Know Your Kebaps

May 26, 2009
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The Turkish national dish is undoubtedly the kebap. Kebap refers to a variety of meat dishes, consisting of grilled or broiled meats (usually lamb or beef) on a skewer or stick. The word kabab is ultimately from Arabic and originally meant fried meat, not grilled meat. Only in the Turkish period, did kebap gain its […]

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14 Turkish Köfte (Meatball) Dishes Worth Trying

May 20, 2009
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Köfte is commonly translated as meatballs – but this is selling the Turkish versions a bit short. It is believed that there are 291 different kinds of meatballs (köfte) in Turkey. However, originally meatballs came from Iran. They called a mixture of vegetables and eggs covered with meat küfte. Once the Turks got their hands […]

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Don’t Miss the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix In Istanbul Park

May 13, 2009
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The Turkish Grand Prix will take place on June 7 2009 and is the seventh Grand Prix of the 2009 Formula One World Championship. The venue for this Formula One motor race, which debuted on August 25 2005, is Istanbul Park (Istanbul Parkı), also known as Istanbul Racing Circuit. Drivers and spectators alike praise this […]

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Istanbul Taxi Fares for Popular Tourist Destinations

May 3, 2009
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I wrote in an earlier post that a minority of Istanbul’s taxi drivers are not shy of hustling tourists. So I thought it would be helpful to provide my readers with a cab fare list for trips from Sultanahmet or Taksim to the most common Istanbul tourist destinations or the airports. This way you’ll be […]

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How To Take A Taxi In Istanbul Without Being Hustled?

April 23, 2009
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By far the most convenient (but not always the quickest) way to get around in Istanbul is by taxi. They are plentiful, operate day and night, take up to four persons, are compared to the US or Europe fairly cheap, and they can be easily hailed on the street or found at taxi ranks. Unfortunately, […]

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10 Istanbul Pedestrian Safety Tips That May Be a Lifesaver

April 17, 2009
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The best way to absorb a city is of course by exploring it on foot. In addition, some of Istanbul’s ancient streets are so small a car barely fits in it. And with Istanbul’s huge traffic jams in the city center, it is often even a time-saver. But before you rush out of your hotel […]

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How to Book Your Hotel at Guaranteed the Lowest Price?

April 9, 2009
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People often ask me if booking a hotel online is safe. And if so, whether I can provide links to hotel booking sites that are trustworthy and/or offer hotel rooms at the lowest prices available. Since I’m merely running a blog about Istanbul (and not a travel agency), this has always been a tough question […]

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The Modern Part of Istanbul

April 1, 2009
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Although this part of town houses less historical landmarks than the historical part of Istanbul, neglecting the modern part of Istanbul would be a shame. It still has a fair amount of must-see sightseeing spots and is the place to be if you’re in for shopping, wining and dining or a great night out. The modern […]

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The Historical Part of Istanbul

March 27, 2009
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If this is your first time to Istanbul, you’ll be spending most of your time in this area of town. Simply because it is home to most of the unmissable and famous sights. The historical part of Istanbul is the area south of the Golden Horn and consists of boroughs such as Beyazıt, Eminönü, Fatih, […]

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Can Foreigners Use the Turkish Museum Card (Müzekart)?

March 3, 2009
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In June 2008 the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry in cooperation with the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) introduced the Museum Card (Müzekart) of Turkey. The holder of such a card (TL 20) has unlimited access to over 300 museums and ancient sites or ruins spread all over Turkey. Why the Introduction of the […]

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