Turkey Archives ⋆ The Passenger

December 20, 2019January 26, 2020

İstanbul Havalimanı

It is the new, vast and shiny airport of Turkeys capital city: the İstanbul Havalimanı. It replaced the old Atatürk International Airport in April 2019 and has three terminals and four runways. The airport is modern, beautiful and flights often arrive after a nice loop over Karadeniz. Disadvantages are that the airport is very large so that you’ll have to walk very long distances and that it is much further away from the city centre than the old one.

November 16, 2019April 15, 2022

Ararat

The Ararat is a mountain in Turkey, close to Armenia, Iran and the exclave Nakhchivan of Azerbaijan. It is 5137 meters high and better referred to as the Greater Ararat as it also has a neighbour: the 3896 meters high Little Ararat. The Armenians once settled around the Ararat and consider it their holy mountain. It is still today part of the coat of arms of Armenia which caused diplomatic problems with Turkey. The response of the Soviet government was convincing: Turkey also has the moon in its flag without the moon being part of Turkey.

July 9, 2013April 19, 2022

Birthday at the Prince Islands

In the year 2013 I was searching for a place to spend my birthday abroad. Istanbul, Turkey came into my mind because I’ve never been there, it was easy and cheap to reach, full of history and also the only city on two continents (Europe and Asia). On the other hand – after booking – there were protests in the city center that were violently struck down by state authorities.

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July 7, 2013November 30, 2018

Excursion to Karadeniz

Surrounding Istanbul, Turkey there is a lot of water: not only the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn – but also the sea of Marmara (Marmara Denizi) in the south and the Black Sea (Karadeniz) in the north. While being so close I could not omit having a guided tour to the shore – visiting the lighthouse in Şile and having a bath at the rocky shore of this sea connecting Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

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July 6, 2013November 30, 2018

Kariye Camii

The Kariye Camii in Istanbul, Turkey; also known as the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora is the most remote sight I visited in the city. It was a recommendation of my hosts and it really was worth the detour to the northwest end of Fatih. It was once a Byzantine Christian church that was converted into a mosque and is now serving as a museum.

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July 6, 2013November 30, 2018

Home of Atatürk

The Dolmabahçe Sarayı in Istanbul, Turkey – translated as the palace of the filled garden – is to me the most beautiful palace of the city. It is located on the European side in Beşiktaş, directly at the Bosphorus. It has been built from 1843 on and is one of the younger palaces, created because Topkapı Sarayı couldn’t adhere to European standards requested by the Sultan.

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July 5, 2013November 30, 2018

Relaxing at the Princes Islands

What to do on your birthday when you’re in Istanbul? I decided to spend a relaxing day at Adalar, or better said the Prens Adaları (Princes Islands) – a group of islands located 10 kilometers away from the city at the sea of Marmara (coming from the word marble). It is a place to which the inhabitants of Istanbul go if they want to flee from the city to find some relaxation.

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July 4, 2013November 30, 2018

İstanbul Modern

Looking for some modern art in Istanbul, Turkey? There is one location you cannot ommit – in Beyoğlu, one of the city parts on the European side, you’ll find the İstanbul Modern. Close to the place where cruise ships are anchoring in Istanbul a new museum has opened in 2004. In a building looking like a warehouse modern art is presented on 8.000 square meters.

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July 4, 2013November 30, 2018

Suicidal tendencies

The Bosporus bridge in Istanbul, Turkey must be a very beautiful view point. It is located high above the Bosporus and connecting the European with the Asian part of the city. From there you’re having a fantastic look on the Golden Horn, Galata and Sultanahmet. Within the pillars of the bridge there are elevators to get to the top, especially from Ortaköy this would be a good visit.

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July 4, 2013July 11, 2023

Kız Kulesi

The Maiden’s tower (Kız Kulesi) is a lighthouse at the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. It is located on a very small island 180 meters away from the Asian side, close to Üsküdar. It dates back to the 18th century and has served for different purposes over time. Today you can go by boat to the tower and within it there is also a restaurant and a coffee bar.

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