Istanbul & Beyond

Istanbul: why it’s unlike any other city in this guide

Istanbul has been one of the world’s most important cities for 2,000 years. Under its various names — Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul — it served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire for 1,100 years and the Ottoman Empire for 600 years. The physical legacy of this history is visible on every street. The Hagia Sophia was built by Emperor Justinian in 537 CE; standing inside it, looking up at the dome 56 metres above, the scale of Byzantine ambition becomes physical. The Grand Bazaar has operated as a covered market since 1455 — 4,000 shops in 64 covered streets. The Topkapi Palace was the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years; its treasury contains some of the world’s most extraordinary jewelled objects.

The modern Istanbul: 16 million people; the world’s 10th largest metropolitan area; one of Europe’s most visited cities; a tech and startup ecosystem that rivals Istanbul’s historical identity with contemporary energy. The neighbourhood of Beyoğlu — Istiklal Avenue, Cihangir, Galata Tower — is alive with independent bookshops, galleries, music venues, rooftop bars with Bosphorus views, and the most concentrated urban energy in any city in this build except perhaps Shanghai. Istanbul is not a city you merely live in while teaching — it is a city that actively gives back to anyone who engages with it.

European Side vs Asian Side: the teacher’s choice

Day trips from Istanbul

• Princes’ Islands (Ada): Nine car-free islands in the Sea of Marmara accessible by ferry (50–90 mins from Kabataş). Horse-drawn carriages; Victorian wooden mansions; swimming in summer. Free or cheap. Best day trip from Istanbul.
• Bursa: 2 hours by fast ferry + bus. Former Ottoman capital; the Green Mosque and Tomb of Mehmed I; the Grand Bazaar’s silk market; İskender kebap; cable car to Uludağ mountain.
• Gallipoli (Çanakkale): 4 hours. The World War I Gallipoli Peninsula campaign sites; moving war memorial landscape; Trojan War Troy archaeological site nearby.
• Edirne: 3 hours. Former Ottoman capital before Istanbul; the Selimiye Mosque (Sinan’s masterpiece; UNESCO); oil wrestling (Kırkpınar) held here annually.
• Black Sea coast (Şile/Ağva): 1.5–2 hours. Dramatic Black Sea beaches; local seafood; lighthouse; very different character from Istanbul or the Aegean.

Cappadocia: the image that defines Turkey for the world

Cappadocia is approximately 1 hour flight from Istanbul (Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AnadoluJet — budget fares ₺1,500–4,000 return). The volcanic “fairy chimney” rock formations — created by volcanic ash compacted over millions of years and then carved by early Christian communities fleeing Roman and later Arab persecution — are unlike any other landscape on earth. Underground cities (Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı) contain entire communities built 18 storeys underground. Göreme Open Air Museum has 11th–13th century rock-cut churches with extraordinary Byzantine frescoes still largely intact.

The hot air balloon sunrise over Cappadocia — dozens of balloons ascending above the fairy chimneys in the pre-dawn light — is one of the most photographed experiences in the world. From a teaching base in Istanbul, it’s a weekend trip. From any Turkish city, it’s a long weekend. The point for teachers: Turkey’s geographic diversity — Bosphorus, Mediterranean coast, Cappadocia, Black Sea, eastern Anatolia — means living in Istanbul provides access to an extraordinary range of landscapes within reasonable travel reach.

Turkey beyond Istanbul

• İzmir & Aegean coast: Turkey’s most laid-back major city; beaches; Ephesus ancient ruins (one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world) 1 hour south; Pamukkale’s white travertine thermal pools 3 hours east
• Antalya & Turkish Riviera: Mediterranean resort strip; turquoise water; ancient Lycian ruins (Myra, Olympos) accessible; rafting in the Köprülü Canyon
• Eastern Turkey: Mount Ararat (5,137m; legendary Noah’s Ark); Lake Van (ancient Urartian fortress island); Ani (ruined medieval Armenian capital); Doğubayazıt; deeply different cultural character from western Turkey
• Black Sea region: Tea plantations; hazelnut orchards; wooden highland villages (yayla) in the Kaçkar Mountains; dramatically different climate and culture