THE JOURNAL
Illustration by Mr Michael Parkin
We all look better after a holiday. But for many of those flying home from Turkey, it’s not simply down to a light tan and a more relaxed demeanour. Of the 45 million tourists who visited last year, one in 50 returned home looking markedly different, having jetted into the country to undergo some form of medical procedure.
As anyone who has logged on to TikTok recently will be aware, the land of honeyed pastries and silty coffee is currently enjoying a burgeoning status as one of the world’s premier destinations for cosmetic surgery. Fuelled by social media, this reputation has grown to the point where the phrase “going to Turkey” is now a euphemism for booking the kind of holiday whose souvenirs include a brand-new set of teeth and a rejuvenated hairline, and any visit to the country, however innocent, is likely to elicit a few raised eyebrows among friends and colleagues.
I’m not here to judge you for disembarking in Istanbul or Antalya looking for a shinier smile or more lustrous locks – we’re all on our own individual quests for self-improvement. But, as a travel writer, I’m imploring you – don’t fly home the minute the anaesthetic wears off.
The shimmering turquoise waters, matchless ancient edifices and diverse natural landscapes that first cemented Turkey’s reputation as a tourist hotspot are still as compelling as ever. And with wellness traditions thousands of years in the making, you’ll find a host of ways to recuperate. Don’t simply settle for returning home aesthetically enhanced when you could add being culturally enriched into the bargain.
“Don’t settle for returning home aesthetically enhanced when you could add being culturally enriched into the bargain”
Many clinics are found in Istanbul, that hypnotic metropolis straddling the Bosphorus, where you can hide any post-procedural evidence under a hat and surrender to the intoxicating energy of its thronged streets. You’ll want to mooch through the harmonious courtyards and intricately tiled halls of the Topkapi Palace, the home of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years – these walls have seen enough family intrigue and backstabbing to match any episode of Succession.
You can keep the hat on, but you’ll need to remove your shoes to experience the city’s lofty, atmospheric places of worship. The most iconic are the cavernous Hagia Sophia and the radiant, kaleidoscopic Blue Mosque.
You’ll find nowhere better to hone your haggling skills than the maze-like Grand Bazaar – built in the 15th century, it’s one of the world’s oldest shopping centre. Along its 60 streets you’ll find more than 4,000 stalls where you can pick up carpets, ceramics, jewellery, antiques and leather goods, or simply sit in a café and watch the world go by over a glass of Turkish tea – though the vibrant, red beverage may not be the choice for you if you came here for veneers.
If that all sounds too busy, leave the crowds behind and cross the Bosphorus by ferry to the Asian side of the city. It’s far less touristed, so you’ll see an authentic slice of Istanbul life as you stroll past historic wooden mansions along the waterfront, inhale the fragrances of the local food market and spot the colourful street art adorning the buildings of the Kadıköy neighbourhood.
When it comes to where to lay your slightly tender head, you’re spoilt for choice – you’ll find some of the biggest brands in luxury hospitality here. The newest kid on the block is The Peninsula Istanbul, which opened this spring with blooming gardens along the Bosphorus, a waterfront swimming pool and a large hammam where you can have your body scrubbed to the same sheen as your new teeth. If you’re a little bruised and bashful, the top suite comes with its own private hammam, rooftop pool and gym, so you can recover in solitary splendour.
You could also retreat to Turkey’s sun-soaked coastline at one of its high-end resort hotels. Hide away at D-Maris Bay, a luxurious address on the secluded Datça Peninsula with a strong wellbeing focus, including sunrise yoga classes, traditional spa treatments and a five-month long residency from holistic wellness gurus Bodyism over the summer months. There are five golden sandy beaches to choose from; opt for Silence Beach for pin-drop peace or La Guerite for cocktails and cabanas.
“By letting Turkey take care of your medical recovery, you’ll help its economic stability”
Mandarin Oriental Bodrum overlooks Cennet Bay, and once you’re ensconced on a lounger by the coruscating Aegean waters you won’t be surprised to find out that the word means “paradise”. Retire to a suite with its own private garden and pool, or show off your new look at one of the 11 restaurants and bars – including an outpost of Hakkasan. Once you’re ready to explore, the hotel will organise private tours of the ancient ruins at Ephesus, a day sailing on a traditional wooden gulet or a balloon ride over the otherworldly travertine terraces of the hot springs at Pamukkale.
Perhaps you’re an adventurous traveller, and require more rousing rehabilitation? Cappadocia is an utterly unique region of hidden cave cities, medieval murals and rock formations so extra they look extra-terrestrial, which you can explore on foot, horseback or from the basket of a hot-air balloon – scores of the brightly coloured canopies rise over the extraordinary landscape each dawn. Stay at Argos in Cappadocia, a hotel hewn from the volcanic hillside. Many of the rooms are converted 100-year-old cave houses, there’s an award-winning wine cellar formed from an underground, rock-cut chapel and the restaurant serves locally sourced specialities. Alongside the more standard sightseeing activities, the hotel can organise classic car rides, cooking classes and astrophotography sessions.
Compelling reasons to extend your stay in Turkey are multitude, but here’s another angle to consider. To paraphrase the US president, Mr John F Kennedy: ask not what Turkey can do for you, ask what you can do for Turkey.
Name-checked as a rising trend by high-end operator Original Travel, “philantourism” is the new buzzword on the block – the concept of spending your tourist dollar where it is most needed. Rocked by February’s devastating earthquake, battling political uncertainty – but nevertheless safe to visit and warmly hospitable to travellers – Turkey’s local communities could do with your financial support; paying local guides, eating at family-run restaurants, buying hand-made souvenirs.
By letting Turkey take care of your medical recovery, you’ll help its economic stability. You look good; you feel good. It’s a win for everyone – and a great reason to show off your new smile.