Advice & Info

There are a number of phrases that Turks use in daily life that you may not find properly explained in your Intro to Turkish...

When my family and I moved to Istanbul back in 2001, I had to convince others that Turkey was one of the most underrated...

Vendors and commuters criss-cross in front of the gates of the dock. My friend and I use the akbil dangles with the circular buttons...

Now you know about the history of hamams and Turkey's public bathing culture, and you've read the expat's guide to hamams. The next step...

Whether living in New York City or Istanbul, we’re all looking for our own Central Perk. The quaint neighborhood place that beckons us in...

The spring air has awoken the residents of Istanbul out of the drudgery of rainy winter cold. With great gusto, the masses emerge from...

“Habitash! Habitash!” The unfamiliar deckhand appeared as a silhouette, repeatedly emphasizing this made-up word as though I would finally understand what it meant the sixth...

The man who runs the corner shop next to my apartment building has a very strange approach to business, whereby he literally just changes...

The Winter of 2018 experienced a 'train crisis' in Turkey as a large group of travel enthusiasts found themselves refreshing the website of the national...

To better foster a sense of community, help people network, and facilitate sharing advice, we've put together some Whatsapp groups. If you're interested in...

Recently my friends and I have created a rule. We are not allowed to have more than 3 cocktails when we’re out. Whoever is...

There are more than 3000 active mosques in Istanbul and, in terms of architectural style, they can generally be categorized as either Byzantine (ancient...

On warm nights in Istanbul everyone is out. Restaurants open their doors onto the sidewalks of back streets, creating a maze of tables and...

How does one explain Barış Manço?  He is kind of like the Turkish John Denver, but with the notoriety of John Lennon and a...

Learning Turkish while living in Istanbul can be an experience both painstaking and profoundly exciting. There is an undefinable moment in this adventure -...

“Zeytinyağı gibi üste çıkma!” or “Don’t stick out like olive oil!” This time last year, my husband and I were sipping olive oil at a...

By Tas Anjarwalla So, thousands of years ago two volcanoes erupted and created two layers of malleable rock in central Turkey. The rock slowly eroded...

There's a maxim of which every new parent should be reminded, and it's something about how nobody else is as interested in your baby...

Summer just won't seem to quit, and we all know how the heat tends to stifle any imagination when it comes to finding ways to...

It hit me a few weeks after moving to Istanbul two years ago. I was stressed and confused by so many things like accommodation...

To anyone who begins reading this, I would like you to be absorbed by the magnificence of a serene song or melody that is...

If you’re looking to dive deep into the energy, culture, and history of Istanbul, MegaPass is your new best friend. With one simple pass,...

So, you’ve been in Turkey for a while and decided that it might make sense to buy a home or maybe you have your...

Renting a flat in Istanbul can be a stressful, intimidating experience - especially for first-timers. There's a lot to take into account and if...