With the holiday season now ending, many will already be planning their next trip and will no doubt be looking for some location ideas.
While many will go to travel bloggers or holiday companies, celebrities can sometimes influence where a holidaymaker will book a trip to. One such celeb is 'Suits' actor and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who revealed her holiday tips on The Tig, her lifestyle blog.
She frequently travelled the world in her early years before joining the Royal Family, and has revealed a surprisingly affordable and "invigorating" holiday location, reports the Mirror. That location is Istanbul, Turkey.
The location is known to have amazing shopping, desserts and stunning buildings. However, the Duchess of Sussex described her trip there as a "dizzying" whirlwind, as her stay was just two days long, and during that short spell she intended to see and do as much as she could in the historic city.
Meghan wrote: “There have been some lofty travel goals set in my wanderlust-filled life, but 48 hours in Istanbul was perhaps the most ambitious.
“It’s Istanbul, after all, with its grand bazaar, over 3,000 mosques to explore, rugs to strategically schlep back home, baklava to devour, culture-filled neighbourhoods, the requisite hammam you simply must try, and oh yeah that big ol' Bosphorus. Case in point: there’s a lot to squeeze in."
The cultural capital of Turkey is split in two by the Bosporus sea strait, with each side of the bank having its own unique character. Meghan continued: “Equal parts invigorating and dizzying, 48 hours in Istanbul is indeed an undertaking.
“Rest assured, your head will be spinning with Turkish delight once back on the plane, but undoubtedly worth every singular moment.”
The Duchess of Sussex said she enjoyed exploring Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar during her whistle-stop trip. One of the oldest covered markets in the world, tourists can purchase spices, rugs and everything under the sun in the maze-like shopping area.
The Duchess of Sussex also likely visited some of the city’s mosques, many of which enjoy world famous reputations and are almost unrivalled in their splendour.
The Blue Mosque is one of Turkey’s most magnificent buildings with an incredible blue tiled roof, while the Hagia Sophia is a major cultural landmark and has served as a church and a mosque in its lifetime.
During her visit Meghan chose to stay at Soho House Istanbul, a members’ club and hotel with 87 rooms. The incredible hotel also boats two rooftop pools and each room has its own rainforest shower.
While the Duchess’ choice of accommodation might be out of budget for many Brits, there are many reasonably priced hotels in Istanbul. Turkish food is world-famous and tourists should indulge with a typical Turkish breakfast of eggs, yoghurt, cheese and breads.
As Meghan recommends, Turkish desserts are delicious and Istanbul has many shops selling baklava.
The country, which is currently enduring a difficult economic spell and has a struggling currency, is considered one of the best value holiday destinations in the UK. It recently came top in a new study comparing the costs of the likes of eggs, milk, a cappuccino, beer, dinner for two, petrol and the exchange rate.
The study from Saxo Markets found that despite the nation’s inflation rate increasing 343% over the past year, Turkey still has some of the lowest costs for holiday essentials.
With a beer coming in at an average price of £1.66 and dinner for two around £14, it's well worth adding the country to your list of budget-friendly spots for the summer.
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