In this issue

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

Ultramarathon Destinations In Turkey

WITH ITS DIVERSIFIED GEOGRAPHY, AND MILD WEATHER BETWEEN OCTOBER AND MAY, TURKEY IS AN ULTRAMARATHONER’S PARADISE

2 mins

Open Sesame! Helva Hits The Sweet Spot

COMMONLY ENJOYED AS A SNACK OR MEAL NOT ONLY IN TURKEY, BUT ALSO IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CENTRAL ASIA, AND INDIA, HELVA IS THE NAME GIVEN TO A VARIED RANGE OF SWEET DESSERTS AND CONFECTIONS

3 mins

Eat Up! Restaurant Week Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary

FOCUSING ON SOCIAL ASPECTS OF GASTRONOMY, RESTAURANT WEEK IS BACK FROM NOVEMBER 15-30 WITH THIS YEAR’S THEME “TURKISH CUISINE.” METRO TURKEY TAKES PLACES AS THE GASTRONOMY PARTNER IN THIS CULINARY PROJECT ORGANIZED BY GASTRONOMY & MARKETING CONSULTANCY FIRM DUDE TABLE

2 mins

Istanbul Theater Festival - Who Is The Actor?

FEATURING EXCITING, INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCES FOR THE AUDIENCE, THE 23RD ISTANBUL THEATER FESTIVAL SEEKS A BROADER DEFINITION OF PLAYS, ACTORS, AND STAGES

3 mins

Cooks Grove- Exploring The Geography Of Food

ŞEMSA DENIZSEL HAD THE COURAGE TO DO THE ONE THING THAT MILLIONS OF ISTANBULITES PERVERSELY DREAM OF ON A REGULAR BASIS: SHE QUIT THE CITY COLD TURKEY. TODAY, MANAGING TIME AT HER OWN PACE, SHE DEDICATES IT TO ENSURING THAT ON THE GLOBAL GASTRONOMY MAP, NORTHERN AEGEAN CUISINE GETS THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES

8 mins

Simit

SESAME-STUDDED SYMBOL OF THE CITY The simple simit has held a special place in Turks’ hearts for centuries. People across the country enjoy the snack, with some adding regional flavor and tastes.

3 mins

Hamdi Ulukaya

The Billion-dollar Man Without a Birthday 

4 mins

Intema Yasam

A One-stop-shop for Your Kitchen Needs in Kanyon Shopping Mall 

2 mins

A Creative Lingua Franca Culture Groups In Istanbul

As a metropolis of more than 15 million, Istanbul is a hub where cultures from around the world intersect. There are groups in the city that promote the sharing of culture, and like the city itself, show participants how people are more similar than different. With a bit of curiosity and open-mindedness, it is easy to join them.

3 mins

Tunel 90 Seconds Through History

While many think of buildings when they think of architecture, architecture goes beyond—and at times underground. Tünel, an underground funicular that connects Karaköy to Istiklal Caddesi in a 90-second ride, boasts a unique history that links neighborhoods and cultures, from past to present. Today, the cars have a capacity of 170 and the system transports about 12,000 passengers per day.

3 mins

Neni Brasserie

THE LOCALS WILL APPROVENeni Brasserie breathes new life into the Ba¤dat Caddesi area and is an example of how to create something new and exciting while maintaining familiarity.

1 min

Top 7 Turkish Boutique Olive Oil Brands

Top 7 Turkish Boutique Olive Oil Brands

2 mins

Sekerci Cafer Erol Sweet Treats For A Modern-day Sultan

Sekerci Cafer Erol Sweet Treats For A Modern-day Sultan

2 mins

Meerschaum Exploring The Beauty Of The Curlstone

Meerschaum, also known as curlstone, is a unique mineral mined in the Anatolian province of Eskisehir. Local artisans hand carve the stone into collectibles, most notably tobacco pipes, world renowned for quality and taste.

3 mins

Jewelry That Tempts The Fates

Jewelry That Tempts The Fates

2 mins

Turkey's First Off-Broadway-Style Production

Turkish actress Ayca Varlier took to the stage in Turkey’s first off-Broadway-style musical production, Tahir and Zühre, an Anatolian answer to William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

2 mins

MSA's Restaurant Excellence In The Making

The name for MSA’s Restaurant is no coincidence. Instead of fashionable ambiguity describing the place's conceptual secrets, one comes across the “still in training” statement on several occasions. However, the place, a training field for culinary students who aspire to create and develop other people’s taste palates, is already much more than just a work in progress.

2 mins

Wild Mushrooms

In Turkey, Wild Mushrooms Start Appearing With the Passing of the Summer Heat and the Coming of the Cooler Season. After Careful Picking, Sorting, and Cleaning, Local Chefs Prepare Mushroom Dishes on a Seasonal Basis Throughout Their Restaurants in Istanbul. 

1 min

Tea From Turkey, With Love

Turkish Passion for Hospitality and Tea, Which Goes Hand-inhand When Hosting Friends and Family, Is Widely Known. Tulipshaped Cups of the Brew Are Found on Tables and in Hosting Rooms Around the Country. 

2 mins

Doubletree By Hilton Istanbul Topkapi Style And Location

Doubletree By Hilton Istanbul Topkapi Style And Location

1 min

Ahmet Ertegun The Man Behind Legends

Turkish-American businessman and co-founder of the influential record label Atlantic Records Ahmet Ertegün still sets the standard over a decade after his death. The legacy of Ertegün, who discovered many leading musicians, continues today, with his stars defining the music industry.

2 mins

Nazimi Yaver Yenal Ahead Of The Architectural Drawing Board

Despite being considered one of the most talented architectural figures from the early years of the Turkish Republic, the majority of Nazimî Yaver Yenal’s designs remained on paper, never constructed into reality. His life philosophy, however, lays a strong foundation for people today with talent, skill, and ambition.

2 mins

Bao Buns

New on-the-go Favorite 

1 min

Big Chefs

New winter specialties

1 min

Pistachios Abounding From Antep

A fertile land with abundant agriculture, Turkey is the third largest country in pistachio production. These green gems are gathered in the late summer months right before they reach their full blossom. Fortunately for pistachio lovers, there is no specific season for eating them; you can enjoy pistachios as often as you wish, on their own or incorporated into your favorite Turkish dish.

2 mins

21st Istanbul Theater Festival

Raising the Curtains (and the Bar) 

1 min

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The Guide Istanbul Magazine Description:

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.