Istanbul Basics & Guides

If you have a nine to five job and a lot of responsibilities to handle, you might prefer to stay in after work or...

It’s amazing how things can change in just a few short years. Three years ago, I accepted a job in Turkey. Six months later...

All of us - single or in relationships, with or without kids - need help at home from time to time. It can be...

To be a true yabancı, there are certain skills you have to master... 1. Become a teaholic. Drinking copious amounts of black tea is an...

“Metrobüs” is a word whispered in dark corners of the yabangee community in İstanbul. So what is this so called Metrobüs? How does it...

Who rules Istanbul? If you have been here for longer than a day, you already know the answer is obvious: CATS. They are everywhere...

A few days ago I was waiting for the bus in the ridiculously long line at Beşiktaş Square - some mornings the line turns...

You are pregnant, congratulations! This is most probably the happiest moment of your life, enjoy it for a second! But not too long, because...

While we are leaving 2017 behind, all sorts of celebrations for Christmas and New Year's Eve are underway. We are regularly bombarded with countless...

With all the disturbing events in the news recently, it is easy to forget the more mundane, boring threats of life: pickpockets in Taksim,...

When I first came to Turkey six years ago for a vacation, one of the first things that enamored me was the food. The...

Going on weekend getaways is one of the perks of living in Istanbul. The Mediterranean sun is just a hop, skip and a jump...

Thinking of staying in Türkiye for a while and want to file a first-time residence permit application? That's lovely to hear! Before getting too...

When I first came to Istanbul in October of 2014, I was completely bewildered by the recycling system. I found almost nothing on the...

If 'enjoy Istanbul more' is among your list of resolutions in 2019, you are not alone! Each year, we decide to be more active,...

The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed the way we travel... if we travel at all. Most yabangees live far away from their families and...

The work permit process in Turkey is unclear or confusing for many people because of the bureaucracy and inconsistent manner in which information and...

As New Year’s Eve draws closer, the pressure is increasing on how to best ring in the new year. We’ve asked some of the...

Sometimes the grit and grime and non-stop pace of the city just get overwhelming. You need a break from the packed Metrobus and the...

Istanbul sure does have a lot to offer when it comes to the world of books - there are boutique retailers, hidden stores, retail...

Eleven essentials for the Turkish home: 1. Hamam kit – Regular trips to the hamam are an Istanbul institution. With this in mind it’s no...

One of the simplest and easiest ways to help others is to donate blood. Back in Barcelona I was a regular blood donor, donating...

I’ve been in this crazy, lovely city for two years now, and although I cannot claim to know all its secrets, I have in...

One of the many seemingly incessant complaints I hear from other yabancılar is a disdain for Turkish wines. Navigating the wine scene in Turkey...