History

The city has been conquered, fought over and rebuilt many times over the centuries. İstanbul’s history dates back to the first settlement, possibly in the 13th Century BC, although it was founded by Byzas the Megarian in the 7th Century BC, who also gave the city its...

Climate

Forget the stereotypical Istanbul image of a city of 1001 Nights situated in the desert amidst date palms. Despite its fairly southerly latitude (which is about the same as Naples or Barcelona), it snows in this city – a lot occasionally. Some winters go by only...

To İstanbul with love

On May 12 our cruise ship sailed into port in İstanbul. I didn’t know much about Turkey, but was instantly captured by its beauty. We were overwhelmed with the colors, fabrics, art, architecture and most importantly the people. Everyone was so friendly and...