An architectural dream, and one of the most iconic buildings in Istanbul, the ‘Blue Mosque’ was officially re-opened today by President Erdoğan following on from the completion of a 5-year restoration project. An important symbol for Istanbul it attracts a significant number of tourists and worshippers throughout the day, as it’s still a functioning Mosque, and has been even during the restoration...
We all know that the Airline Industry struggled massively during the pandemic as flights were virtually cancelled across the globe within days – so it’s extremely positive to see that both Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines reported extremely good growth in 2022, along with profits that were close to pre-pandemic levels. Pegasus Airlines, one of Turkey’s main low-cost carriers, have several...
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has just introduced the new Basaksehir-Kayasehir metro line in Istanbul. The new metro line has been completed by the Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry, taking over the project from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The President spoke at the opening stating that “Over 50% of Istanbul’s rail network will have been completed by our Ministry of...
I bet you didn’t know that Turkiye is the second biggest country for Motorbike Sales in Europe over the past three years, and the fifth highest country for the number of registered motorbikes in Europe. That would explain why the Motorbike Show in Istanbul was so popular in 2022, with higher numbers expected in 2023. It’s taking place between the 27th and the 30th April 2023 at the Istanbul Expo...
New figures released by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization have showed that in February of this year there were just over 80,000 homes sold across Turkiye, of which 14.980 were in Istanbul equating to around an 18% share overall. Even though this was a decrease on the same period in 2022, both re-sales and new build sales performed strongly with 23,476 new build properties sold and 56,555...
The Drums of Ramadan will take to the streets of Istanbul once again this year to mark the start of ‘Sahur Time’, which occurs just before dawn, and is the last meal that is consumed early in the morning by Muslims before the beginning of their Fasting, which lasts from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan. An ‘Ottoman Age’ tradition dating back thousands of years which has not only stood...
Budget airline Wizz Air have just launched new direct flights from the UK to Istanbul with prices as low as £35.00. There are also new flights operating from the UK to Dalaman and Antalya at incredibly low prices. Flights will be heading out from Gatwick to Istanbul, Luton to Istanbul and Gatwick to Dalaman all priced at £35.99. Tickets can be booked now on the Wizz Air...
The Cruise Industry suffered heavy losses during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, so it was a real pleasure to see that in 2022 it recovered well, with over 1m Cruise Passengers arriving in Turkiye throughout the year, carried by 991 ships. Compare that to 2021, and it’s a huge increase given that only 45,000 passengers arrived in that year, carried by 78 cruise ships which docked at the various...
EasyJet has announced they will be adding a new route from Manchester Airport to Turkey this coming Summer with tickets starting from £52.00. The new route will be operating from Manchester to Istanbul starting from June. Flights already operate from Manchester to the Antalya and Dalaman areas. Flights will be operating twice a week from the 9th June and seats are already available to book...
The historical region of Cappadocia is located in Central Anatolia, and is famed for its gorgeous landscapes, historical architecture and intricate rock formations. With a past that dates back to the late 6th century BC, it has been home to the Cappadocians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans before becoming a part of modern day Turkey in 1922. You may not have visited Cappadocia yourself, but...