Istanbul is a huge city - and if you plan to move around it, you will quickly get to know the Istanbulkart, the city’s public transport card. Metro lines, trams, buses and ferries tie Istanbul together in all directions - and once you’ve cracked the code, getting around is both easy and surprisingly inexpensive. In this post I’ll show you how to get hold of an Istanbulkart, what other payment options exist, and what it currently costs to use public transport in the city. If y

There is a lot to see in Istanbul. But there are also a lot of queues. It’s not unusual to spend half an hour - sometimes even a full hour - just waiting to buy a ticket. So here is a small Istanbul tip. Buy skip-the-line tickets in advance. It takes two minutes - and can easily save you an hour in a ticket queue. In this post I’ve collected some of the most popular museums and attractions in Istanbul. If you book through the links on this page, you also support the blog - wi

It’s not really something you think much about once the holiday has started. Your phone just works - for maps, messages and photos back home. But Turkey is not home - and roaming charges on the phone bill arrives after the trip. Consider supporting the blog by buying me a 'virtual cup of coffee': Fortunately, it has become much easier to avoid. Today many travellers either choose an eSIM with local data or a subscription from home where Turkey is already included. It only tak