Turkey is one of the most beautiful (and underrated) travel destinations in the world, and its beauty has been immortalized in literature time and again. Whether you’re looking for beautiful Turkey Instagram captions or a snippet from Turkish literature, we have you covered with our favorite travel quotes about Turkey.
If you’re looking for quotes about Istanbul specifically, check out: 25 Hauntingly Beautiful Istanbul Quotes to Inspire You
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The Best Quotes about Turkey
Here are our favorite quotes about Turkey. FYI, some of these are humorous or by famous authors, but that doesn’t mean we agree with the sentiment. I put these at the bottom, but I still wanted to include them since they are famous quotes about Turkey that you may still want to see.
We resemble ourselves.
Turkey is a European country, an Asian country, a Middle Eastern country, a Balkan country, a Caucasian country, a neighbor to Africa, Black Sea country, Caspian Sea, all these.
-Ahmet Davutoglu
This Captain had been brought up in Istanbul. His mind was made of minarets and domes. He capped himself with spacious ease. He was his own call to prayer.
The beauty of a landscape resides in its melancholy.
Turkey was fantastic, Turkey was, like, mystical and such a special place. Just unique, something that’s really hard to describe, such beauty, those mountains, and the stone is kind of, eroded? Special erosion which makes what you see just something that seems, it’s been made for a movie, it’s like something out of fantasy, except it’s real.
-Violante Placido
Growing up in Turkey, not a day would go by that we wouldn’t eat yogurt like this.
-Hamdi Ulukaya
Heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives! You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
Among all of the nations, the most honorable and the most friendly people are only the Turks. If you go to a Turkish village that has not been under a foreign influence; you will see and learn what true hospitality is in fact.
-William Martin
Growing up in eastern Turkey, I was not really involved with the family business – sheep and cow farming, yogurt and cheese making. But I think I learned from my father the unspoken business language or instincts that go back thousands of years.
-Hamdi Ulukaya
‘Give Me a Turkish Army. I will Conquer the world.
-Napoléon Bonaparte
On the meeting point of two worlds, the ornament of Turkish homeland, the treasure of Turkish history, the city cherished by the Turkish nation, İstanbul, has its place in the hearts of all citizens.
-Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Turkey must find its place if, of course, it can heal its internal sores.
-Noam Chomsky
I suppose if I went to Turkey – I mean, I can’t imagine going that far away, but if I did go to Turkey, yes, I would probably try to know ‘please’ and ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’, and ‘a beer please’, and all the useful words.
-Robert Webb
Turkey is a complex country. Most readers are women, of all generations, and they are passionate about books. However, the written culture is mostly patriarchal. In general, men write; women read. I would like to see this pattern changing. More women should write novels, poems, plays, and hopefully, more men will read fiction.
-Elif Safak
Bear in mind how valuable a secular Turkey is for the world.
-Safak Pavey
There is much to justify Turkey’s reverence for Ataturk. He is the force that allowed Turkey to rise from the ashes of defeat and emerge as a vibrant new nation.
-Stephen Kinzer
Because the Turkish nation has been successful in overcoming hardships through national unity and togetherness. And because the torch the Turkish nation holds in her hand and in her mind, while marching on the road of progress and civilization, is positive science.
I’m one of these people that if I have a nice holiday – like I have had in Turkey repeatedly – I go back a lot.
-Freema Agyeman
I was always told yogurt had to be sweet to appeal to Americans. But when people go to Turkey or Greece, within 15 minutes of their return, they start talking about how much they enjoyed the yogurt there.
-Hamdi Ulukaya
‘There are two great virtues that glorifies a human being. Man being brave, woman being fair and honest. Apart from these two, there is one virtue for both men and women. To be loyal to their home and their country and even give their life for it. Turks are heroes having this virtue. Because of this, we can always kill Turks. But we can never defeat them.’
-Napoléon Bonaparte
Speak any language, Turkish, Greek, Persian, Arabic, but always speak with love.
-Rumi
Though many people said there is no joint border between Turkey and Montenegro, it feels like we are next to each other. We are in the same neighborhood.
-Igor Luksic
Turkish soldiers are very brave. They love their homeland and they do not hesitate to give their lives for it if necessary.
-Albert Einstein
Of all the unchristian beverages that ever passed my lips, Turkish coffee is the worst. The cup is small, it is smeared with grounds; the coffee is black, thick, unsavory of smell, and execrable in taste. The bottom of the cup has a muddy sediment in it half an inch deep. This goes down your throat, and portions of it lodge by the way, and produce a tickling aggravation that keeps you barking and coughing for an hour.
-Mark Twain
Make it a point to drink as much Turkish tea as possible!
If you can imagine a man having a vasectomy without anesthetic to the sound of frantic sitar-playing, you will have some idea of what popular Turkish music is like.
-Bill Bryson
5 Things to Bring to Turkey
We’re working on our full list of what to pack for Istanbul, but here are five things you definitely want to bring with you!
The Lonely Planet Turkey: a good guidebook can help you with the kinds of safety tips you need if you’re out in the city and feel a bit lost, especially if you don’t have internet or a cell signal. These also have specific neighborhood information that will help you in different parts of the city, and it’s a great supplement to blog posts like this one!
Unlocked Cell Phone: Stephanie and I both have unlocked cell phones that we bought in Europe (I use a Samsung and Allison uses an iPhone). This allows up to get sim cards when we travel so that we always have the internet. This has gotten us out of so many jams! If you don’t have an unlocked cell phone that can use a Turkish sim card, you can buy a cheaper unlocked phone online and bring it with you!
Pacsafe Citysafe or Other Anti-Theft Bag: This is the bag both Stephanie and I use for all our travels. It has a pouch with RFID technology so our credit cards can’t get scanned from afar, interlocking zippers to make it harder to pickpocket, and it’s roomy enough to be a perfect sightseeing day bag, yet it’s still quite stylish for all of its security features. If you’d rather bring something smaller, you can pack a money belt instead.
Grayl Water Filter: While the water is *technically* safe to drink now, I would still avoid it. If you don’t want to be buying millions of plastic water bottles, you can get a reusable water bottle that comes with a water filter so that you can stick to the tap water and reduce your plastic waste. If you’ll be traveling outside of the major tourist centers, check if the water is potable locally.
Seabands: If you get seasick easily, pack some Seabands or seasickness pills so you don’t miss out on the best parts of Turkey – being on the water! A trip to Turkey isn’t complete without a cruise or at least a quick boat trip, so make sure you’re prepared to enjoy it to the fullest!
More Turkey Travel Resources
We have a ton of resources to help you plan your trip to Turkey!
If this will be your first time traveling to Turkey, check out this guide to planning a trip to Turkey (including visa information) and this guide beautiful places to visit in Turkey. You can also check out our Balkan currency guide, which explains how the Turkish lira works and guidelines for tipping in Istanbul.
If you’re heading to Istanbul, we have you covered. Start with our essential Istanbul Travel Tips and guide to staying safe in Istanbul
We’re working on our massive things to do in Istanbul post, plus you can check out our guide to the best Instagram spots around Istanbul, tips for shopping in Istanbul, the best Turkish food to eat, how to plan an Istanbul honeymoon, and what to do in Istanbul at night.
If you will be visiting in winter, we have a special winter in Istanbul guide plus an overview of Istanbul weather in January.
If you want to be in the city for just a few days (four or less), check out our Istanbul city break guide, which breaks down the best of the city so you won’t miss anything!
Headed to Cappadocia? If you’re curious about the most Instagrammable places in Cappadocia, we’ve got you covered. We also have posts on the best things to do in Cappadocia, and how to plan a perfect 3 day Cappadocia itinerary, plus how to get to Cappadocia from Istanbul.
We have tons more Turkey and Balkans resources, and we publish new content nearly daily. Bookmark our Turkey and Balkans travel pages so you can find any new resources that come out before your trip!
Don’t Forget About Travel Insurance!
If you’re planning a trip to Turkey, make sure to travel with a valid travel insurance policy. While we feel safe in Turkey, it’s a good idea to be covered in case of an emergency. Travel insurance covers you in case of theft or an accident, which can save your trip if there’s an incident.
For travel insurance, Allison and I use World Nomads. I’ve been a happy customer of theirs for almost three years, and I’ve never had an issue when making a claim. I’m happy to refer them to anyone I meet.
>>Get a travel insurance quote for your trip here.<<
Pin these Quotes about Turkey & Turkey Instagram Captions for your trip!
Stephanie has been living in and traveling around the Balkans for the past three years. She’s written for National Geographic Online, appeared on CNN Arabic and in the New York Times, and ridden more Balkan buses than is good for a person.
