Sirkeci – the terminus of the Orient Express
When you are on the European side of Istanbul, you can hardly miss the historic Sirkeci railway station (Sirkeci Garı), which is now known as an important station for the Marmaray commuter train. Marmaray takes you beneath the Bosphorus from Europe to Asia. However, Sirkeci Station has been significant throughout history because it was once the eastern terminus of the Orient Express (Sirkeci Terminal), a famous train that traveled from Paris to Istanbul.
Sakıp Sabancı Museum – an enchanting experience with its versatility
Calling the Sakıp Sabancı Museum just a museum gives a far too narrow picture of this unique place. First of all, in its artistry, versatility and beauty, this museum is a place that will leave a lasting impression on your heart. Secondly, the museum’s deep and open-minded vision is great – and the execution really exudes the winds of future development. Thirdly, here you will once again be enchanted by the nature of Istanbul.
Restaurant Pandeli – Istanbul’s culinary icon and historical ”pearl”
In my previous post, I introduced you to the bazaars of Istanbul. In this post, you will discover the “hidden pearl” of Spice Bazaar that is the historical Restaurant Pandeli, which you will probably pass by too easily, completely unaware of this beauty and unique attraction. And whose food is the best possible.
Bazaars of Istanbul – exuding history and the colors of life
During your visit to Istanbul, the bazaars are, of course, an obvious experience that you must encounter. They are full of colorful, fragrant, variegated and energetic life – that is, everything that you cannot experience at all in, for example, my home country of Finland. But did you know how many different types of bazaars you can find in Istanbul? Or that the locals also go to the bazaars?
Bosphorus Cruise – experience the most beautiful Istanbul
If you only have the chance to explore one place during your visit, I definitely recommend this one: go cruising on the waves of the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus is the pearl of Istanbul, or rather the soul of the whole city, without which the magic of Istanbul would perhaps disappear completely. Every time I return to Istanbul, the most important thing for me is still to go first to breathe the turquoise winds of the Bosphorus.
The sandy beaches of Istanbul
I am often asked: “where can you swim in Istanbul?” This is a complicated question, to which you will probably get a different answer from every Istanbulite. In this post, I will try my best to gather basic information about Istanbul’s beaches, so that you can choose the beach that is right for you. And now we are talking specifically about sandy beaches suitable for swimming.
Istanbul guide for beginners
When we plan a trip, we hope to find as much information as possible about our destination – preferably even as easily as possible. As the information is often fragmented, I have compiled in this post both important general information about Istanbul as well as a variety of tips for your visit. In this post you will also find practical information about everyday life for your trip, for example, tips for the ways to commute in Istanbul. And please remember, I will publish new stories about the oriental wonders of dazzling Istanbul on my blog every month.
Welcome to be amazed: The Rahmi M. Koç Museum (Rahmi M. Koç Müzesi)
Perhaps a little surprisingly, I will introduce an industrial museum as the first museum in Istanbul. Although I have visited countless museums in my life – and I don’t think I’m a materialist – this private museum made a memorable impression on me with the awe-inspiring surprises it produced. The fingers of my two hands weren’t enough to count all my “wow” exclamations that just continued from one exhibition hall to another…
Different areas of Istanbul
Now that in my previous posts you have landed on your flight to Istanbul and are also familiar with the city’s traffic culture, in this post I will tell you a little bit about the different areas of Istanbul. And also about the structure of how different areas are formed. This will help you both navigate and find areas and places that interest you.
Ways to commute – part 2: public transport in Istanbul
In this post, I’ll tell you about public transport in Istanbul, and give you practical tips to help you get around the city with different means of transportation – exactly the kind of tips I would have appreciated during my first visits. After all, in Istanbul you can only speak English in the tourist area, so all the possible tips will be worth their weight in gold on your expeditions to explore this interesting metropolis.