Beykoz is a peaceful little corner of Istanbul, where old 18th and 19th century buildings coexist with modern buildings – Beykoz Bosphorus district. In Roman times, a temple in honor of Poseidon was built and was used to make sacrifices before the sailors set sail At the time of the Ottomans Beykoz was reserved for […]
There are plenty of places to smoke hookah (shisha) in Istanbul. The hookah, which takes an important place in Ottoman and Turkish culture, has been very popular in recent years. The hookah (shisha) that the Turks first encountered during the Yavuz Sultan Selim, IV period was banned during the Murat period and became popular […]
Turkish tea in Turkey called "Çay" (pronounced "Tchay") is a whole philosophy, a pleasure, a tradition, an automatism.
The Ottoman fez, a Christian touch Contrary to popular belief, the fez is neither Ottoman nor Muslim! The funny fact is that it actually comes from Ancient Greece and was worn by the Byzantines, that is to say during the Byzantine Empire, before the Ottoman Empire. However, the Ottomans continued the tradition and under the […]
There are two models of toilets in Turkey: European style, with a bowl (alla franga) and Turkish style, traditional model with a hole in the floor (alla turca) – Turkish toilets European toilets are available in tourist places, such as hotels, apartments, restaurants, shopping malls, etc. They have a small hose to wash the buttocks. […]
Ataturk’s Mausoleum: The legendary Ataturk succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver on November 10, 1938. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk then physically left his people, his homeland, in Istanbul, in the Dolmabahçe Palace. No burial place could contain such a man, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk did not choose his burial site, his body was embalmed and kept […]
Kokoreç is pronounced as KOKORE (TCH) in English. It is a Turkish and Balkan specialty that appeared in the Aegean region of Izmir in the 1960s. It is made of lamb intestines and offal. This culinary specialty that closely resembles French andouillette. The intestines are cleaned, washed and wrapped around a skewer then cooked over […]
Ayran is a drink that is best drunk fresh, some add ice cubes. Ayran is made from salted liquid yogurt mixed with water.
Tursu is a Turkish drink that has its origins in Ottoman cuisine and cuisine of the Roman Empire. It has also been proven to have existed in India for several millennia. In English the turşu is pronounced as TURSHU. From the 15th century it appears at the court of the Sultan at the Topkapi Palace. […]
Taksim Square Istanbul: main transport center and a popular destination for tourists and Stanbouliotes, favorite place for public events and gatherings.
The Suleymaniye Mosque rarely appears in the catalog of tours offered by tourist agencies. No doubt because it is outside the classic places of visitation of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi etc. which they grouped together. Yet this is one is of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul. From the top of one of […]
Istanbulkart, the ultimate Istanbul public transport card During your stay in Istanbul we absolutely advise you to use Istanbulkart for public transport in the city, which is the most convenient way to get around and get to all areas easily (Istanbul public transport card) . Istanbul is a very large city, spread over an area […]
The Turkish Baklava is a dessert from the Topkapi Palace and is consumed everywhere in Turkey. This is the first Turkish edible product certified by Europe!
The yellow dolmus (dolmush) is a collective taxi mini-vans parked at strategic points, they wait for the customers at the stops.Collective bus taxis are only yellow in color, they can accommodate 8/9 seated people (no standing peassengers allowed).Dolmus in service: they are in service 7/7 and 24/24, on both shores of Istanbul. Fast and […]
The society that cares for street animals in Istanbul: This is no secret that Turkey cares of the street animals and is taken as an example in the world. Care for street animals is organized throughout the year in all the big cities of the country, so that the street animals live with serenity their […]
One of the most practical things in Turkey is TAXI services: the most practical thing undoubtedly in Istanbul and in many cities across the country is the taxi (taksi in Turkish), it is impossible to wait for one for more than 5 minutes, it is an incredible chance in a big city to simply have […]
Many freebies for all young Turks – young people in Turkey. In order to encourage young people to learn, to become curious, to love art the authorities give some things for free to the youngsters. The state has decreed that entry to museums and monuments will be free for children under 18 and students. […]
One of the social actions in Turkey is visiting mosques especially on Fridays. Mosques and the social life: in the largest mosques and those of medium size in the country one will most likely find a complex around. They usually have a hospital dispensary, a social canteen, an infrastructure with sanitary facilities – 10 Social […]
The boat is by far the most used public transportation by Istanbulites in their everyday life, they use it for going to work, leisure … it is pleasant, it remains privileged despite the many other means of transport already existing – boats are common transport in Istanbul. For tourists, it is pleasant and exotic. […]
The minibuses in Istanbul or “dolmus” are the most recognizable buses due to their blue, green or white colors. It is a type of public transport which is very frequentely used by locals but little by tourists. However, minibuses can be found in Istanbul in all neighborhoods, even the most remote. The minibus in Istanbul […]