Friday, March 13

Last day of our journey in Türkiye in the books! Enjoy a recap from today, as well as some pictures from the rest of the week that haven't been shared yet:

"Our last day in Turkey was definitely one for the books. It started with a very balanced breakfast (in my opinion): croissants and Nutella with Gia, plus an orange for a little vitamin C to make it feel somewhat healthy.

After breakfast, we headed to the bus and made our way to the spice market, which was honestly so cool. There were spices, teas, sweets, and so many little things to buy that it was almost overwhelming—in the best way. I picked up a bunch of gifts for my family, and Gia found some really nice perfume that smelled amazing.

Next, we went on a boat ride, which might have been one of the most relaxing parts of the day. The air was crisp, the view was perfect, and it felt like the calm moment before our final shopping adventure. On the lower level of the boat they had incredible hot chocolate (which obviously we had to try), and we spent some time chatting with our tour guide, Gülin.

After the boat ride we had lunch, which was gyros and it was really good. Then we had a little more time to shop before heading to the Grand Bazaar—probably my favorite place of the whole trip, and I think everyone else felt the same. There were so many cool things to look at, and we definitely took advantage of the opportunity to grab gifts for family and friends (and maybe a few things for ourselves too).

We ended the day with dinner and said goodbye to our amazing tour guide. Gülin gave her gifts, we took a bunch of photos, and we all reminisced about our last days in Turkey. It was the perfect way to wrap up such an incredible trip—full of good food, great views, lots of shopping, and memories I’ll definitely never forget!"

Carrie '26 & Gia '27

"On our last day in Türkiye, we made our way to the spice market, where I bought Turkish delights, saffron, and many other spices. Afterword, we made our way to our boat ride through the Bosporus strait. I sat on the top level, which was definitely chilly but very beautiful. We then headed to lunch over on the Asian side of Istanbul, where I tried a doner kebab. I wasn’t much of a fan of it, so, I mostly stuck with the fries. After lunch, I went shopping with my friends, where I got lots of jewelry, and was tempted to buy some mystery action figures. We continued our shopping over in the Grand Bazar for the second time this trip. I got gifts for my family and more jewelry for myself. Later that night, we ate dinner, and I tried desperately to fit everything in my suitcase. Overall, this trip was an extraordinary experience that introduced me to new things and new people."

Neala '27

"Today we had an amazing day in Istanbul. We caught a ferry on the Bosporus strait and I had tea with snacks. The Bosporus strait’s water was so beautiful and there were many boats cruising down the water. We then went to lunch where we ate doner kebabs and fries. I really enjoyed it with ketchup but it wasn’t some of my friends favorite meals. To mark the end of the day, we went back to the grand bezar. I was able to get a coach bag for myself and some gifts for my loved ones. Today was my favorite day because it was filled with shopping. I would definitely recommend taking a trip to turkey because it’s a beautiful place with historical ruins."

Corinne '27