For Ikra Altümsek, as many other Turks, a quick visa-on-arrival scheme to visit several of Greece's Aegean islands has greatly simplified travel to the neighboring country and the corner of the European Union, previously off-limits without a hard-to-get Schengen visa.
"I think Samos was the perfect place to start," the 21-year-old university student said, wheeling her luggage alongside her mother as they waited for a ferry off the Greek island of Samos.
They were heading back to Kuşadası, on Türkiye's Aegean coast after a sun-drenched vacation, Altümsek's first trip abroad.
With its turquoise waters, quiet coves, traditional villages and waterfront restaurants, Samos, situated just opposite the Turkish coast, combines beaches and natural beauty with a rich cultural heritage, including ancient sites linked to Pythagoras, one of the most famous figures of the ancient Greek world.
Turkish-flagged boats carrying tourists are a constant presence along the waterfront, arriving and departing throughout the day, highlighting the steady flow of Turkish visitors to the Greek island.
