinations but also ensures that the traveller experiences the destinations exactly how they envisioned them. Nikhil’s Istanbul ended by highlighting how the team supported him throughout the trip, be it solving doubts or executing the itinerary that had been built with specifically him in mind. 

Availability checks, booking activities in advance, setting the pace of the trip with route efficiency, are metrics that one doesn’t exactly notice particularly about a trip, but that itself is the proof of its success, and Nikhil realised every aspect of it once he began recounting his Istanbul days.

It was everything he imagined, and more.

Also Checkout: Milan Patel's Family Trip to Turkey With Thrillophilia