Aytec was amazing from the start. Such a gentleman to the three Aussie women ( mother and 2 daughters:18 and 6 years) from Perth WA who needed some assistance with some things (taking our luggage from our taxi to our apartment and obtaining a transport card to access the buses and trains). This came about when Aytec volunteered to walk us to the local shop ( as I had no clue where to go and it was late at night too ) that normally sold the transport cards but they were out of stock! The next morning Aytec offered to and hand delivered the transport card to us as he had a spare one at home. Such a relief as we were able to use the public transport to see so many sights across the city and beyond!
Aytec is a kind, softly spoken and thoughtful young man and he was always very quick to respond to our online requests while we were renting one of his Airbnb apartments. He also lives in the same building so it’s super convenient if you need his assistance on short notice. We ended up extending our stay from 1 week to 2 weeks because of his warm hospitality that is also shared by many Turkish people we passed in the surrounding streets, in the shops and in general. We felt very welcomed by everyone in the neighbourhood and would definitely return without hesitation. The shop keepers are simply so hospitable too and there is nothing they won’t do to welcome you the entire time you are in the shop. You feel like you are part of their family!
Thank you Aytec for making our first trip to Istanbul only the start of our love for Turkey. We fully intend to keep coming back time and time again!