Is this still Turkey?

Bozcaada, Turkey

We arrived at the island of Bozcaada expecting much the same as we had seen in the rest of Turkey. Surprise is the only word to describe what we found there. Until 1925, the island belonged to Greece so much of the town feels Greek, with Turkish sounds and Turkish scents. By their own description, the Turkish people are a very reserved and serious group, but as we walked through town, there were smiling faces and sounds of laughter everywhere. Instead of the conservative dress found in other parts of the country, we saw bright colors, short shorts, and high heels. We wondered if the people here were Turkish, as they looked and acted more like Italians. Bozcaada is just a six-hour drive/ferry ride from Istanbul. Every day twenty-five ferries, packed with cars full of men, women and children, come and go from the island. This is what Turkey looks like on holiday.

Bozcaada is a very small island, just 15 square miles with one town, a coastline of beaches, and field after field of grapevines.

There are approximately 2,500 year-round residents and some 10,000 visitors during summer.

Vineyards have existed on the island since antiquity and today occupy one-third of the land. In the 16th century the finest wines in the world were considered to come from this tiny island. Modern winemaking techniques continued the winemaking tradition here creating quality wine and a burgeoning industry. But in 2013, the Turkish government tightened restrictions on wineries halting wine tastings and wine festivals, imposing heavy taxes, even eliminating road signage. One disgruntled winemaker told us that about all he is allowed to do is pay taxes; others are finding ways to continue on.

With the end of summer quickly approaching Bozcaada was crazy busy. Restaurants were packed and there were few moments in the day that you could walk through town without a long line of cars awaiting the arrival of the ferry. Still, Bozcaada had a happy, fun loving vibe.