The Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul on the Golden Horn: UNSECO world cultural heritage The Suleymaniye Mosque is one of the four UNSECO World Heritage Sites in Istanbul. Together with its surrounding park and striking minarets, it is enthroned on a hill in the southern part of the Golden Horn. From its vantage point, the mosque offers you a wonderful view of the city’s sights. Compared to the Blue Mosque known as Sultanahmet, the Suleymaniye Mosque in the centre of Istanbul’s old town is not nearly as heavily visited by travellers. That makes it an interesting excursion destination in the old town. I brought a few photos from my last visit…

You can find everything under the sun in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul! This is what an old saying from the Ottoman Empire says. Do you think that’s true? The Grand Bazaar is certainly no ordinary market. Kapalı Çarşı – “The Covered Market” – is its name in Turkey. It employs 30,000 people who work in its 4,000 stores. Istanbul has been conducting trade in the 31,000 m² sales area since the 15th century. At that time, all goods in the known world could be found at the Grand Bazaar. How does it look today? And what can be discovered at the Grand Bazaar? This is what it feels like…

Is Istanbul a good travel destination in winter? What is the weather in Istanbul in winter, like in December, January and February? What can I do and not do? How much is going on? Here are my answers about the “cold” season as well as some useful travel tips. I will start with the most frequent question, then come to the most important travel tips, pictures from Istanbul during the winter months and a suggested route through the city. What is the weather like in December, January and February in Istanbul? When I am in Istanbul, I unpack my sweaters in mid-November and put them back in the closet at…

Xanthos: A Ruin with 17 amazing sights I was in the ruins of Xanthos while touring the Lycian coast. I will now explain you the most place from the UNESCO World Heritage together with tips for a trip to Xanthos. 17 most beautiful buildings from the ruins of Xanthos I start with my pictures at the entrance to the ruins and walk once through the entire complex. I was accompanied by a man from the nearby village who had, for years, assisted  the archaeologists in Xanthos. He is long since retired. Since then he has acted as a tour guide, showing the ruins to visitors in his spare time, sometimes…

The ruins of Termessos: See the “Machu Pichu” of Turkey Termessos, the fortress city in the Taurus Mountains, is, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful ancient cities in Turkey. Solymer – that is how Homer called the inhabitants of Termessos in his famous classic, the Iliad – the story of Troy. The Termessos warriors had a special reputation. The fortress city of Termessos is said to have been impregnable. In fact, nobody succeeded, not even Alexander the Great, the Persians or the Romans. Termessos: The impregnable fortress city in the Taurus Mountains Impregnable? This is due to the unique location of Termessos, high up in the Taurus…

The Blue Mosque (Sultan-Ahmet Camii) in Istanbul The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is the masterpiece of Ottoman architecture and an international magnet for millions of tourists. Unfortunately, little information exists about the visit and architecture of the mosque. I want to change all that with this blog post! I will briefly answer the most important questions for you: These are: Clothing for men and women, entrance fee to the mosque and its opening times. We will cover 1. Entrance to the mosque (opening times, clothing, admission) 2. The extraordinary architecture of the Blue Mosque 1. Entry to the Blue Mosque, clothing and opening times: The mesmerizing exterior of the Blue…

Taurus Mountains in Turkey: 21 Most Beautiful Excursions Here I have first collected the 21 most beautiful excursion destinations in  the mountainous province of Antalya. Additionally, I have gathered up all my tips about the central and eastern Taurus Mountains in Southeast Anatolia. The mountain range is 1,500km long. The mountains begin in the west in the province of Antalya at the Esen Cayi River. From there, the Taurus runs along the Mediterranean Sea into the Mesopotamian lowlands in south-eastern Anatolia. That’s why I highlight which holiday locations you can reach, they are explained as individual sights on my list. 1. Jeep safari through the Turkish Riviera mountains Off-road jeep…

Cleopatra beach: Alanya hotels on the beach & travel tips Cleopatra Beach is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in Turkey. It is located on the western side of the Alanya peninsula, not far from the Damlatas Cave. On the landward side, it is bordered by hotel complexes, restaurants, cafes and Ataturk Park and Boulevard. The beach in the heart of Alanya is famous for its crystal-clear water and an incident with the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra. Contents: Cleopatra Beach Hotels on Cleopatra Beach Sun beds, umbrellas & dealers Water temperatures & weather Water quality & cleanliness Away from the beach Other beaches 7 tips for the most beautiful…

Dolmabahce Palace: a synonym for Ottoman opulence? The Dolmabahce Palace is one of the most magnificent structures in Istanbul. It was built as the successor to the 600-year-old Topkapi Palace. Back then, the Ottoman sultans wanted a palace modelled on the contemporary European rulers. With the Dolmabahce Palace, they created a spectacle in Istanbul that can easily compete with palaces like Versailles and Schönbrunn. Since its completion in 1856, the 600-meter-long Dolmabahce Palace has been one of the most striking structures along the banks of the Bosporus. Only a white lattice fence separates the palace from the sea and the passing Bosporus ferries. From them. you can catch a view…

Taksim Square in Istanbul: (Guide to Nightlife & Attractions) Do you want to visit Taksim Square? Or just learn something about the place? Then you are in the right place! Taksim Square – “The Square of Division” – used to be the place where water pipes arrived in old Constantinople. At the same time, Taksim Square was and is still one of the most important transport hubs in Istanbul. But that is not the reason why Taksim Square is famous. It only shows up after sunset. Taksim Square is the centre of Istanbul nightlife! And the meeting point of young Istanbul. This is due to bars, boutiques, restaurants, concert halls…