A delicious Iskender kebap. Image by gsz.

When it comes to discovering a country’s culture, eating is one of the experiences that can be universally enjoyed. It engages all your senses and, on Turkey tours, it can be experienced every day! With a wide range of different (and delicious) dishes on offer, with endless variations from the different regions of Turkey, the food choices on Turkey tours might be overwhelming. Where to start? Why not try a classic Turkish kebap to get you started.’

Chances are you’ve already enjoyed a kebab or two at home, but it’s almost certain that they’ll be nothing like the kind of authentic kebaps you’ll find on your Turkey tours. Turkish kebaps come in a huge number of forms and varieties, cooked with distinctive spices, flavourings and even differ in how they are presented. There are many regional specialities, so it’s almost possible to eat your way around the country on local kebab dishes. Lamb and veal are popular choices as the meat base, and beef is another mainstay.

The Adana kebap is likely to be one of the first you encounter on your Turkey tours, and it’s a wide-spread, popular variety. Made with hand-minced meat mixed in with chilli on a flat wide metal skewer, it has its roots in the Adana region, close to the Syrian border, but has become popular all over the country. It’s spicy and quite delicious.

Another popular kebap you might end up sampling is the Iskender kebap. Sliced from a typical doner kebab, grilled vertically on a rotating skewer, it is served with yoghurt, tomato sauce and brad. Although it originally came from the Bursa region, it can be found in many places on your Turkey tours.