European travelers explore Türkiye’s caravan tourism potential

KASTAMONU

Türkiye is emerging as a prime destination for caravan tourism, attracting visitors from across Europe eager to explore its diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

Exemplifying the trend, a group of 26 tourists from Germany and Switzerland on a 45-day expedition, continue to tour the country.

The travelers, comprising 13 families, recently arrived in the northern province of Kastamonu after exploring various regions across the country.

They stayed in Ballıkayalar Mansion in Daday, savoring local dishes and enjoying the natural surroundings. Their journey will proceed through Amasra and Safranbolu, culminating in Istanbul.

Expressing his admiration for Türkiye’s landscapes, Jörg Burer from Switzerland shared, “I am on a wonderful tour with lots of surprises. We have traveled so much in Türkiye that I cannot remember all the places. But we saw unbelievable landscapes on the way to Kastamonu. I loved it.”

Suzanna Maffi, another tourist, added, “We saw many beautiful things— animals, landscapes, ancient cities. My favorite destination was Cappadocia.”

Tomas Hering from Germany, on his second caravan tour in Türkiye, said, “Last year we came with 10 caravans. This year, we returned with 13. We liked it so much that we plan to come again in September. The landscapes are wonderful.”

Levent Bilgiç, the group’s guide, outlined their journey, “We started from Troy, visited Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Dalyan, Antalya, Konya, Cappadocia and several other regions. Our guests are very happy, enjoying a more personal travel experience compared to classic bus tours. We are now on the 40th day of our tour, and after Amasra and Safranbolu, we will spend the last two days in Istanbul.”

Meanwhile, French tourist Ludovic along with his wife and two children and their friends Catherine and her husband Pascal camped in Acıgöl, in Central Anatolian province of Konya’s Karapınar district.

They watched the sunset and sunrise on the lake and took a walk. Ludovic said that they started their journey from France a while ago and traveled to many countries before reaching Turkey, “It has been in our minds to travel the world with a caravan for a long time. We set off a few months ago, traveled to many countries and reached Turkey.”

Ludovic praised Türkiye’s hospitality and natural beauty and noted, “We have traveled to many countries, but Türkiye stands out. The natural beauties of Karapınar are stunning. Acıgöl is a lake with clean, salty water, which is good for health.”