Local Expert
Jessica Tamtürk
Welcome to PlanetEye's Istanbul City Guide! My name is Jessica Tamtürk and I'll share with you insider's tips on how you can make the most of your trip to this intercontinental city.
Originally from…
Welcome to PlanetEye's Istanbul City Guide! My name is Jessica Tamtürk and I'll share with you insider's tips on how you can make the most of your trip to this intercontinental city.
Originally from Belgium, I now call Istanbul one of my home bases; the other being Los Angeles, California, the place where I grew up.
Whether you hail from the European or American continent, my roots – biological and experiential – makes me the virtual guide with the most to help you conquer this metropolis of over 15 million.
What you'll get through these pages is my unbiased opinion of destinations, hotels, and restaurants. You may even learn a little Turkish in the process through my STRICTLY SPEAKING segments at the end of each post. I'm a stickler for responsible tourism; that means that I firmly believe that the industry should integrate with a country rather than the destination complying itself to the whims of its yearly visitors. I hope you'll agree and use the language tool to mingle with the natives. You'll be glad you did!
Aside from keeping you updated on the ins and outs of the greatest city in the world (at least I think so), I'm hard at work developing a first edition, 500-page travel guide to Turkey for Avalon Travel Publishing.
If you like what you're reading, have a question or just need general info on Istanbul, then by all means drop me a line by visiting my website....
STRICTLY SPEAKING
Hos Geldiniz = Welcome!!!! (pron. Hosh Geldiniz) –
More
MORE BEBOP...
Istanbul's Jazz Festival kicked off with a bang this year. The great Herbie Hancock was on hand July 3, to launch the annual IKSV (Istanbul Cultural and Art Foundation) festivities, which this year are finally experiencing packed venues. Concerts of this genre last throughout the month and spliced with various acts to please all tastes--from hard rock to classical.
Check out what's on the menu this year:
July 8 – Rufus Wainwright at the Hagia Eirene Museum
July 9 – Omara Portuondo at the Sepetçiler Kasri
July 10 – Caetano Veloso at the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater
July 13 – Judas Priest at the Turkcell Kurucesme Arena
Massive Attack at Parkorman
July 14 – Raul Mídon at Istinye Park
Yasmin Levy at the Esma Sultan Yalisi
July 16 – Al Jarreau at the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater
July 15 – DeeDee Bridgewater at the Sepetçiler Kasri
July 27 – Metallica at the Ali Sami Hen Stadium
July 30 – Lenny Kravitz at the Turkcell Kurucesme Arena
August 3 – Bjôrk at the Turkcell Kurucesme Arena
Just to mention a few.....
ESSENTIALS
Tickets ranging from 40-300TL are available through Biletix
STRICTLY SPEAKING
Concert = Conser (pron. Consser)