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Katy Holland: Christmas means Turkey … and other summer destinations

It’s that time of year again. Just as you’re busy ordering the entire contents of the Christmas Argos catalogue in a bid to keep your little angels happy, the summer holiday adverts start on the telly.

The kids have already said they quite fancy snorkelling in Egypt, sky diving in New Zealand, and lying on a beach in Greece – and it’s all thanks to the efforts of travel operators trying to lure families into parting with their hard-earned cash this winter. Offers advertising free child places and discounts for early-bird bookings are plentiful, and the pressure is on to buy now or lose out.

Should we be panic booking? There’s no doubt that it can be more cost-effective to get in early. The “kids go free” deals offered by many of the major operators mean that you can potentially save a hefty amount if you book while stocks last. Check out the deals from Mark Warner (0871703 3887; markwarner.co.uk) and Thomson (0871 231 4691l thomson.co.uk), for example, which are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Other incentives, such as early booking discounts, mean that you can save up to 30 per cent by putting down a deposit before the end of January. Deals worth a look include 25 per cent off at the luxurious Chia Laguna Resort in Sardinia (00 39 070 92391; chia lagunaresort.com), a watersports favourite for families. Majorca Farmhouses (0845 800 8080; mallorca.co.uk) is also offering a lovely selection of family properties with 30 per cent discounts for early bookers.

But there is one booking incentive I’ve found which should please cash-strapped families wherever they fancy going. Holiday Gems (0871 911 0101; holidaygems.co.uk) is offering the chance to secure your family accommodation for next summer – with a deposit of as little as 99p.

The offer is valid on all dates, durations, and prices, and there’s a choice of more than 65,000 places to stay in destinations ranging from Bulgaria to Barbados. So you can book early without having to make a hefty down payment, and guarantee the break of your choice.

Now that’s what I call having your Christmas cake and eating it.

k.holland@independent.co.uk

via Katy Holland: Christmas means Turkey … and other summer destinations – News & Advice, Travel – The Independent.

December 5, 2010
Tunisia, Turkey Boosting Tourism Cooperation

Tunisia (Tunis) – Tunisia’s Tourism Minister Slim Tlatli had a meeting with Mr. Zafar Caglayan, Turkish State Minister for Foreign Trade, which turned on reviewing bilateral co-operation, Global Arab Network reports according to state-run Tunisian News Agency (TAP).

The two sides highlighted joint will to hoist economic relations to the level of their political relations and the cultural and historic affinities binding the two countries.

Mr. Slim Tlatli briefed his guest on Tunisia’s tourist sector and its objectives for the next five-year period, in light of the new development strategy ordered by the Head of State, stressing Tunisia’s will to further strengthen co- operation with Turkey, notably regarding reinforcement of tourist flow, management of the sector and vocational training in this field.

For his part, Mr. Caglayan indicated that the quality of bilateral relations militates in favour of a more important economic and tourist co-operation, specifying that it falls on the two countries’ economic operators to explore the best ways that would ensure a mutually fruitful co-operation.

It is worth reminding that Tunisia annually receives 14,000 Turkish tourists, while 29,000 Tunisian holiday-makers visit Turkey each year .

On the other hand, TAP reported that Co-operation between Tunisia and Turkey and means to strengthen it were the focus of the talk that Development and International Co-operation Minister Mohamed Nouri Jouini had, on Thursday with Turkish State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafar Caglayan. The talk provided the opportunity to point up the importance to hoist co-operation to higher levels, qualitatively and quantitatively.

Mr. Mohamed Nouri Jouini stressed the similarity of the two countries’ economic policies characterised by their openness and efficiency. Such a convergence, he said, is a stimulus to intensify partnership between the two countries’ businessmen, underlining that Tunisia wishes to attract larger number of Turkish investors, particularly in the buoyant sectors.

For his part, Mr. Zafar Caglayan commended the level of bilateral relations, underscoring the opportunities of the two countries, notably in the fields of trade, investment and creation of joint projects.

The Turkish minister specified that the strong participation of the two countries’ businessmen in the second Partnership Council’s meeting illustrates the two sides’ will to entrench and diversify co-operation in the two countries’ interest.

(TAP)

Global Arab Network

December 4, 2010
Melodi / Istanbul | What We Are Wearing

You didn’t think I was done with Istanbul, did you ?

Naaaaa… I couldn’t help but ask the lovely Melody, who is a buyer for V2K, to tell me about some of her favorite places in Istanbul. Just in case you had the idea to go spend a week-end there !

Oh and about this picture… Aren’t all those super virile men with their little tea glass totally super awesomely charming ? I had to bring back at least one image of those “tea moments” in Istanbul. Check the special and super typical tray. You can see men going all around the city with these trays full of hot tea. I loved it.

All right ! Now here is Melodi’s Istanbul :

Hi Melodi ! Tell me a few of the best multibrand stores in Istanbul…

V2K Designers is the best (duh??) :)))) and I also like Midnight Express.

Is there a cool fashion item you can buy only in Istanbul (I bought a pretty cool vintage necklace… I have to show it to you)

You can buy unique scarves and vintage ottoman jewelry. And handmade rugs are very special for all across Turkey.

The super non-fashion place where you like to go is…

I play tennis. So super non fashion-ly, I put my work out clothes on, go to the club and hit the ball aggressively. But I think, if its in you, you do everything in a fashionable way.. I mean even grocery shopping can be very chic when you want…

Are the girls as crazy about their nails as they are in New York City ? Where do they go ? Oh, and do you do such thing as hammam ? Or spa ? Where is the best place to go ?

Getting nails done is a must for an Istanbul girl. They might even be crazier than NewYorkers.

Its very common so you can find a place to get manicures and pedicures on almost every corner.

I personally love both Hamam and Spa.

For Hamam, I like to try historical places. Such as Cemberlitas. Its so mystical that it makes you feel like you time traveled back to Ottoman times. The lighting, the athmosphere, and everything about it just captivates me..

And for Spa, I try to go to the newest. They recently got so popular in Istanbul so every month a new place opens and its fun to try something new 🙂

Where is the best place to have a coffee and watch people go by?

I love Cihangir area. You can sit in a café with a magazine, and spend the all day watching different kinds of people go up and down.

I know this might sound weird but if you feel dark and stuck, and need to feel the real Istanbul in you, Haydarpasa Terminal gets very inspirational.

Where is the best place to have a drink?

Asmali Mescit area. Otto and Off Pera are my personal favorites.

What are the things that you HAVE to eat in Istanbul? Where do you find them?

Of course you have to eat Kebap. You can go very traditional OR trendy, its always delicious 🙂 My personal favorite is Hamdi which is located in Eminonu. Amazing Halic and Galata view with goooood kebaps.

And “Raki&Fish” is a classical Istanbul meal. On the bosphorus, with the greatest view ever, you can find many amazing fish restaurants. And I have to mention that you can have the BEST Turbot in Sariyer, a little place called Kahraman.

What is the very touristy place that you still love to go to sometimes?

Aaaaah Sultanahmet and Ortakoy..they’re both magical.

What is the best old and chic restaurant and what is the new super cool restaurant ?

The best old chic must be Ulus29, and new super cool right now, I’d say Bird.

Where is the best pastry?

Nothing can beat the Simitci stands that you can find every corner 🙂

Do you do brunch in Istanbul? Where do you like to have it?

Yes, a Sunday classic for Istanbul. I’ve been going to Arnavutkoy Bahar for years, and it never fails…

Tell me about your ideal day in Istanbul.

An ideal day.. A big brunch, get on the boat and enjoy the Bosphorus, maybe the Princes’ islands..

How do you go around the city ?

I hate the traffic but oh well, I drive everyhere.

What’s the best thing to bring back from Istanbul ?

Turkish coffee, a coffee set, a beautiful rug, nice fabrics, and an evil eye 🙂

A week-end out of Istanbul… Where would you go ?

Its almost winter and its going to snow soon. So all I can think about is snowboarding. The crazy feeling of white snow sliding beneath you and the wind on your face…It makes you feel alive! So my answer is, I’d get in the car and drive to Kartalkaya mountain! Well, as soon as it snows enough..

via Melodi / Istanbul | What We Are Wearing.

December 4, 2010
Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas Wins Gold Key Design Award 2010

Published by Ozgur Tore

WEDNESDAY, 01 DECEMBER 2010

Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas is delighted to announce that it won the “Best Guestroom Design” category at the 30th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show® (IHMRS) Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design.

Designed by GKV Architects, PC (New York, NY), the stylish Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas houses the most spacious rooms in the city, all of which are also equipped with latest technology. The hotel offers a total of 90 generously sized deluxe rooms with an average size of 59 square metres, including seven Park Suites, one Executive Suite, one Diplomatic Suite and a Presidential Suite.

The honorees were selected by a panel of notable industry experts from a field of more than 180 projects representing 19 countries. Finalists were selected based on aesthetic appeal, practicality and functionality of design.

About Park Hyatt hotels:

Park Hyatt hotels are typically small and distinguished properties designed to meet the needs of discerning individual travellers, promising elegant and gracious service on a personal, intimate scale. Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas represents a further step in Hyatt’s development in Europe and strengthens the global network of the award-winning Park Hyatt brand.

via Focus on Travel News – Park Hyatt Istanbul-Maçka Palas Wins Gold Key Design Award 2010.

December 2, 2010
Istanbul, Not Constantinople (Travel Blog)

…finally.

If you don’t know this song, go look it up on iTunes, but not without the warning that YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD!

Our last stop on our magnificent Aegean Adventure was Istanbul – Europe’s 2010 Capital of Culture (or something like that… the signs were everywhere). And, it was quite cultural. Unfortunately, we really didn’t have the best timing as we arrived on the night that Muslims break their month long Ramadaan fast, and the next two days were a national holiday. We still had a great time, but a lot of businesses were closed and practically everyone from all around Istanbul came into the city to celebrate. The first day we were there, two major sites didn’t open until 1pm and the Grand Bazaar was closed the entire time. Bummer. Oh well, we definitely made the best of it and still saw quite a bit.

We arrived at night and were very tired, so we had some baklava and a drink at a little cafe and went to bed. Our hotel was in the Sultanahmet District, so the next morning we enjoyed our breakfast from the rooftop restaurant in our hotel overlooking Istanbul and then set out to see some sights. This is when we realized pretty much everything we wanted to see was closed until 1pm except the Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), which was so incredibly crowded, we didn’t even try to go in. It was also pretty warm that day, and I did not have appropriate attire with me (legs covered and scarf to cover head and shoulders). Matt was wearing shorts, as well, so we decided against waiting in line forever, because we didn’t want to be disrespectful by entering a holy place in our western attire. Instead, we just started walking and ended up walking along the Bosphorus outside the walls of the old city, and then walked through a pretty park back to Hagia Sophia. Let me just say that besides the fact that I have blonde hair and blue eyes, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I was wearing a dress that I wouldn’t call extremely modest but I certainly wasn’t letting my goods hang out. Holy looks from men, Batman. I had every intention of keeping my shoulders covered when we were there, but it was just too warm that day. Between the heat, the looks, the crowds and just being tired, I was pretty sassy. Not to mention, the entire time we were there, I couldn’t get over how little regard people had for your space or for the concept of waiting your turn. Pushing, shoving, cutting in line, etc. seemed to be totally acceptable. I ended up getting pretty pushy just to hold our ground. It was crazy.

Anyway, so we had to wait in line for a bit (and try to keep people from pushing their way to the front), but we finally made in into Hagia Sophia, and it was really neat. It was a Byzantine church that was converted to a mosque during the Ottoman era, and then when Turkey became Turkey in the 1920s, the government converted it to a museum. It was really neat to see the Christian and Islamic religions coexisting in a beautiful building. (As a side note: if you don’t know much about Islam, I highly recommend looking up the 20/20 program that aired recently. I felt like I knew a lot about the religion, but I learned a lot from that program. With all of the tension toward Muslims in America today, I think everyone should watch it.)

After lunch and a quick nap, we walked around a bit more and decided to take a ferry to Asia. I was obsessed with stepping foot on another continent, since we were so close. Earlier in the day, Matt asked me if we were going to China. LOL literally. For being so smart, he sometimes says some funny things. He was serious. He was none too thrilled about getting on this ferry, but we made it to Asia and back with no problems, but a lot of stares. That night we grabbed a yummy dinner and then walked around the Sultanahmet District enjoying the nice weather, pretty fountains and the sites all lit up.

The next day we visited the Topkapi Palace, which was awesome. I was just in awe of the history, the riches, the tiles, the architecture… everything. It was amazing. Honestly, the pictures do not do it justice. It amazed me how well preserved everything was. We did the audio tour, which was pretty good but I would have liked even more information. I honestly wish I would have read a book on the history of Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire before we went. Yes, I am a dork and I love PBS documentaries. And, I am okay with that. After we saw all we wanted to see, including the Harem, we walked through the park and found some yummy street food for lunch. Since we couldn’t go to the Bazaar (TOTAL bummer), we relaxed for a bit and made appointments for the Turkish Bath. That was a really fun experience. Matt had never even had a massage before, so I wasn’t quite sure how he was going to feel about half naked men scrubbing him down and massaging him while he was also half naked, but he enjoyed it. He did note that his guy did not say a word to him but my guy wanted to talk to me the whole time. I will save you from the picture of one possible reason… my amazing outfit. Let’s just say it consised of a plaid flannel like fabric “bikini top” and shorts and was a tight squeeze for the girls. After the bath, we once again dined al fresco (besides airports, we never ate a meal inside during the entire trip) on the same street as the night before. After dinner, I figured, “when in Rome Istanbul,” so we smoked a hookah. Mind you, I’ve never even smoked a cigarette, not even a puff, but surprise… I didn’t die! It’s not something I would seek out to do, but I guess I kind of enjoyed it, and I did feel a little light headed. Whoa… Kristin’s getting crazy up in here! After that, we packed up and got ready to depart back to the good ol’ USA. We had an amazing trip, but we were ready to be home… unfortunately, our flight was majorly delayed, so we hung in the airport for about 8 hours and missed our connecting flight. Oh well, ’tis life. We made it home safe and sound, happy for our experience abroad!

http://sepia-tone-lovin.blogspot.com/2010/12/istanbul-not-constantinople.html

December 2, 2010
Turkey travel: Istanbul in 24 hours

Istanbul. It’s 12pm and as I roll off the bus from Ephesus the urge to explore grips immediately. An Islamic city without the radical factor is an attractive option in this day and age.

The peaceful Topkapi Palace is first cab off the rank. In its outdoors, all four courtyards of it, the silence is only broken by the soft tweets of the avian residents.

Destination guide: Istanbul

This air of serenity is accompanied by a rich royal history: Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566) insisted everyone walked around in silence to avoid compromising his tranquility. However his son Selim (1524-1574), known as The Sot (drunkard), lacked his father’s regal composure and eventually drowned on a bathhouse floor after an indulgent tryst with champagne.

Another sultan, Ibrahim the mad (1615 -1648) ordered his counsel to find him the most obese woman possible and nicknamed his new sex pet ‘Piece of Sugar’. Then, upon hearing gossip that his concubines had been sullied by another man, he had 280 of his harem drowned in the Bosporus Sea. Speaking of impressive stories, the palace also houses a hair from the beard of the prophet Mohammed and an atrophied hand of St John the Baptist.

The next day, palace curiosity satiated, the requisite visit to the Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque, where the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name and create one of Istanbul’s finest sights, is completed.

Then the Aya Sofia – once the greatest church in Christendom until the Muslim conquests of 1453 when it was converted to a mosque – beckons. Inside, the Muslims covered every exisiting gilded mosaic with their own art but the original, magnificent depictions of Christianity are gradually being restored.

Book an Anzac Day tour

Istanbul old and new

Later, I sail calmly on a boat down the Bosphorous Strait between the Europe and Asia. The saline-infused air is rejuvenating as I study the shores of a city that has seen many rises and falls.

Imposing, centuries-old fortresses guard silently on verdant hills while, sprawled among Ottoman architecture, chic outdoor cafes have their genteel hub-bub disturbed only by the wailing of the call to prayer.

The mosques and markets of Istanbul

If there’s enough of you, hire a private boat for as little as 30TL each at the wharf. The standard tourist cruise boats blast out garish disco music, ruining the peace.

What to eat in Istanbul

Sailing creates an appetite but it’s too far to backtrack to where I had lunch – the generous Pudding Shop Lale restaurant (near the Blue Mosque) – so I head to nearby Zinhan Kebab house. It was originally a women’s prison but the fare is as far from jail grub as you can get. As I tuck in, the realisation dawns that this a high-class, but not budget-blowing, way to experience Turkish cuisine.

My magnificent chicken shish, punctuated with sharp sparks of spice, plants itself firmly in the number one spot of my Turkish taste experiences.

And Zinhan keeps on giving: high above the city, it proves a great spot for night-time pics – imagine illuminated mosques, glowing to let the big man in the sky know he’s never forgotten, complemented by the glimmering emanations from the city’s lights as Istanbul comes to life for the night ahead.

Anzac day in Turkey

Head to Gallipoli this Anzac Day on April 25 to pay your personal tribute to the troops from NZ and OZ who fought so bravely in World War I. The only way to attend the Anzac Day ceremonies is on an organised trip run by a tour company.

Book an Anzac Day tour

Most Anzac Day tours leave Istanbul on April 24. It’s then a six-hour journey to Gallipoli. Once you arrive, you will secure a spot on the grass until the Dawn Service begins, which is a simple but poignant ceremony remembering the heroism and sacrifice of the soldiers who waded ashore in the first light of April 25, 1915. Take a sleeping bag.

Anzac Day tours will include trips to the Lone Pine Australian Memorial and the New Zealand Memorial.

Gallipoli, Turkey on Anzac Day

Essential information

WHEN TO GO: Any time, but spring and autumn are best. August is extremely hot.

GETTING THERE: Plenty of flights leave London daily for Istanbul, which has two airports: the major Atatürk International Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport further afield.

GETTING AROUND: The tram and bus are easy and cheap to use. There’s also the funicular, which takes you up to Beyoglu.

VISAS: Australians and South Africans need to buy their visas at the airport in Turkey for £10, €10 or US$10 cash.

CURRENCY: Turkish lira. 1 GBP = 2.29 TRY. Euros are often accepted for accommodation.

LANGUAGE: Turkish.

GOING OUT: A beer costs about 2.25 lira.

ACCOMMODATION: Dorm beds cost from €11; a double room in a budget hotel is from €50.

GET MORE INFO: visitistanbul.org

» Jahn Vannisselroy travelled to Turkey with On The Go Tours (020 7371 1113; onthegotours.com) on the 11-day ANZAC Bonzer tour – £599 including nine nights’ three-star accommodation, an English-speaking Turkish guide, transfers and transport, nine breakfasts and six dinners.

via Turkey travel: Istanbul in 24 hours – TNT Magazine.

November 30, 2010