Sultanahmet Square (Sultanahmet Meydanı) had been the center of three different emperor periods. Sultanahmet Square’s name was “Hippodrome” (Hipodrom) during the Byzantine and Roman Empires and it was called “Horse Square” (At Meydanı) during the Ottoman Empire. In this region, the most magnificent structures, like Serpentine Column, and Obelisk, were built by these empires thanks to this feature. Hippodrome was …
Istanbul has a history of about 3,000 years. Throughout history, this city has been known by different names: Byzantium, Constantinople, and Istanbul. In 638 BC, the King Byzas came to the Sarayburnu region. The migrating Greek colony had settled here. The founder of the city, Byzas, gave it the name Byzantium. During the time of the Roman Empire (324 AD), …
Mehterân (in Ottoman Turkish) is the first and only band in the world that ever motivated the army with music. A look at history shows us that the band, which consisted of percussion and woodwind instruments, was called “Tuğ” in the Huns period and later that changed to “Mehter” after Fatih. The band existed to announce the voice to the …
Mevleviyeh started with Mevlânâ Celâleddin Rûmi during the Seljuk period. Later, Mevleviyeh spread from Anatolia all over the country during the Ottoman period. After the death of Mevlânâ Celâleddin Rûmi in 1273, his son Sultan Veled systematized his father’s thoughts and created semâ ceremonies. In fact, this has been regarded as a religious order and the name of the dervishes …
The two historic cities of Venice and Istanbul are often mentioned together, especially regarding the Middle Ages, although the distance between them is 1719 kilometers. These two old cities become an inseparable whole when the relations between the Ottoman and Venetian are examined. This relationship is almost like love which unites great friendships as well as great enmity. Many similarities …
With its magnificent aroma, unique texture, gummy consistency, and non-melting form even on the hottest days, Maraş battered ice cream is a magnificent treat that is native to Turkey and exported to many countries. Tourists in İstanbul quickly find ice cream in their hands after seeing the ice cream seller. Both the story and the recipe of the cold and …
It is estimated that the settlement in Istanbul dates back to 3000 years with the recent excavations. The city was engraved in the memory of world history with the name of Constantinople during the prehistoric times and the period of foundation. The city was also home to the Eastern Roman Empire. Istanbul was raided many times throughout its history, and …
Safranbolu is a typical and preserved Ottoman town in the northwestern part of Turkey. With its cobbled streets, narrow passes and centuries-old houses, the town is a popular destination for tourists in Karabük. It had been on the trade route between Black Sea and big cities like Constantinople in 17th. Century. Accumulating enough wealth, local traders built beautiful mansions, not …
If the usual routes and cities are no longer of interest to you, we have a unique compilation of 15 beautiful places waiting to be discovered. These are not the usual places that you may find in a typical Turkey itinerary. These are hidden gems of Turkey.
When social networks settled at the center of our lives, eating and drinking became an inseparable part of the social culture. For this reason, if your travel plans include pampering your taste buds, you can take a look at our one-week gastronomic itineraries. We have prepared different routes to address the different tastes of visitors.