The Süleymaniye Mosque and its garden of tombs from above at sunset, with the Golden Horn and the old city behind

Written by local guides

The Istanbul blog

Honest, practical writing about Istanbul from guides who work here — a new article every week. No listicles, no filler, and we will tell you what to skip as readily as what to see.

The Süleymaniye Mosque and its garden of tombs from above at sunset, with the Golden Horn and the old city behind

Visiting mosques in Istanbul

Who can go in, what to wear, how prayer times and Fridays shape a visit, the etiquette inside, and the mosques worth seeing beyond the Blue Mosque.

Read the article →The fountain in Sultanahmet Square with the six minarets of the Blue Mosque behind it and visitors strolling through the gardens

Ramadan in Istanbul

What really changes for visitors during the holy month, from eating in public and iftar evenings to mosque visits, the 2027 dates and the holiday that follows.

Read the article →The Bosphorus seen from the old city, with a ferry crossing toward the Asian shore and the tall Çamlıca broadcasting tower on the hill behind

SIM card or eSIM in Istanbul?

Airport SIM, city shop, travel eSIM or home roaming: what each is good for, what you need to buy one, and the 120-day phone rule nobody mentions.

Read the article →Rows of lit marble columns rising from still water inside the Basilica Cistern, with visitors on the walkway in the background

Can you drink tap water in Istanbul?

What the city water authority says, why locals still buy bottled water, and what is fine: tea, ice, brushing your teeth and the hotel kettle.

Read the article →A lahmacun flatbread with a rolled slice, a bowl of salad with onion and lemon, and a glass of ayran on a red checked tablecloth

Is Istanbul expensive?

Why Istanbul feels pricier than it used to, what a meal and a coffee really cost, where it is still great value, and how to budget a day.

Read the article →The red-brick dome and walls of Hagia Irene in the first courtyard of Topkapı Palace, behind a wide green lawn

Istanbul Museum Pass

What the official pass costs, the museums it covers, the big three it does not, and the simple sum that tells you whether to buy it.

Read the article →A vaulted, painted street inside the Grand Bazaar lined with textile, lamp and ceramic shops

Cash or card in Istanbul

Where cards work, where only lira will do, which ATMs to use and the one question at the card machine you should always answer the same way.

Read the article →A garden terrace above the old city walls looking across the Bosphorus to the Asian side of Istanbul

Where to stay in Istanbul

Sultanahmet, Karaköy, Galata, Taksim or the Asian side — which neighborhood suits which trip, with the trade-offs left in.

Read the article →Visitors sitting in the gardens of Sultanahmet in front of the Blue Mosque, Istanbul

What to wear in Istanbul

The dress code that actually exists, the one that doesn't, and the four doorways where it genuinely matters.

Read the article →Public ferries docked at Eminönü on the Golden Horn in Istanbul at sunset

Public transport in Istanbul

Trams, metro, buses and ferries explained by locals who ride them daily — and the one card that unlocks all of it.

Read the article →A tulip glass of Turkish tea held up in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Tipping in Turkey

What's genuinely customary, what the new rules changed, and an honest number for guides and drivers.

Read the article →Rooftops and minarets seen from above across Istanbul

How many days in Istanbul?

One day, three days, five days — what each one actually buys you, from guides who plan this for a living.

Read the article →Visitors walking through Sultanahmet Square beside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Is Istanbul safe?

An honest answer from local guides — including the few scams that do exist.

Read the article →

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