When Atatürk uttered the words “Ne mutlu Türküm diyene!” meaning “How happy is the one who calls themselves a Turk!” to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in 1933, he wanted to promote unity. Although the majority of Turks are and have always been Sunni Muslims, they can also be Alevi, Bektaşi or…
Galata Tower and those in Genoa share a lot of similarities. They’re both set in hilly locations and have famous towers and funiculars. Like Istanbul, Genoa is built on a series of steep hills and dates back centuries. The old city centre is made up of tiny streets and narrow alleys called caruggi, with numerous…
I’m never without a book in my hand, next to my bed or in my handbag. They’re as essential to me as breathing. Wherever I travel or live, finding the nearest bookshop is high on my list of things to do, and thankfully there are English Language Bookshops Istanbul. There are pasajlar (passages) on both…
I’ve had a passion for funiculars and vertical railways since my Dad took me on the Scenic Railway in the Blue Mountains in Australia when I was seven. Back then it went from the top of the cliff to the bottom of the valley at high speed in about ten seconds flat. These days it’s…
I recently went to visit Suleymaniye Mosque (cami in Turkish) after last having seen it in 1996. Despite being some time ago, I still had memories of its majestic grandeur. However nothing really prepares you for just how light this solid structure appears. It seems to be perched on the edge of a hill overlooking the…
The internet is full of lists of top ten, eleven best or simply must buy Turkish souvenirs from your trip to Turkey. Carpets, apple tea and nazar boncuk are high on the list, but I can’t fit any more Turkish carpets in my house, apple tea is something only tourists drink and I have a…
Anyone who’s ever visited Istanbul, even for the shortest time, will have seen a kedi (Turkish for cat) or two (hundred). It’s no surprise really, as love for cats in Turkey goes all the way back to the life and times of the Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him. Muhammed was raised by his uncle…
If you’ve ever walked along the waterfront from Üsküdar to Salacak, you’re likely to have passed the number 1453 in big bright red letters. It commemorates the Fall of Constantinople because that was the year Mehmet II laid siege to the city now known as Istanbul. Constantinople was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine I…
Anyone who follows my website knows I’m a Kadıköy girl. It was the first district where I lived in Istanbul, and other than a brief six month foray on the other side, Kadıköy has always been my home in Istanbul. So it was exciting to learn that Ataturk Youth and Sports Day, commemorated every May…
The huge Istanbul Airport on the European side of the city opened in the district of Arnavutköy in 2019. It’s eventually expected to see 200 million passengers pass through its streamlined modern environment a year. However, for me and anyone who first arrived in Istanbul at the Ataturk Airport in Bakırköy, the big question is,…