Istanbul in 1967 [Video]
A beautiful and interesting video showing Istanbul in 1967. The time that there were no intercontinental bridges, no skyscrapers, no traffic jams, and much fewer people.
Does it Snow in Istanbul?
Some Europeans and Americans think that Istanbul is an Arabic city in the desert. Simply, it’s not. It’s cold, humid, rainy, and even snowy in winter. Snow is common between December and March. Rain is also common, especially in autumn,…
St. Anthony of Padua Church
St. Anthony of Padua Church is the largest church of the Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul. It is located on İstiklal Avenue (see notes 1) in the historic Beyoğlu (Pera) district, the social and cultural center of Istanbul. It is also known as the Sant’Antonio…
Olympos, Turkey: A Traveler’s Guide with Photos and Tips
Olympos, Turkey (also Olympus), an ancient Lycian city, offers a truly unique experience where history and nature blend seamlessly. Nestled in a river valley along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, within the borders of Antalya province, the city’s ruins, over…
Uzunya Beach
Uzunya is a small and beautiful cove in the north of Istanbul, near the Black Sea. It has a beautiful beach, one of the best beaches in Istanbul actually. There’s also a restaurant on the beach. I went there during…
Cycling through the Black Sea shore
I went for a training ride yesterday with two friends. We headed up to the north and cycled through the Black Sea shore. We climbed a lot. First, we headed to Kısırkaya, where the road has a lot of short-but-really-steep…
Cycling to Karaburun
Karaburun is a small village in the northeast of Istanbul, near the Black Sea. Me and two friends cycled there and swam in the sea.
Maiden’s Tower
Since the medieval Byzantine period, 200 meters off the shore of the Salacak district in Üsküdar, at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus, a tower lyes on a small islet: The Maiden’s Tower (Turkish: Kız Kulesi). It is also (mistakenly)…
Cycling to Rumeli Lighthouse on a Bright, Breezy Day
It was the first day of April. The wind was strong, but the sun was shining, and the air was surprisingly warm – the kind of day that almost insists you go outside. So I took my bike and headed…
A bike ride on a chilly, sunny Sunday morning
Another Sunday bike ride in Istanbul: I started as early as 6:00 in the morning, first headed to South (Ortaköy), then climbed up to Maden (Sarıyer) and went to Rumeli Lighthouse village. At the end of the ride, I covered…
A bike ride in Istanbul on a beautiful morning
It’s March now and March is the month of misty, chilly mornings in Istanbul. It was a beautiful Sunday morning, the roads were empty. A perfect day for a bike ride in Istanbul! The roads would be crowded soon, so…
Emirgan Park
On the European side of Istanbul, just one kilometer away from Maslak, one of the city’s main business districts, there is a lovely place to spend some time in greenery: Emirgan Park. It overlooks the Bosphorus (see notes 1) in…