Advice & Info

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

Many will be quick to share the story of how prophet Mohammed cut his robe as to not disturb the slumber of a cat...

It can be easy to get by in Turkey without speaking the language, especially in big cities like Istanbul and Izmir. Learning a few...

As an animal lover, one of my favorite aspects of life in Turkey can also be one of the most challenging: seeing cats and...

Trying to balance my life is quite a job in the big city. That’s why I have been making time for the things I...

Like many places in Turkey, there's a story behind Lake Sapanca's name. In fact, it derives from a myth that many locals apparently still...

It would be disingenuous to say that Turkey doesn't have a coffee culture. But, I will go out on a limb here and say...

Versus Art Project is hosting a new exhibition from artist SABO entitled "Time Machine" from Thursday 3 June through Saturday 10 July. Based on...

Moving is a big deal. The whole process of packing your items and shifting from one place to another is tiring and time-consuming. Relocating...

Being an expat living in Istanbul over the past few years, I often get asked this question: Are you happy in Istanbul? This query...

Izmir offers plenty of local sites within the city of four million people, but it is also known for its access to easy day...

Rent increases are an unpleasant but inevitable part of adult life. However, as rent prices have spiked by an unprecedented degree over the past...

In this month’s ‘Famous Turk’ article, we’re looking at Mevlana – known more popularly in the English-speaking world as ‘Rumi’ – the Anatolian philosopher...

Istanbul has pazars aplenty. So, one somewhat rainy Sunday I had but one obvious choice for entertaining an out-of-town guest: We took on the task of visiting...

“A Doenmeh friend of mine told me his father had informed him that his father’s mother used to go to the beach every Friday...

I arrived in Istanbul with little knowledge of the country, its culture or language. Straight from the vacation in Japan with my boyfriend and...

Stop ordering on YemekSepeti cause you’re too scared to order over the phone in Turkish. Stop forcing your friends to call you cause you forgot...

Ayvalık boasts beautiful blue water, lovely sunsets, and plenty of beaches to relax on, but its range of nature also provides no shortage of...

Coming around a bend on the Anatolian side between the two bridges is the aptly named Çengelköy. The neighborhood, whose name means hook village in Turkish, is...

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

I've annoyed my friends a million times by repeating this, but I like to tell people that the reason I moved back to Turkey...

The Holy month of Ramadan aka Ramazan has started here in Turkey and over this thirty day period devout Muslims fast during daylight hours....

Istanbul Şehir University is a private, non-profit university founded in 2008. In a few short years the university has already made a name for itself...

If you’re anything like me, or the average Istanbul resident, you probably spend a larger percentage of your life commuting than you’d like to...