Due to moderate temperatures and room rates, March to May and September to November are considered to be the best time to visit Istanbul. During this period, you won't be wrestling with crowds while rejoicing in a bicycle ride or enjoying the sunset Bosphorus cruise. June through August is the time when the city steps into a peak season known for inflated prices. Hot weather conditions is another con, but cold ayran and famous sticky ice cream know how to deal with the heat. The period between December and February is the coldest and the wettest one, so you can't go wrong packing layers and an umbrella. However, a trip during these months can be advantageous as winter is the right season to visit traditional Hammam and the cheapest time to stay in Istanbul.
Istanbul is truly the city of pomegranate delight.
Want to feel like Sultan Süleyman or his beloved Hürrem? Centuries-old hamams and professional masseurs and masseuses do miracles
A hot drink made from milk and wild orchids' roots powder is hard to find outside of Turkey
Don't get scared if you hear a street vendor crying out "Booozaaa!"—this tradition, as well as the recipe, has survived since the Ottoman Empire!
Spinning prayers pave their way to the divine and pass on newly established spiritual treasures to spectators
Sailing in the Bosphorus means comfortable yachts, scenic minarets towering afar, and the pleasant company of gulls and dolphins
This gem of Byzantine architecture was once a Christian basilica, later an imperial mosque, and today is the most outstanding museum in Istanbul and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Mouth-watering fish sandwiches are traditionally made of mackerel, grilled, and served right on the boat
It is not a good idea to cheer 'away' teams playing in Istanbul,—Turkish Süper Lig is both exciting and safe to watch
Ezan, or call to prayer, takes on great dimensions when the chants of the Blue Mosque alternate with those of the Hagia Sophia
The attractive, reddish, crispy skin of fried Barbunya covers this incredibly palatable and delicate meat
Swimming from one continent to another—sounds challenging but it's a totally real accomplishment
The world's only marathon that begins in Asia and ends in Europe offers a unique experience for adventurous runners.
Millions of flowers in Istanbul's valleys are proof that Turkey is the real world capital of tulips
Join over 30,000 people at one of the world's biggest coffee festivals
The abundance of Turkish sweets, illuminated mosques, and traditional puppet plays highlight the end of Ramadan
If you think there's nothing to do in Istanbul on New Year's Eve, let us prove you wrong!
Riding in a horse-drawn carriage among 19th-century mansions encased with splendid greenery makes for a peaceful weekend
Sucuk, pastirma, börek, kuzu tandır, hünkar beğendi, mantı, güllaç, şerbet, ayran—the list of Ramadan dishes goes on and on
The fights between uneducated yet witty Karagoz and literate Hacivat used to make even the very Sultan laugh
Small, tart "erik" is a real passion of Istanbulites, who eat them raw and add them to soups, stews, sauces, and salads
Glorified throughout history, the shy but graceful Judas trees adorn the city of Istanbul
If you are hot and bored, Ayran will help
Biking routes in Istanbul vary from peaceful rides along the seashore to extreme mud-biking in the Belgrade forest
On the tenth day of Muharram, every Turkish household is preoccupied with cooking Aşure,—imitating the dish the very Noah once cooked in his ark at the Mount of Ararat
Spring delicacies of Istanbul prove that the human body can get used to anything—food adventurers will rejoice here.
For over two weeks in fall, Turkish and international jazz will ring throughout Istanbul
This strategic waterway divides the continents and links the seas
It began in 1982 as a Film Week, the following year it grew wider to Istanbul Filmdays, and 1989 brought it world-wide recognition and its modern title
Istanbul offers all the pearls of the Turkish millennial wine industry, including world-known sorts and local exclusives.
The community rejoices, celebrating the birthday of their country through parades and torchlight processions.
To celebrate the end of the War of Independence, the Turks hold extravagent parades across the city streets
The holiday celebrates the beginning of the Turkish Republic and its future, embodied by the country's lively energetic youth
For one day a year, kids are allowed to sit in parliament and rule the Turkish Republic