The Guide Istanbul's 150th issue is here! “Istanbul is like an onion,” read our very sentence published in November 1991. “The outer skin that you see first can seem a bit brown and wrinkled.” 150 editions later, those words still very much apply to a city that often seems rough at the sight, but reveals layer after beautiful layer over time. Discover more with our hallmark magazine.

This is a two-in-one magazine that includes The Guide Istanbul July/August & The Guide Bodrum 2020.

We have planned this issue with your safety in mind, so you don’t feel like you're missing out on anything. This time, we encourage you to stay at home and explore the city from the comfort of your own couch. After all, Istanbul–with all its wonders– will still be there for you after the crisis is over.

When was the last time you thought of yourself as a part of nature? Most people believe that in a world filled with separate, unrelated things, humans are greater than the environment they live in. 

This is why it’s so hard for them to see the impact they make on the planet–and to take responsibility for actions that affect not only themselves, but also everyone else, along with future generations. 

Many believe that this ongoing disintegration is a direct reflection of the state of our souls. As we disconnect from nature, our inner lives become reduced to the most basic instincts and necessities. 

Therefore, the sudden need to get closer to the living world–which we see today in modern society–isn’t just another trend. It’s an aspect of human nature that many of us, residents of the world's big cities, have forgotten. 

The link to nature that lives within all of us tends to follow a seasonal pattern; we often notice its awakening as soon as spring arrives. So over the next two months, we invite you to explore this part of who you are a little bit deeper. 

The quest for more balance is about finding the right relationships in all aspects of life. So while we will try to help you add a new dimension to your lives through nature, we also trust that you’re ready to do your part in the endeavor. 

Let’s explore the great outdoors together.

The end of the year does not impact us as strongly as the end of the decade. For Istanbul, the last 10 years were a rollercoaster ride from peak international interest and investment boom, to economic uncertainty and sudden change, tied together with one constant—neverending human flow into the city. Those who have lived in Istanbul throughout this decade might dare to believe they have truly seen it all. 

Yet, a new moment in time has just arrived, and from where we’re standing it looks no less exciting. Starting from our own backyard, The Guide Istanbul welcomes the Lunar Year with the first Chinese edition of the Turkey Travel Guide. Reaching out to a market that’s impossible to oversee, our team has embraced this new challenge by learning another way to explain the city to curious minds. Visitor expectations, however, are not limited to one group only. The mayor is ready to welcome travelers from around the world, while the residents are invited to take an active role in his long-term masterplan. 

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is only one of 20 names we have chosen in our list of people to follow in 2020, who have led their communities, their city, and in many cases, the country, to a new decade by setting their own example. Following a creative spark, a willingness to help others, thinking beyond oneself, or simply doing their job as well as one can, their cases proved to be enough to make a lasting difference for everyone. Let their stories inspire you to turn the next ten years into a time of real action, replacing wishful thinking and New Year’s resolutions that we never keep, with a process of holistic creation.  

Even if we don’t necessarily like end-of-the-year questions and surveys, in November and December they always find a way to get to us. Suddenly, in the middle of scrolling down our social media feeds, we begin to reflect on how we did in 2019. We analyze our relationships, careers, family, health, and maybe some questionable fashion choices, placing the largest community we interact with—the city of Istanbul—somewhere towards the end of the list, if on it at all.
If we had to mention something we did with the city’s interest in mind this year, rescheduling summer holidays to vote in the mayoral election would probably top the chart. Some of us might have exchanged plastic bottles for transport credit, others might have managed without plastic bags altogether. We might have switched to public transport over private cars, and if the year went well, we might have even gotten ourselves an electric or hybrid vehicle. It’s possible we moved closer to the office, or chosen not to participate in traffic and started working remotely. On hot summer days, we put the water outside for stray cats and dogs. We might have supported historic manufacturers and local vendors, or segregated our trash and made sure others did too.
As the list continues, it all seems a lot, yet looking around we can’t seem to understand the real difference these actions make. In an overwhelming surrounding like Istanbul, it’s easy to bring yourself down by thinking that a single individual makes little impact. But when 15 million people follow the same lead, real change happens quickly. Just like any other trend spreading around the city, we also can make a good example go viral. All you need to do in 2020 is to become even more mindful of your actions, and you will eventually see a great difference.

Every other year, when Istanbul hosts its celebrated art biennial, the fall months turn into the most exciting time to be in the city. The local art scene steps up their game in a major way, as Istanbul welcomes international artists, curators, buyers, and art lovers from around the world. The results are always impressive, educational, stimulating, and eye-opening, as they influence and enhance all other aspects of city life in many new creative ways.

Artistic aspects aside, September has long been my personal favorite, filled with moments where summer and fall run together to highlight the best of both seasons. The days are long and warm, leaving us with enough time to tackle those new season resolutions that we like to set for ourselves: to go out more, explore more, and be more curious. Istanbul rooftops serve as the ultimate backdrop for all post-summer catch ups, with locals sharing exciting memories and comparing holiday experiences. Although everyone is already back in town, we don’t feel overwhelmed by the crowd nor tired of it; on the contrary, we’re looking forward to learning about what’s new and what has changed.

In this issue of The Guide Istanbul, we tried to merge a little bit of all worlds for you, including the best new restaurants, the best of the fall art program, and the best free time activities. We hope our ideas will help spark some excitement for the new fall season in the city. 

Food-related content has been in constant demand for many years, not only in print, but also taking the lead as the most shared content on social media. Although globally, Turkish cuisine seems to be just a fraction of this trend, for us at The Guide Istanbul it is a subject we've been presenting to our readers for decades and tackling from different angles. The truth is – no matter how much space we dedicate to it, it never seems to be enough. Therefore, encouraged by the success of the debut Food Issue 2018, we decided to turn it into a periodic project delivered to you annually during the summer months.

As most of the content presented to you on the following pages is timeless, we would like for each subsequent issue to compliment and build on the previous edition. To avoid repetition, the most popular content has been published online for you to access at your convenience. To make it easy to find, we placed QR codes throughout the entire magazine, taking you directly to any additional information you might require on the subject. Besides helping you discover the flavors of Istanbul as we did in last year’s edition, this year we take you on a gastronomic tour along the Aegean coast of Turkey. There is no better time than the summer to explore the richness of local cuisine!

In case you missed the last year's edition, it is available for download via the Dergilik app and Magzter digital newsstand. We also have very few print copies available for order via our website for those who like to keep their library shelves fully stocked.

Having settled in our comfort zones during the colder months, we tend to welcome spring with a blend of excitement as well as uncertainty. It’s the time of the year—this year even more so—when nothing should be taken for granted: the weather, local election results, whether you can reach the new airport in time to make your flight, among other things. 

As human nature has it, witnessing and participating in so many new experiences at once tends to make us uncomfortable, and therefore we question the times when “new” actually equals “better.” This endless pros and cons of change are debated by Istanbulites in every corner of the city; over a glass of rakı, as well as a glass of tea. In the meantime, between those “what-ifs” and “should-haves,” the seasons soon change again, bringing summer to our doorstep. 

In the course of a lively debate it is easy to let this season slip between the fingers. We might even forget that spring is the most beautiful time of the year to explore Istanbul, and too precious to waste on wondering how we feel about a change that’s already happened. Instead of talking about it—embrace it. The new, just like the seasons, has its mysterious way of working in everyone’s favor.

After living two years in Caferağa, almost one year in Çiftehavuzlar, and several months in Bostancı, I like to believe that I have lived in Kadıköy long enough to call myself a local. Even though it’s been almost three years since I moved back to the European side to be closer to work, Kadıköy is often where my mind goes when thinking of the best times I spent in this city. 

Those memories often feature a mixture of people coming together in the right places at the right time, making one feel part of a big community. This is the aim of our Ultimate Guide—to look at Kadıköy through the eyes of locals, whose experiences go beyond the usual where-to-go-and-what-to-do lists, including moments of joy, as well as the daily frustrations. Because you can’t understand the mind of a local if you never missed the ferry home by one minute, or waited hours for a yellow dolmuş on a Fenerbahçe match night. 

Despite undergoing constant changes, just like any other part of the city, I like to think that Kadıköy is one of several hearts of Istanbul that reflect its old spirit. However, when you ask third or fourth generation locals how they remember the place, they will always say “eskisi gibi değil…”

You might have noticed a few changes in the way The Guide Istanbul looks. They are not so obvious from first sight, since we wanted our new look to be a breath of fresh air rather than a drastic change—a description that every Istanbul hair stylist must have heard at least once around this time of the year. Think of it as your usual trim, just a few centimeters off the ends. 

This visual change aligns with our goals for 2019. We want our readers to stay entertained and surprised, but at the same time to welcome every new issue with a feeling of comforting familiarity. Rest assured that our approach to content remains unchanged; we still try, test, and experience in person all the things we recommend to you, and if there’s something you haven’t seen in our pages, the chances are it simply turned out to be disappointing. 

If you’re still behind on your New Year’s resolutions, why not make exploring the city a part of your goals? Although exploring can be tiring and frustrating at times (especially between 6–7pm on weekdays), it is also surprisingly stimulating from the moment you leave the house. Keep your eyes open, keep looking around. We’ll be with you every step of the way throughout 2019. 

Have an inspiring year!

Istanbul-themed end-of-the year gifts, Kadirga neighborhood guide, travel to Gobekli Tepe and Greek island of Lesvos, and as always - new restaurant openings, shops, galleries, and events. 

We all like to take trips down memory lane: to reminisce about the “good old times,” recall exciting events of the past, and revisit familiar places in our mind. What we know from childhood is the core of our comfort zone, affecting our adulthood in many different ways. 

With this in mind, we present our “Nostalgic Issue,” in which we hope to bring back as many happy memories of Istanbul as possible. The theme focuses on what’s personal and dear to our hearts, with the aim of avoiding yet another conversation about how “things are not what they used to be.” Instead, we want to appreciate all the good that the past has given us, and understand why we miss it.

According to recent studies, “authenticity” is the number one factor that travelers look for in a destination. This is why exploring roads less traveled or meeting the locals are the most sought-after elements of every journey. 

But what does authenticity stand for when it comes to food? Does the term apply to a restaurant that hasn’t changed in decades? Does it describe a place that served the original dish first? Or the one that did it best? Should we take a closer look at ingredients and only call those sourced from their place of origin authentic? Is authentic a synonym for “unchanging”? Or is it perhaps a reflection of current trends and present-day preferences? 

Although many believe that food is the best way to expand one’s horizons, the search for well-defined authenticity can dangerously limit our perceptions. Following only one definition, we all risk missing out on something memorable just because it didn't fit the original vision. 

The idea behind this food issue was to avoid this approach, and instead to cut through the plethora of claims of “authenticity” made on the many tastes of Istanbul to explore the old and the new, general and regional, local and fusion, rooted and imported—without the baggage of the term. 

The only thing left for you to do is to explore all the options with an open mind.

An island lends an exclusive feel to any property built there, not least because the natural barrier of the water creates a space just out of reach for most people. Add to that privacy and an ambiance usually reserved for coastal resorts and you have the recipe for success embodied by Istanbul’s Princes’ Islands, with Büyükada, Heybeliada, and Burgazada being the largest of them all. 

Although the boat trip from Bostancı takes mere minutes, it definitely makes an impression lasting the rest of your stay and beyond. Just 20 kilometers from the Asian-side shores one escapes the noise of the mainland and enters holiday mode, where a resort-like ambiance releases pressure from the visiting crowds.

In this issue, our island adventures will also take you beyond the borders of Turkey to the Far Eastern country of Taiwan, proving that the principles of exploration we have preached for more than 26 years apply to any worldwide destination. The aim of our Guided Travel series is to collect experiences that in the long run will help us appreciate our own city even more. As a wise man once said, one cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

Sometimes you have to do something simple. In the age of constant challenges, our drive for improvement often makes us forget the important of the basics. While we travel the world, we often do not know what is happening in our own backyard. We attempt to take advanced classes, even if we never mastered the course for beginners. 

In this issue we rediscover the simple pleasures of the city. We revisit classic restaurants (something that has been giving us great pleasure recently), rest in hidden gardens, and take a deep breath while crossing Istanbul’s waterways on a ferry. With Aydan Çelik, a devoted cyclist for more than two decades, we explore the difficult paths of the city without getting discouraged. We listen to renowned film critic Atilla Dorsay discuss the roots of Turkish cinema in order to help us understand modern influences in time for this year’s edition of the Istanbul Film Festival. 

Although the spring is generally the time to reach out for the new, we hope you will find our “back to basics” theme no less than inspiring. A step back can help us all appreciate what we already know and find the depth within it. 

Welcome the New Year with a fresh perspective on what's going on in the city. This time we take you on a tour of the Grand Bazaar like you haven't seen before, warm you up with delicious Turkish tea, and present you a handful of new restaurant openings on both sides of the Bosphorus. 

While Istanbulites live in a city full of historical sites, in the rush of one’s daily life one rarely gets the opportunity to stop and appreciate them. We may pass by one of the city’s many palaces daily on the way to work but never take the time to detour and go inside. If we visited the Hagia Sophia 15 years ago with a school trip, we see no particular reason to revisit the landmark as adults. We take their presence for granted—after all, they have been in the same spot for centuries. 

Many of the monuments and sites we see today have replaced ones of the past. If we are lucky, we can see how the site looked like decades and centuries ago in a black and white photo. If we are not so lucky, we can only read about these monuments in chronicles and narratives. These stories become their own form of historical preservation. 

The founder of ONE Association Demet Sabancı Çetindoğan started to lobby for cultural protection of the Mosaic Road long before international travelers began to shy away from Turkey due to insecurity. Together with İlber Ortaylı, professor and historian, she put the region on the international agenda again, presenting the global relevance of the historical site and its ties to numerous cultures and civilizations. In this issue, we invite you to explore that area of Turkey with a cultural tour extending beyond the Mosaic Road to Mardin, a city so unique its entire landscape has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. 


Explore the city's new season with our comprehensive art guide, reviews of new restaurant openings and travel tips for the most beautiful months of the year in Istanbul.

Don’t miss out on any summer happenings by picking up the The Guide Istanbul’s July-August issue. During the heat of the summer it’s important to stay in the know and of course hydrated! In the new issue you can find a detailed list of pools to cool off in, where they are located, and for what price. The Guide Istanbul visits Antalya, İzmir, Kars, and Kayseri providing you with endless ideas and suggestions when you plan your next getaway. As always Istanbul is thriving with new restaurants, exhibits, and events so make sure to brave the heat and enjoy your summer with a copy of The Guide Istanbul by your side!

The Guide Istanbul is here to help you get into full swing for summer with a what's what guide of fitness options throughout the city from special workout routines and girls and women's league soccer to anti-gravity yoga and mounted archery. Also find out how you can help initiatives for those less fortunate, learn some of the lesser-known history of Istanbul and its musical heritage in instruments and styles, and, of course, brush up on art and exhibition openings, new restaurants and watering holes, and some of the hottest events around town.

With the first issue of spring, we have a special feature project created with The Guide Shop that delves into the secret side of Cappadocia: it’s untrod corners, tranquil valleys and heritage craft. There’s also a wealth of artistic inspiration, some blooming lifestyle trends, an interview with Turkey’s first water sommelier and of course loads of other things to eat, drink, see and do in Istanbul this season.

At The Guide Istanbul, we are doing things a little differently this year, and taking a look back, but it’s not the past 12 months that we want to bring back to you. It’s Istanbul, 1895, which was also when many well-known people and places had already begun to make their mark in history: Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, Rebul pharmacy, Çırağan Palace, the Orient Express, and the Pera Palace hotel. Since we enjoyed working on our Ottoman Guide project so much, we hope this brief journey to the past is going to be fun to read as well. 

The youngest project under The Guide Istanbul brand, shoptheguide.com reflects the results of our hunt for the city’s best kept secrets.....

Some say this is a slow season for Istanbul - we don't agree. That's why we've prepared an issue filled with insider tips to help you achieve the ultimate summer in the city. Dive into the secret gardens of Istanbul, explore the north of the city to find restaurants and beaches that will cool you off, and be inspired by the art and food culture.

Just like in previous years, Bodrum is determined to entertain us all in style! For the 2016 issue of The Guide Bodrum, we decided to look at this beloved retreat in a different light. You'll find pages filled with gulets and yachts, classic and world-famous restaurants, Greek Island side trips, and cultural and historical heritage.

Arabic version of The Guide Istanbul magazine, released in May 2016.

We celebrated Children's Day in April and will celebrate the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day on May 19, so at The Guide Istanbul we decided to dedicate this issue to the youth. On top of our staple articles on new openings and happenings in the city, the May/June issue is debuting a new series of articles focusing on young people.

From films set in Istanbul, to Aegean wild greens, to the best mixologists in the city, The Guide Istanbul's March/April issue welcomes the spring with great content.

Winter in Istanbul has many colors, but to us it's been always black-and-white, just like the old photos of the city from the times when Bosphorus used to fill with ice. Some of the most memorable images of Istanbul have been built on the melancholic aura of the city in winter: paintings, songs, poems, and most importantly, the striking photographs of Ara Güler, who reminisced about the past with us for this issue.

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The Guide Istanbul, founded in November 1991 and published bimonthly by Apa Uniprint, is an essential guide to the city, offering candid recommendations and expert advice on restaurants and cafés, nightlife, the arts and entertainment scene, as well as design, fashion, touristic sites, and undiscovered places. We are a publication based on the principles of unwavering honesty and an insistence upon quality. Our goal is to simplify choices and make life easier for travelers as well as locals by providing information on select venues and events. All of our writers are locally based and offer insider advice on what to see and do in the city.

The official website of The Guide Istanbul magazine, theguideistanbul.com is a sharp, sophisticated, and trustworthy filter for the city’s happenings, and offers comprehensive listings of restaurants, bars, hotels, and more. The locally sourced information is written and edited by experienced writers who are in the know and dedicated to offering their wisdom impartially. We value quality over quantity and we are selective when it comes to our recommendations: we scour all the corners of Istanbul with a critical eye and recommend only what we rate positively amongst ourselves. The first of its kind, theguideistanbul.com aims to enrich your Istanbul experience and share its wealth of information to bring you the true essence of Istanbul and those gems that might otherwise get overlooked.

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The Guide Istanbul - September/October 2016

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