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!
Polonezköy – nature holiday in Istanbul Province
Did you know that less than an hour’s drive from the center of Istanbul you can find a scenic oasis? In addition to the peaceful nature of this countryside, there is also a surprising historical dimension. So welcome to a nature holiday in Istanbul, the village of Polonezköy!
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.
The seascapes of Istanbul – part 1: Europe and the Princes´ Islands
There are no words to fully describe the beauty of Istanbul’s seascapes, so this post will consist mostly of photos – after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. We have a positive problem i.e. there are too many beautiful seascapes in Istanbul, so I had to divide my post into two parts. In this post, you will see the seascapes of Europe and the Princes´ Islands (in part 2, I will present the seascapes of Asia).
Pera Palace Hotel – The heart of Pera (the historical name of Beyoğlu)
When my steps took me to Pera Palace Hotel for the first time, I wondered why our family’s second grandma, Zeynep, wanted to show me a hotel. What interesting things we could find in a hotel when we had whole Istanbul in front of our eyes? I couldn’t have been more wrong!