Istanbul
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What to Visit / Do in Istanbul (Turkey)? 12 Ideas for a memorable extended weekend
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Digital Nomad in Istanbul (Turkey): Where to find an Apartment, Airbnb, Tips & Practical Travel Guide
Since we are digital nomads, Istanbul is the 3rd city where we have a lot of trouble finding a decent apartment (with Seoul and Osaka). The apartments we see on Airbnb are either too crowded, too dark, or too expensive and badly located. So we are going to write you here a small guide for digital nomads like us Istanbul Plan Istanbul is really huge, so I’ll just introduce you to the central part, what interests you the most in Istanbul Many tourists cross a bridge (Galata for the most part) and exclaim: I am in Asia! when it isn’t true. It isn’t because you cross a bridge that it…
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Turkey Travel Guide: 9 days 8 nights backpacking – Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia
We just spent a month in Istanbul (detailed guide here for digital nomads) with 2 long weekends in Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale.We are aware that a month is a very long period and most holidaymakers only spend one long weekend in Istanbul, or 10 days in Turkey. Therefore, we have prepared this itinerary for you. The links available in the article refer to the corresponding travel diaries. Have a nice trip! Day 1 : Arrival in Istanbul Airport Taxi => Downtown (about 60TL) Purchase of a transport pass: Istanbulkart at 6TL (+ 24 TL recharge recommended) Visit from Saint Sophia (40TL/person) (2h on site) Visit of the Basilica Tank (20TL/person)…
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Istanbul (Turkey) #7: Süleymaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace & Shopping
After the rather disappointing visit of the Blue Mosque (half of which is under construction), we visit the Süleymaniye Mosque, which many tourists consider more beautiful than the Blue Mosque (well, only when it is under construction). Turkish BrunchBut before that, you have to have breakfast first. JB takes me to the Lebanese restaurant he likes a lot: Arada Café. This one is on the way to his gym and it’s not uncommon for him to take something to eat there while I cook for myself at home (diet obliges). For 49TL/person, we are entitled to all that, and obviously, we couldn’t finish everything. Süleymaniye MosqueFull belly, we leave to…
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Istanbul (Turkey) #6: Kuzguncuk, Uskudar – discovery of the Asian Shore
Today, we have an appointment with Kévin, an SEO colleague who knows Istanbul by heart. His Airbnb is on the Asian side, so we meet there to spend the evening together. Before crossing the beautiful bridge that separates Europe from Asia, we first stop at the mosque that we spotted from far from the restaurant with a panoramic view. Ortaköy MosqueThis is the mosque of Ortaköy. The locals seem to enjoy the scenery as much as we do, as many people sit here, chill out, enjoy the street food and the presence of the street cats. The interior is quite small, there is a nice ceiling height and numerous chandeliers.…
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How to go from Istanbul to Ephesus: Tour, Backpack by Bus or Plane
To visit the archeological site ofEphesus, you have to go to the town of Selçuk, which is just belowEphesus, 2-3km away You have different options to go there On an organized tour This is the option that I do not recommend because it is so easy to move around on your own. All the agencies in downtown Istanbul will offer you organized tours (with transportation) from Istanbul to Ephesus (with tour, guide, transportation included) for one day Either you opt for night buses (cheaper) Either you opt for the (more expensive) plane: departure from the hotel at 5 am and return to Istanbul at 11 pm Please note that tour…
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Istanbul (Turkey) #5: Whirling Dervishes Ceremony at Silivrikapi Cultural Center (Silivrikapı Mevlana Culture Center)
As this was a religious ceremony to which we were fortunate enough to be invited, out of respect we preferred to be as discreet as possible and not to take pictures. The photos in the article are from the center’s website. As not all tourists have the same delicacy, you can find photos on Google Images and even videos on Youtube. If you would like to see a touring dervish show that is more “touristic” than the experience described below, you can book a tour on the Viator website. If the whirling dervishes are famous, I must say that before I found out, I didn’t really know what they were.…
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Attend a Basketball match in Istanbul (Turkey)
After attending several soccer games, I must discover basketball which is also very popular in Turkey. I have to say that I am much less of a basketball fan than a soccer fan but I appreciate the intensity of the matches and the fact that I regularly have intense suspense until the end of the game. That’s good, the Euroleague (the European Basketball Cup) has recently resumed. It isn’t easy to find information on how to buy tickets. I notice however that the match Fenerbhace – Khimki Moscow is available for sale on the Mobilet website. EDIT October 2019: The Mobilet site no longer seems functional. Tickets must now be…
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Istanbul (Turkey) #4: Turkish Breakfast, Blue Mosque, Basilica Tank
Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary New AirbnbCa is there, we changed Airbnb. The new Airbnb is much cheaper (24€/day thanks to a big discount linked to our stay) and much better located. So much the better because I’m starting to feel the need to be closer to fast transports like streetcar or subway (the bus is too slow). From our different windows (yes there are plenty of them, the apartment is ultra bright), we can see well the hills that surround us and the Galata tower which isn’t very far. I let you watch this video made by JB if you are interested…
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Istanbul (Turkey) #3: Grand Bazaar, Egyptian Bazaar & Galata Bridge
If you missed the previous episodes, here are the links Istanbul #1: Visit of Saint Sophia Istanbul #2 : Discovery of the Sisli district Today, I take you to the markets and I take you to see the famous Galata Bridge in Istanbul. This bridge, although it is very beautiful, does not connect Europe to Asia. No no no! Let’s say that it rather connects the old city (European side) to the more modern city (still on the European side). The Asian side is ultra modern 😀 Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary The Great Bazaar Shopping is my passion. And strolling in the…
