PlanetEye

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 Belgium, I now call Istanbul one of my home bases;...

 
1 2 3 4 5 Next

Latest posts from our Istanbul expert:

August 08, 2008
Local News

GLOBAL GATHERING: GET YOUR GROOVE ON!

The world’s larest dance music festival is occurring this weekend on Istanbul’s Black Sea resort of Kilyos

Previously held in England, Ukraine, Romania, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and South Africa, the Global Gathering Festival has chosen the hip city of Istanbul to hold it annual fest.

Some 25,000 guests are expected to attend the two-day event (08 & 09/08), which will feature the sounds of techno, house and trance music’s biggest names. More than 40 are expected to attend.  On Friday (8/08), the international sounds of Eric Prydz, Sasha, Sanim-live, Sander Van Doorn, Markus Schulz, Christian Varela, and Eston  among many others will be featured. Saturday, Calvin Harris- live, Dubfire, Axwell, Above & Beyond, Umek, Nic Fancuilli, and James Algate will rock the house. 

The festival’s location is a famed campsite on the Black Sea’s gorgeous golden sands at Kilyos at Seanery Beach. This year’s festival will feature many activities, a first for this traveling festival. 

So bring your tent, your dancing shoes, and, perhaps most important of all, plenty of energy to party well into the night.  

ESSENTIALS

TICKETS:  Available through BILETIX (Day: 75TL/person;  Both Days/120TL;  2 Days w/ Camping: 150TL/person)

STRICTLY SPEAKING

Music = Musik (pron. as it’s read)

July 20, 2008
Local News

DALI'STANBUL

Sorry for this lame play on word.

At any rate, Spanish master artist Salvador Dali’s works will be on display at Sakip Sabanci Museum in Emirgan from September 19, 2008.  

Sponsored by Akbank, the exhibition is curated by Montse Aguer Teixidor Director of the Center for Dalinian Studies of Gala-Salvador Dali FoundationSSM Director Nazan Ölçer stated “Following Picasso and Rodin exhibits, we consider Dali exhibition an important landmark for SSM and the substructure of our musumm enables us to host an exhibition of this magnitude.” The exhibition is the largest single exhibition ever organized outside Figueres exclusively with material from the Foundation’s collection.

“Salvador Dali: A Surrealist in Istanbul” exhibition will consist of 270 works of oil paintings, drawings, and graphic art. Manuscripts, photographs and other documents will also be on display. SSM will host this exclusive exhibition between until January 19, 2009. 

ESSENTIALS

Address: Sakip Sabanci Cad., 22 Emirgan 34467 Istanbul

Telephone : +90.212.277.2200

E-mail address : muze@sabanciuniv.edu

STRICTLY SPEAKING

Hour = Saat (Pron. as it’s read)

July 19, 2008
Local News

HUMAN RACE 10K-THE ISTANBUL LEG

Nike’s The Human Race 10K is set to occur in 25 cities around the world on August 31, 2008. In Istanbul, the gunshot signaling  the launch of the race at 8 p.m.

Want to join? Click  on the link to learn how. Wanna train? You can do so by surfing straight to Nike + Coach.Practice runs are scheduled for July 27, August 3 and 10, 2008 in the Belgrade Forest Neset Suyu route on the European side, and the Caddebostan coastal road on the Anatolian from 7 and  and 9 a.m.

The best part of registering for the race is that you’ll be participating in Nike’s $3-million in donations. Just pick your favorite charity--The UN Refugee Agency, Lance Armstrong Foundation, or the WWF--and every step you take on race-day will boost your individual contribution. 

You can also join a virtual community of more than 53,000, who collectively have run more than 100 million miles. Get a chance to purchase some neat gear like footwear, apparel, and accessories, download the race’s Powersong. Even make friends and healthy resolutions for the rest of the year.   

And if you can’t make in Istanbul, there’ll be a race held in the US cities of Austin, Los Angeles and New York.

Uhmm, I wonder if the cityguides in those regions will be running?

STRICTLY SPEAKING

To run = Kosmak (pron. koshmak

July 09, 2008
Local News

July 09, 2008
Local News

DITCH THE OLD SITES AND HEAD FOR THE MODERN

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, that is.

The city’s first modern museum has just launched its Creative Workshop series for the youths. Sponsored by one of Turkey’s largest financial institution, Garanti Bank, the guided mini classes include investigative games and animal atlas creations among tons of other activities. Kids will also indulge their imagination in a variety of media.   

Launched July 1, the free classes will continue daily until August 29 with different workshops each week. Six and 7-year-olds meet from 10 a.m. to noon; the 8-10 y.o. and 11-13 age groups from 1-3 p.m.  Budding Michelangelos will get to take home certificates if they attend the class daily for four weeks. Reserve ahead to secure a space on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Unlike last year, where the romper room by the entrance was more akin to an Ikea-style child babysitting service with paint brushes, this year’s program promises to be a highly educational and fun affair. Parents can enjoy the couple hours of free time by either strolling by the new contemporary exhibits gracing the walls of the upper gallery, head down to the media library under its dropped ceiling of opened tomes, or better yet, hang a left for its trendy Istanbul Modern Restaurant/Café’s terrace over the Bosphorus, where they can pull  up a chair and enjoy a popular minty lemonade while gazing across the straits. FYI: It ain’t cheap! Thursdays may be easier on the wallet, as IMMA doesn’t charge admission to the museum .

ESSENTIALS

Istanbul Modern Sanat Müzesi | Meclisi Mebusan Caddesi, Antrepo 4, Tophane | Phone: 0212/334-7341

STRICTLY SPEAKING

Art  =  Sanat (pron. as it’s read)


July 08, 2008
Local News

THE PRINCE'S ISLANDS' SUMMER OF CULTURE

Büyükada--the largest of the Prince's Islands-- is welcoming the summer with a three-month cultural event through September.

Launched with a six-day painting exhibition by artiste du jour and island local Nino Varon, two dozen similar art exhibits are scheduled, as well as 13 concerts, and theatrical plays.

July 5 – 12:
• Eti Behar Sculpture Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Stair Streets
 
July 12-18:
• Fatma Yücel, Fatma Tuncer & Zeynep Arol Tile Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Emblems
• Concert (7/12):  Armando (Latin)

July 19-25:
• M. Akif Senoglu Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Gardens
• Concert (7/19) : Çesm-i Dil Music Ensemble (Classical and neoclassical Turkish music)
• Concert (7/23): Ali Naki Gündogdu - Robert Beer (Turkish folk music)

July 26 – Aug. 1:
• Cengiz Akduman Photography Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Gazebos and Towers
• Concert (7/26):  Funda Kurtuldu (Turkish Pop music)

Aug. 2-8:
• Feyzafer Alpsar Painting Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Statues
• Concert (8/02): Opheus Duo (Classical music)
 
Aug. 9-15:
• Harun Yilmaz Gilding and Miniature Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Sunset
• Concert (8/09):  NKM Music Ensemble (Turkish folk music)

Aug. 16-22:
• Nimet Özata Marbling Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Waterhouses
 
Aug. 23-29:
• Lale Merkit Ornament Exhibition
• Sami Solmaz – Life at Ahir Photography Exhibition
• Concert (8/23): Erensiya Seferadi (Seferad music)
 
Aug. 30 – Sept. 5:
• Berç Toroser Painting Exhibition
• Solmaz's Life at Ahir Photography Exhibition continues
• Concert (8/30): Group Isimsizler (Alternative rock music)
 
Sept. 6-12:
• Devrim Erbil Painting Exhibition
• Collective island photography exhibition titled Wooden Details
• Concert (9/06): Let’s Sing Together, Conductor: Ruhi Ayangil (Turkish classical music)
 
Sept. 13 – 26:
• Muvaffak Iren Painting and Sculpture Exhibition
Wooden Details continues
 
ESSENTIALS

Where's Büyükadda and how do I get there? you ask... IDO's fast and regular service links the island from the ports of Kadikoy, Kabatas (Kabatash) and Bostanci. For ticket and schedule info, check out their Website.

STRICTLY SPEAKING

Culture = Kültür (pron. keulteur)

July 07, 2008
Local News

JAZZ NOT YOUR THING?

Not to worry... Istanbul's 5th Annual Electronica Festival's set to launch this weekend.

House music fans will get their groove on Saturday and Sunday as an  international symposium of master DJs are scheduled to spin their tunes live at Parkorman . Aside from bumping and grinding, the venue's lost-in-nature appeal includes an impressive pool, paint ball arena, beach volleyball court, a challenging obstacle course through the woods, and more than half a dozen dining and wining facilities for the more mature set. Hey, maybe a detox  brunch at Parkorman's renown Pine Restaurant?

Serving as the main event or as a backdrop to a pleasurable weekend in a woody preserve right in the periphery of Istanbul's Maslak business center, the Electronica Festival Istanbul 2008 will take place at the facility's main stage, set up as a Silent Disco with the capacity of 500 people.  Open-air shows in the daytime will be held in the giant tent and will continue until dawn.

The acts appearing Saturday include David Guetta, Kruder & Dorfmeister and Etienne de Crecy. Felix da Housecat, Tiga and Trentemöller will take the stage on July 12th.

ESSENTIALS

Available through Biletix, Tickets are 67 TL for one day, or attend both days for 116TL.

STRICTLY SPEAKING

To dance = Dans etmek (pron. as it's read)

1 2 3 4 5 Previous

Invite To PlanetEye

close

 

 

Insider Tip: Invite friends to experience PlanetEye.

<> (edit)

 

comma-separated email addresses left

 

(Optional)

  characters left

Send Feedback

close

 

 

 

 

 

  characters left