Istanbul is unique. It is the only city in the world where two continents meet. Enjoy old and new in the cultural capital of Turkey with Istanbul expert Marc Guillet

Walking Events

17/12Roasted chestnuts as a snack

Photos © Slawomira Kozieniec First there is the smoke from a distance. Coming closer to the source of the smoke you smell something that reminds you of barbecue. But this is different. It is roasted as meat, but in a more gentle way. ‘Kestane kebab’ (roasted chestnuts) shouts the street vendor. With a small metal... Read more »

09/12Lokma, hot & sweet Ottoman snack

Photos © Slawomira Kozieniec During the cold winter months I see all kinds of warm street snacks popping up in Istanbul. Lokma is one of them. The Turkish word lokma means ‘mouthful’ or ‘morsel’. Just recently a couple of young men started to sell these lokma tatlısı (deep fried dough balls), soaked in sugar syrup in... Read more »

01/12Chaotic piles of wood

Whenever you see a chaotic pile of wood while strolling the backstreets of Istanbul, you can be sure that this is the new delivery for one of the many traditional wood-burning stone ovens where artisan breads or lahmacun – Turkish pizza – are baked.

30/11 Turks drink most tea in the world

21/11 Street vendors give Istanbul extra charm

12/10 Flea market impressions in Feriköy

10/10 Guidebook writer Pat Yale on my e-book

04/10 “Ottomania” is everywhere, even in burg..

Nightlife

26/09Kadıköy one of the the coolest hoods in the world

Kadıköy, an old, laid-back cosmopolitan and residential neighborhood with curving streets on Istanbul’s Asian shore, has grown enormously in popularity in recent years. It is the cultural heart of the Asian side of Istanbul and definitely the hippest place to stay, eat, drink and hang out. This hood should be on everyone’s travel bucket list right... Read more »

20/09Discover Viktor Levi, Wine House since 1914

When visiting Istanbul you definitely should check out the Asian side of the city as well. Kadıköy is my favourite district. It is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan part of Istanbul, on the northern shore of the Sea of Marmara, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus. It is the... Read more »

18/09How to drink Turkish coffee

Photos: Slawomira Kozieniec Modern coffee bars like Starbucks and Turkish counterparts like Kahve Dünyası and Mado, where a range of Western coffees are sold, are found in Istanbul’s tourist and upscale westernized districts. In most restaurants bars in the old city they have all kinds of western style coffees too. Elsewhere in the city, the... Read more »

24/07 Bomontiada: live music, food, art, drinks

03/11 Recommended hotels in Istanbul

14/01 Dishes dressed fit for a sultan

02/01 Enjoy the new-look Karaköy

26/12 Christmas lunch in Istanbul

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