The Çay Chronicles
Photo courtesy of Musa Ortaç
In Türkiye, tea isn’t just a drink—it’s a ritual, a symbol of hospitality, and a thread woven into the cultural fabric of everyday life. Whether you're in a grand bazaar in Istanbul or a seaside café in Bodrum, a glass of steaming çay is never far away.
A Brew with Global Roots
Tea’s journey to Türkiye—and indeed, to the world—is a story steeped in history and surprising twists. While tea originated in China, its spread across continents is a tale of trade routes, royal marriages, and cultural transformation.
Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705), Queen Consort of Charles II Portrait by Peter Lely
One of the most charming legends involves Catherine of Braganza, the Portuguese princess who married England’s King Charles II in the 17th century. As the story goes, she arrived in England with wooden boxes stamped “T.E.A”—short for Transport Ervas Aromáticas, or “Transport of Aromatic Herbs.” The British, unfamiliar with the acronym, took the word literally. And so, they began calling it “tea”—a term that, some say, was born of a mix-up and a Portuguese princess.
As delightful as the tale is, most historians agree that the English word “tea” likely stems from the Min Chinese word “te”, which spread through Europe via Dutch traders in the 1600s. Meanwhile, other countries that received tea overland through the Silk Road adopted variations of the word “cha”—which is why Türkiye calls it çay.
How Türkiye Made Tea Its Own
Photo Courtesy of Lidya Cohen
Though coffee was the beverage of choice in the Ottoman Empire, tea became Türkiye’s national drink in the 20th century. After World War I, coffee imports dwindled and the government encouraged domestic tea cultivation in the lush, rainy region of Rize, along the Black Sea. Today, Rize remains the beating heart of Turkish tea production.
The Rules of the Ritual
Tea in Türkiye is strong, black, and always served piping hot in small, tulip-shaped glasses that show off its rich amber color. It’s a drink meant to be sipped, shared, and repeated—often many times a day.
Drinking tea in Türkiye comes with its own unwritten etiquette:
Always Accept the Offer: Declining tea, especially in a social or business context, may come off as rude. Even if you don’t drink it, accepting a glass is seen as a sign of respect.
No Milk, Ever: Unlike British tea, Turkish tea is never served with milk. Sugar is optional, but adding milk would be considered very unusual.
Drink It Hot and Fresh: Tea is meant to be consumed piping hot. Lukewarm tea is a sign of poor hospitality or inattentive service.
Keep the Glass Full: In many homes and tea gardens, your glass will be automatically refilled until you signal that you’ve had enough—often by placing the spoon across the top of the glass.
Tea Before, During, and After Everything: From breakfast to late-night chats, tea is always appropriate. It bookends meals, fuels workdays, and smooths over difficult conversations.
From Istanbul’s bustling tea gardens to Anatolia’s quiet villages, tea is the heartbeat of Turkish daily life.
Bodrum: Where Tradition Meets Scenery
Photo courtesy of R. Yasin Asil
Nowhere does tea taste quite as poetic as it does in Bodrum. Perched above the turquoise sea or nestled in a mandarin orchard, tea here is best served with a view. Whether you’re sipping after a swim or watching the sun melt into the Aegean, Bodrum adds its own kind of magic to every glass. Don’t miss our guide to the most scenic tea spots in Bodrum to find your perfect perch.
A Way of Life
In Türkiye, tea is not just consumed—it’s cherished. It marks meetings, endings, beginnings, and everyday moments in between. From the farmlands of Rize to the cobbled lanes of Gümüşlük, çay is a constant: strong, comforting, and ever-present.
So next time you lift a tulip glass to your lips, remember—you’re not just drinking tea. You’re sipping centuries of stories, from the markets of Ming China to the tea gardens of Bodrum.