Ten glorious days in Türkiye
The Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Roger Short Memorial Fund Travel Diary – Leah Fogarty (2021, Biomedical Sciences)
I would firstly like to thank the Roger Short Memorial Trust and University College for selecting me for this travel scholarship. As you’ll find out, I had the most incredible time in Türkiye and had the privileged opportunity to immerse myself in a culture I haven’t been able to before and I am deeply grateful for this.
My journey (with my friend Kalila, a fellow Univ alum) began in Antalya, a stunning town on the Turkish Riviera. After a tough Master’s year full of dissertations and conducting MRI scans, I was ready for some culture, sun and sea, and Antalya proved to be the perfect destination. On our first day, we found a secluded spot on the beach and went cliff diving, which was absolutely exhilarating! Unfortunately, the UV 10 sun was strong and despite the constant slathering of sun protection I ended up with sun poisoning on the very first day. However, this gave me the opportunity to experience the kindness of Türkiye’s people first-hand. A sweet woman helped me soothe my blistered skin with aloe vera gel while a generous gentleman made me a deliciously fresh mango juice to help rehydrate me. Feeling energised from fructose and the kindness of strangers, I powered through into the evening where we tried local food at a hidden gem near our hostel. As a vegetarian, I cannot comment on the seafood (Antalya’s specialty), but Kalila said it was some of the best she’d ever had!
The serenity of Saluada Island
On the second day, we began by trying the famous Turkish breakfast which was absolutely delicious and full of different things to pick at. Think: salty olives, fresh honeycomb, whipped cream, strong black tea, juicy tomatoes and cucumber, sweet jams, bread, and, of course, eggs. This was the perfect fuel for our day, as after a morning of exploring and getting our bearings of the town, we headed on a long drive through the Western Taurus mountains. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and I was amazed that we were so close to the coast but in what felt like a forest. I have never seen such an intimate juxtaposition of different natural scenery in this way before. Eventually, we reached the Adrasan port with its stunning clear blue waters and mountainous backdrop. We hopped on a boat and headed towards Saluada Island, an uninhabited island colloquially referred to as the ‘Maldives of Türkiye’ to reflect the mesmerising turquoise waters, soft white sandy beaches, and unspoiled natural beauty. We spent hours snorkelling, pointing out the unique fish we saw and exploring the island. The boat trip back to the port was equally memorable as we saw one of the spellbinding sunsets ever witnessed.
The views of the Canyon
Our third day in Antalya was equally as exciting. After an early start, we headed to Köprülü Canyon, an area that was declared a National Park in 1973 and spans 366 km2 of rugged landscape. While we were here, we enjoyed panoramic views of the Taurus mountains and the Oluk Bridge. This is an ancient Roman bridge constructed in the 2nd century AD and is surprisingly well-preserved. Afterwards, we went whitewater rafting down the Canyon. This was an exciting afternoon of controlled chaos where we navigated our way through the rapids and soaked up the scenery, before returning the hostel, and packing our bags ready for an early morning full of travels the following day
Read Leah’s complete Turkey travel report here.
Published: 26 June 2026
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