NISANTASI IN ISTANBUL

Hi everyone! This time, I would like to talk to you about my favorite place in Istanbul. This place is called Nisantasi. Nisantasi is the place where I grew up and went to kindergarten and high school. Nisantasi is huge and you can find everything you look for in that area. It is a place where many elite people like to live. When you go there, it is more likely that you will see many people that dress very chic and fashionable. The place is very high fashion and luxury. I can say that there are very good quality cafes where you can sit with your friends or families have a coffee or lunch or etc. For example, one of my favorite cafes that I like to go are Beymen café and Armani Café. They are very good quality cafes and they have their store inside where you can shop. There are bars and night clubs to have good time at night with friends. Also, there are many different kinds of stores all around Nisantasi if you like to go shopping. You can find all the worlds famous and good brands in there. I love going there and walk around or sit somewhere to chill with my friends. I always have a good time in Nisantasi.

CIRAGAN PALACE IN ISTANBUL

Hi everyone! I gave you many information about Istanbul’s nice places and entertainment. How about some information of where to stay? There are amazing hotels in Istanbul by the Bosphorus. They are all expensive hotels but definitely worth it to stay or visit for branch or dinner! My favorite one is called “Ciragan Palace.” It is the most popular hotel in the Bosphorus. The hotel is very good quality and they have the best service. When I am in Istanbul, I like to go there for breakfast or lunch and I can tell you that this place is the best place if you are looking for a branch in Istanbul. The foods are amazing and delicious. The desserts are very good. I love eating there and the birds chirping around me.  There is a pool in front of it right by the Bosphorus, and you can go there if you like after lunch or breakfast. The hotel is very big and you can find the best stores inside the hotel. I have never stayed in there, but I know people that stayed and they all love it. If you are in Istanbul and you stay in Ciragan Palace, I bet you cannot complain, because it is guaranteed that you will have a great time in Istanbul.

Me and My Mother in Ciragan Palace

Another Day in Ciragan

Having a good time eating dessert in Ciragan :)

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE IN ISTANBUL

Hi everybody! I would like to talk to you about my fun experience that I Ioved this summer in Istanbul. I was invited to a dinner with my friends and the dinner was in a boat in the Bosphorus. I was very happy because I never knew there was a restaurant like that in the Bosphorus, and I found out that it opened this year.  The boat is very well decorated; inside the boat is very chic and good quality. They have all different kinds of food and they are all delicious. They serve you any drink you want. When you start to get served and eat, the boat moves all around the Bosphorus for about four hours. Meanwhile you eat and the boat moves around the sea, different kinds of belly dancers come and dance around you, so you dance with them or watch them and it is so much fun.  When I was there, there was also a guy that was a belly dancer and it was so interesting to watch him! That night was very unforgettable and I think it is great for a tourist that wants a tour in the Bosphorus. Imagine a tour in the sea with all cultural foods, entertainment, and the view of the beautiful city!

Having dinner in the boat and having fun :)

Another bellydancer :)

BEAUTIFUL BAGDAT AVENUE IN ISTANBUL

Hi everyone! This time I would like to talk to you about one of the most popular places of Istanbul, and this place is called Bagdat Avenue. Have you ever heard of or been in Champ Elysee in Paris? If you did, you can predict it, because Bagdat Avenue is very similar to Champs Elysee to me. It is smaller than that but very special and one of the top places to go in Istanbul.  There are beautiful trees throughout all the Bagdat Avenue, and they all shine beautiful at night just like Champs Elysee in the winter time for Christmas and New Years, and it looks amazing. It takes place in the Asian side of Istanbul. You can find all of Istanbul’s popular stores, cafes, restaurants or pubs in there.  It is very high fashion. When I go there, I like to spend my whole day shopping and hanging out with my friends in a nice café or restaurant. That is what we look for when we have a day to have a good time right? :) So if you ever visit Istanbul, I would suggest you to not miss Bagdat Avenue, and enjoy your day window shopping, shopping, or eating in a nice place over there! :)

Did You Say Shopping? :)

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Hi everybody! How about shopping Istanbul? Everyone I know that visits Turkey, tell me that they love shopping over there. One of my favorite places in Istanbul is called “Akmerkez.” I love shopping in there, because I can find all the good quality stuff in the mall, and there are so many beautiful restaurants inside that I like to go and eat or have coffee with friends or family.  The mall is very big, and everything is very modern. They always design the mall for the new season inside and outside, and it looks gorgeous and shiny at night, so you would not miss this place for sure if you pass by. On the other hand, there is a new mall that is built like two years ago, and this place is definitely my new favorite place to go shopping. It is called “Istinye Park.” I love going there, because the place is very good quality. You can find all the good brands and everything that you look for.  Inside the mall, the first floor is the modern Turkish bazaar and the other floors are full of different types of stores and cafeterias. You should not miss these places if you look for good shopping in Istanbul! :)

Me & My Friend In Istinye Park This Summer in Istanbul. :)

THE MAIDEN'S TOWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOSPHORUS

Hi everyone! This time I would like to tell you about a very nice and historical place of Istanbul. In Turkish, it is called “Kiz Kulesi” and in English it is called “The Maiden’s Tower.” It is a small island in the middle of the Bosphorus in Istanbul. It has a very interesting story, which is about a father, who is sultan, and his daughter. According to the legend, an oracle tells sultan that his daughter would get killed by a poisonous snake in her eighteenth birthday.  That’s why sultan makes this land for his daughter to protect and keep her away from the danger of the snake. That way, only the father can visit his daughter in the island. In her birthday, the father brings her a basket of exotic fruits, and an asp gets out from that basket and bits her. Unfortunately she dies in her father’s arms and the oracle is right. This is the story of this place. The Maiden’s Tower has a very nice restaurant inside in the first floor, and the second floor is a café. Believe it or not, I have not visited this island, but I really want to, but you should see how it shines beautiful at night!

HOW ABOUT THE NIGHT LIFE IN ISTANBUL?

Hi everyone! This time I would like to introduce you the nightlife in Istanbul. If you are a person that enjoys going out at night to good places and clubs, then you would definitely love the night life over there. There are amazing night clubs in Istanbul. My favorite places are Reina, Sortie and Anjelique. They are all by the Bosphorus and have amazing view. They are all huge and good quality clubs, and they are the main most popular clubs in Istanbul. I love going out at night with my friends and have dinner before in these places. They are all restaurants during the day and clubs during the night. It is super nice that smoking is not allowed in closed area of anywhere in Istanbul, so when you go to these clubs, you are not breathing the smoke you breath the air! I love that. Of course, smokers would not like that, but they have an option. They can smoke outside! That way everyone can be happy. The nightlife is so much fun, and they play different kinds of music, such as House English or Turkish music. If you happen to visit there one day, and want to get entertained, then please consider my suggestions. Have a great weekend everyone! :)

                

                                                      Sortie

BOSPHORUS - DAY AND NIGHT

Hi everyone! This time, I would like to talk about Bosphorus in the day and the night. Bosphorus is my favorite part of Istanbul. If you visited Istanbul, and you did not see the Bosphorus, ooops! Then that means that you really missed the best part of Istanbul for sure. When you are in the Bosphorus during the day, it is very possible that you would see a lot of people fishing near the sea. You would see some people selling cooked corn, which are delicious and very popular in Istanbul. One of the best things you can do in Istanbul is to take a tour in the Bosphorus with a boat. It is totally a beautiful feeling. There are people in the boat that sell bagels, and I love throwing piece of bagels to the seagulls, because they are all around. I feel that it is so romantic and so much fun! I love seagulls and the noise they make. It feels very refreshing. On the other hand, all the restaurants near the Bosphorus have amazing view that you see other side of the city, and they are all great. There are clubs near the Bosphorus as well, and they are very big and so much fun at night. Bosphorus is the first place in my mind that I miss for sure!

UNIQUE TASTE OF THE TURKISH CULTURE

Hello everyone! This time, I wanted to give you some information about what to not miss out if you happen to go to a Turkish restaurant, or decide to visit Istanbul. Have you heard about the Turkish kebab? It is one of my favorite dishes that I love to eat when I go to Istanbul. It is made of lamb meat and it’s delicious. It is very popular all around the world and you can see many kebab restaurants when you visit Istanbul. One of my favorite kebab restaurants in Istanbul is called Namli Kebab. I go there since I was a little kid, and the foods are all amazing. On the other hand, Istanbul is very popular with Turkish delights, which are delicious as well. Turkish delights are very soft and tasty candies, and some of them have nuts inside, and I love eating them. Also, for the coffee lovers, you should definitely try the Turkish coffee. It is very popular in Istanbul, and all of the restaurants in there have it. It is very unique, because some people like to tell their fortunes by looking at the cup after finishing their Turkish coffee. I hope you can try all of them as soon as possible and enjoy the taste of the Turkish culture. :)

SUADA - UNIQUE ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOSPHORUS

Hi everyone! In this post, I would like to introduce you one of my favorite restaurants in Istanbul. This place is Istanbul’s unique island that is called Suada. It is an island in the middle of the Bosphorus, and the two continents, which are Europe and Asia. Doesn’t it sound very cool? You take a nice boat ride to go there, which takes around two minutes or so. The place is very modern. The island consists of two different restaurants and a beach club. Both of the restaurants have amazing foods and amazing view. On the other hand, the place is perfect if you are looking for a good and fun time in Istanbul during the summer time, because you can go to the beach club in the island with your family or friends to relax and enjoy your day drinking and eating inside or around the pool. Sometimes, people do private concerts, fashion shows, different parties and weddings in the island. This place is definitely very unique and glamorous. I was there this summer for a fashion show and dinner, and I had a great time with my friends. Hope you can go and visit there one day! It would be one of your unforgettable experiences in Istanbul.

Gorgeous View From Suada

My Best Friend and I In Suada :)

WHAT ABOUT TURKISH PEOPLE?

Hi everyone, since I gave you some information of where to go and visit as a tourist in Istanbul, wouldn't you like to have some information of how the Turkish people are and how they would treat you as a tourist in Istanbul? First of all, I would love to mention that Turkish people are very down to earth, nice, warm, sympathetic and friendly people. The second language is English, and they would try to help you in anything as much as possible just to see you happy. Every restaurant, cafe, clubs or other places you go, you would get the best service. Vacation in Istanbul would definitely cheer you up. Imagine this. If you want something specific and they do not have it in their place, they even like to go out of their own place to find that specific thing you need or want just to make you feel comfortable. That’s how they are, and personally, that happened to me many times and I love that. That is one of the biggest reasons why I miss my country and city so much, because I miss that kindness and warmness of people in the city. I think that information can make you feel more comfortable with Turkish people are. :)

AYASOFYA MUSEUM - EIGHT WONDER OF THE WORLD IN ISTANBUL

Hi everyone! This time I would like to introduce you another historical place in Istanbul that is definitely worth to go and see! This is a very historical museum, which was converted from a mosque, called Ayasofya. When we say Istanbul, Ayasofya is one of the most important places that come to people’s mind. Did you know that Ayasofya is considered as the Eighth Wonder of the World? Yes, this building is definitely one of the best buildings in the world. As a fact, there are many mosques in Istanbul, but Ayasofya is the biggest of them all for sure. Ayasofya was built and completed as a mosque in the year of 537, and then it was turned into a museum in 1935. It is a very old and big museum, and you would love the architect, and the beautiful mosaics of the building. Personally, I love the way it looks at night. It shines so beautiful that it looks very exotic and romantic at night, and in the day, it looks very pretty with the entire beautiful garden around the museum. If you go there as a tourist, you should definitely not miss to see Ayasofya in Istanbul! You will see what I am talking about!!! :)

One Day In Istanbul - Grand Bazaar

Hello everyone! Let’s start off with the historical places to go as a tourist in Istanbul. Have you ever heard of the Grand Bazaar? If you would ask me of what to do or where to go in Istanbul as a tourist, then I would definitely suggest you to visit there. The Grand Bazaar is very popular all around the world, and that place is definitely so much fun to shop! The bazaar consists of thousands of shops, it is very big and that place is the first place that tourists like to choose when they visit Istanbul. When you are in the bazaar, you can find all cultural, artistic things of the Turkish culture, such as Turkish carpets, accessorizes, antiques, pipes, hookahs, and all sorts of other things. Also, there are many nice, cultural restaurants in and around there that you can try, and it is so much fun to go there at night for dinner, because while you eat, violin players come around you and they start to sing Turkish songs, and make you happy. All the foods are delicious of course. Imagine a day that you are shopping in the day, getting to know Turkish culture, and eating in a nice restaurant, where they play with violins and sing you Turkish songs! Fun, isn’t it? That would be one of your plans if you ever like to visit Istanbul one day. I miss Istanbul already! :)

Introducing Istanbul to Everyone!

Hi everyone! Firstly I would like to introduce myself to you! My name is Eda, and I am from Turkey, Istanbul. I moved to Miami seven years ago, but I always go back and forth to my country for vacation every year, and enjoy every single second of it! I just came back from Istanbul two weeks ago, and I had an amazing time. I would really tell you that if you are a person that loves travelling, you should definitely visit Istanbul one day. I am not telling you that Istanbul is a wonderful city just because I am from there, but honestly if you really happen to travel to Istanbul, you will see what I am really talking about.

Generally, I can tell you that Istanbul is a big city. The population of the city is about 15 million. You can imagine how crowded the city is. Istanbul is a very exotic city, and there are two bridges that connect Asia with Europe. It is very cool that you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner in the Bosphorus, and you can see the other side of the city in front of you. You would love the shopping, eating in exotic places, going around historical places, and the people in the city. It is a different culture, and I hope you will enjoy it with me with my future posts! :)

                             Beautiful Bosphorus At Night!