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.
Ways to commute – part 1: ´Istanbul Airport´ (İstanbul Havalimanı)
As I write this, Turkish society has reopened since the pandemic eased. Let´s hope that the situation will remain good and we will begin to enjoy traveling again. In this first part of my ´Ways to Commute´ -posts, I will tell you about Istanbul´s new airport (in part 2, I will tell you about the public transport in Istanbul). Despite its large size, the airport is a pleasant, easy, and friendly airport – and even visually charming. So let’s land in Istanbul – a warm welcome!
Do you miss the captivating lively street life of Istanbul?
In these different and difficult pandemic times, we have not been able to normally enjoy the bustling and wild street life of the cities. Everything has fallen silent. Do you miss the lively urban vibe as much as I do? Luckily, technology can help us and enable us to once again experience together the unique atmosphere of the streets in Istanbul. Please join me for this joy, let´s feel the music and dance together!
Istanbul Cable Car, Pierre Loti Hill & Turku Funicular, Kakolanmäki
In both cities of the seven hills, Istanbul and Turku, you will find one hill, the top of which you can reach using other methods than walking or driving by car. You can travel to Istanbul’s Pierre Loti Hill (Pierre Loti Tepesi) by cable car and Turku’s Kakolanmäki by funicular. Have you experienced either these means of transportation? And do you know the history of these hills? Do you know what you will find at the tops of these hills today?
Rumi (Mevlâna) and Sufism in Istanbul: Galata Mevlevi Museum (Galata Mevlevihanesi Müzesi)
Rumi is my important “teacher” in every day of my life. Therefore I had to think carefully about how could I bring this topic up with sufficient respect. I was grateful to have the opportunity to share this great wisdom of Rumi with the letters of the book of my another important teacher Erkki Lehtiranta: “Tien päällä ja taivaan alla”. In this post, we’ll also visit the Galata Mevlevi Museum in Beyoğlu, where Istanbul offers you an experience of this mystical and deep wisdom of Rumi as well as Sufism.