Discover the Secret Life of Topkapi Palace Harem
The opulent Topkapi Palace of Istanbul is a sprawling complex of buildings that used to be home to thousands of residents and was considered a city-within-a-city. The power seat of … Read more
Istanbul
There are cities in the world that you can love before ever seeing them. For me, Istanbul has been such a place. An ancient metropolis lying at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and straddling both continents, it saw the rise and fall of two great empires – the Eastern Roman and the Ottoman.
Where to find Constantinople Today: On the Trail of Constantinople in Istanbul
Constantinople was one of the greatest cities of the world, the power seat of two major empires for over a thousand years. But where is Constantinople today? Well, it is … Read more
The Greatest Mosques of Istanbul
One of the most fascinating periods of life in Istanbul is the Ottoman Golden Century – the age of Sultan Suleiman. And perhaps the most interesting character in the Ottoman … Read more
Istanbul sightseeing – Exploring Istanbul by Eras
If the Earth was a single state, Istanbul would be its capital. – Napoléon Bonaparte. There are cities in the world that you can love before ever seeing them. For … Read more
Getting Lost on the Old Streets of Istanbul
One of my favourite things to do in Istanbul was getting lost in a maze of its old streets. I would ride a tram to the last stop just to … Read more
Finding birds in Istanbul without looking for them
While my Istanbul trip was not aimed at finding wildlife, there were enough birds that were impossible to miss. The most obvious Istanbul birds are the seagulls. Hundreds if not thousands of … Read more