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The program is open to nurses and their friends.   

The most important criterion is “fit.”   This retreat is intended for nurses and their friends who are seeking a cultural, spiritual, and educational experience in a country that offers an immersion in a heady mix of history, literature, religions, art, spirituality, and politics different from one’s own. It is a retreat for those seeking the adventure of both an inner and outer journey.

Yes

 No. Participants from countries around the world are welcome. If you do not wish to start in North America, you can meet us at the beginning date in the program.  

The required age to participate is 22 and older.  However, there will be a fair amount of walking through small alleys and crowded streets as well as on uneven terrain under the heat of the sun. Participants should fit enough to handle that amount of walking. 

 Turkish is the official language of the country. In the larger cities and more touristic areas (such as Istanbul and Cappadocia), English is widely spoken. In the smaller villages, English is less known, though the younger generation is often pretty conversant.  

Turkey’s predominant religion is Sunni Islam (99% of the country). The country has a rich Sufi heritage (the mystical branch of Islam) and is home to the great Sufi scholar and poet, Rumi. The country also is known for being very secular and Westernized, especially in the larger cities.   

American passport holders do not require a visa for stays under 90 days. For other passport holders, please see: https://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa 

 You should fly in and out of Istanbul’s international airport (IST). There is another international airport (SAW) that services low cost carriers, but which is further away from the center of the city. Our retreat-organized private shuttle will depart from and return to IST in accordance with arrival and departure times of everyone’s flights. 

If your flight arrives early or late and you are unable to catch the shuttle, there are taxis and transfers at the airport, which usually cost around $65/person to central Istanbul. However, we recommend you email the Regie Ottoman Hotel to organize a private airport transfer. 

We will take three internal flights: IST to Cappadocia (ASR or NAV) and then Cappadocia to Marmaris (DLM) and then Marmaris to Istanbul. These flights are relatively short (1-2 hours max). We request that your return flight out of IST depart in the afternoon (after 2pm) as we will fly from Marmaris to IST that morning. 

We will travel by sprinter van between the airports and the cities and to and from other sites outside of major cities (such as to touristic sites in Cappadocia and Datça). Some of these journeys will be long (up to three hours) and on windy, mountainous roads, so be prepared with snacks, water, and entertainment (books, etc.), or motion sickness medication if you get car sick. 

We recommend that you restrict your luggage to a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead compartment and a large tote bag. We are on the move a lot and this will make your life and the lives of your fellow retreaters much easier. Lost bags are no fun. 

Be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes and clothing, a bathing suit and cover up, hat, sunglasses, books, adaptor, medications/vitamins (you will not be able to find the same labels and perhaps, in some cases, the same medicines in pharmacies in Turkey), and an eye mask and earplugs (we strongly recommend this due to the calls to prayer, cats, and other unexpected sights and sounds that are out of our control). 

You will be able to do laundry at any of the hotels. 

Turkish currency is called the lira and hovers around 40 lira for every one dollar. There are banks and cash machines everywhere, so it is recommended to alert your bank to your travels and take out lira at local cash machines as needed. You can bring US dollars as a backup; they can be exchanged at any bank or exchange center and some vendors/restaurants accept them. You can take out money exchange dollars for lira at the airport on arrival. 

In the cities, you can use your credit cards; however, in smaller towns and villages, cash is useful. While upscale restaurants, cafes, and fancier shops will accept credit cards, taxis and tips for services and local restaurants may only accept cash. 

Due to inflation, Turkey has seen a rise in prices over the past two years.  Most meals cost around $25-35, coffee is around $2-3, a 1 liter bottle of water is around $2, a traditional ceramic bowl is around $15-20, a box of lokum (Turkish delight candy) $10-15, and, traditional carpets between $50-2,000 (depending on size and quality).

We will stay in elegant hotels. In Istanbul, we stay in an boutique hotel in the heart of the historic quarter. In Cappadocia, we stay in a cave hotel amidst the fairy chimneys. And, in Datça, we stay in a modern hotel perched on the side of a hill with sweeping views of the Mediterranean Ocean.  

Turkish food is delicious and heavily meat, fish, and bread based. It is usually made from scratch and with healthy, local ingredients. 

Breakfasts are typically an assortment of homemade breads with butter, honey, and jams, accompanied by fruit, yogurt, and eggs on request. There is often vegetables, olives, and cheeses. There is always tea, coffee, and juices. 

Lunch and dinner are usually meat-based with a wide assortment of kebabs and specialty meat dishes. On the coast, fresh fish is served. Regardless of where you are, there is always a large array of fresh salads and delicious breads at every meal and often many bean dishes and savory pastries. Desserts vary and often are milk-based, but also include baklava and lokum (Turkish delight). 

It is very easy to eat a vegetarian diet as there are a number of incredible vegetarian dishes, and fruit and salads are plentiful. Though breakfast can be a challenge for the gluten-free due to the amount of bread, it is possible to stick with fruit, vegetables, and eggs. Vegans might want to bring supplemental snacks because so many dishes have dairy.  

In most hotels and restaurants, it is fine to drink the tap water. However, many visitors to the country prefer to drink bottled water (which is plentiful) OR to bring a thermos with a filter. 

Meal times are generally later in Turkey than in the US and are very flexible. While Americans may be accustomed to eating lunch at noon sharp, Turks usually eat between noon and 1pm and eat dinner around 8pm or 9pm. We will do our best to have mealtimes that work for most people. 

Alcohol is readily available in most upscale restaurants and lodgings. Public displays of drunkenness are not tolerated. Unwound Retreats does not cover alcoholic beverages. 

There is free WiFi at the airports as well as in more upscale restaurants and cafes. All lodgings have free wifi. However, Wifi in Turkey can be spotty, especially in more remote areas (outside main cities). If you want good internet connection no matter where you are, you should make arrangements for international connection/roaming with your telecom provider or buy a local SIM card at the airport upon arrival. You should also download Google Maps or another navigation application so you can find your way around the cities should you want to do some solo exploration.

In Turkey, the standard voltage is 220 V and the frequency is 50 Hz.

 Turkey operates on Turkey Time (TRT, UTC+3) year-round, as it does not observe daylight savings.  Turkey is 10 or 11 hours ahead of Seattle, 7 or 8 hours hours ahead of New York.  This means that if you are flying from Seattle to Turkey, you will need to leave the day before the official start date of the program (i.e., you will leave Seattle on a Friday and arrive in Turkey on a Saturday). When you depart Turkey, you will arrive in Seattle on the same day (i.e., if you leave Turkey on Friday, you will arrive in Seattle on Friday). 

By and large, Turkey is a safe country, especially in tourist areas. However, in crowded places, be mindful of pickpockets, and avoid walking alone late at night in unfamiliar areas. Border areas with Syria and Iraq (in the far east, hours by flight from all of the areas where we will be visiting) may be dangerous due to political unrest. 

A few taboo subjects to avoid talking about in public or with strangers: never insult Ataturk (the founder of the modern state), Turkish culture, or Islam and refrain from discussing the Armenian genocide, Kurdish separatism, or Cyprus. 

LGBTQ+ travelers should be aware that Turkey is a traditional society when it comes to sex and gender. While major cities like Istanbul have gay communities and even Pride marches, queer identity is not generally accepted, especially in smaller towns and villages, and should be kept private. 

Women travelers, especially those with blue eyes and blond hair, may incur unwanted male attention. However, it is not unduly excessive and usually a simple “No thank you” with your hand over your heart suffices. However, making prolonged eye contact or smiling at strangers is often seen as an invitation (for conversation, for more…). 

 In cities, restaurants and cafes have Western-style toilets. In more traditional spaces, squat toilets are the norm. It is recommended to always carry toilet paper, tissues, and wet wipes/hand sanitizer with you.  

September is generally very warm so comfortable, light, cotton clothes are best. Always bring layers, just in case, and comfortable shoes as we will be walking on uneven terrain (both in the cities and also through ruins). Bring hats, bathing suits, and sunscreen (any type of bathing suit is fine in the beach towns we will be visiting, but covering up when leaving the beach is courteous). In case we find ourselves in a traditional space (i.e., visiting a mosque or a traditional village), it is always good to have a scarf and something that goes to the wrists and ankles. Outside of our lodging and the beach, cleavage, tank tops, and shorts can be uncomfortable for everyone. 

For those who want a traditional hammam experience, bring a pair of underwear that you don’t care about. You will wear it as you are scrubbed and bathed. 

For our morning yoga sessions, bring comfortable yoga clothes that are not too revealing as we will be walking through cities to our yoga sites (in some cases). 

 Public displays of affection are frowned upon.  

 It is polite to ask people that you don’t know if they mind whether you take their picture or not. Some people become very upset if you take their photo without asking first.   

Tipping is appreciated by not mandatory. In restaurants and cafes, it is customary to leave 5-10 percent. One can tip staff at hotels if they are moved to do so. Porters and drivers are also given around 5-10 percent. Anyone who does a “service” often receives some amount in a tip. It is also very common to give lira to folks on the street in vulnerable circumstances.  

We will try to make sure that every day there will be at least a few hours of unstructured time to give you an opportunity to explore these magical cities on your own. Turkey can be pretty intense, so having down time—and knowing yourself and your needs—is really important.  

 To experience the country through literature, we recommend reading Elif Shafak’s “The Forty Rules of Love” about the Sufi mystic Rumi and his teacher, Shams. Shafak’s other books (The Bastard of Istanbul and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World) are also noteworthy. 

Orhan Pamuk is probably the most well-known Turkish writer in the West, having won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his book “The Museum of Innocence.” 

For a top ten of great Turkish novels, check out The Guardian’s list.    

Turkish TV shows and films are highly regarded around the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. Many enjoy watching “Ertugrul” on Netflix, which is compared to “Game of Thrones” except that it is based on Ottoman history. 

The film, “Winter Sleep,” which is set in Cappadocia in winter, includes some of Turkey’s most famous actors and won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. 

If you like cats, the Turkish document, “Kedi,” which was filmed in the streets of Istanbul, was listed as one of Time magazine’s top ten films of 2017. 

Turkey’s traditional music is connected to its spiritual tradition, Sufism.

Kudsi Erguner is considered a master of traditional Mevlevi Sufi music and is one of the best-known players of the ney (a type of wooden flute). 

Oruç Güvenç was a Sufi master, musician, and poet most famous for his spiritual album, Ocean of Remembrance. 

The Lonely Planet is always a good resource for general information about the country. 

The US Embassy in Turkey’s website has updated travel information and World Nomads also has updated information about travel safety in Turkey.