Christmas at the St. Anthony Catholic Church (Sent Antuan Katolik Kilisesi)
In Istanbul, it is said that the St. Anthony Catholic Church is so significant and important that it is impossible to imagine the famous İstiklal Avenue (İstiklal Caddesi) without this church. I can easily agree, as my steps often lead me to this uplifting place, besides my other favorite, Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), even though I do not represent any specific religion myself. In this post, we take a glimpse into the beautiful Christmas atmosphere of the St. Anthony Catholic Church.
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?
Kuzguncuk – ”The sweet delicacy of Istanbul”
In this post I’ll introduce one of my favorite neighborhoods, Kuzguncuk, for which I’ve given the nickname “sweet delicacy”. This neighborhood is reinvigorating with its visuality as well as its idyllicity, and it is guaranteed to make you smile. It’s best to let the photos speak for themselves, because words may not be enough to describe all the beauty and the unique atmosphere …
Princes´ Islands (Adalar) – part 2: Büyükada
Since the pictures speak more than a thousand words, in this post I will tell mainly through photos about the largest and most famous of the Princes´ Islands, Büyükada. You’ll also experience a little bit of history as you will see a short video taken of a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride (Phaeton) with views of the nature and sea. Horses were swapped for environmentally friendly electric vehicles in 2020.
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…
Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) – the summer residence of the sultans
I am not particularly interested in writing about the palaces of Istanbul, because you will already find a lot of information about them anyway. But one of the palaces is close to my heart because of its special beauty, colors and versatility. And also because it is closely related to my grandchild’s ancestry. So welcome to Beylerbeyi Palace, to the summer residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire!