Writing on Turkey
Writing on Turkey
In addition to writing for this website, I have published five books about Istanbul and Turkey, written articles for magazines and internet travel sites, as well as researched and produced an audio tour of Kadikoy. Listed below are details of my writing about Istanbul and Turkey, including links. To see what I’ve written on other topics, click here. If you’d like me to write for you please get in touch via the contact tab at the top of this page.
My books
- Istanbul 50 Unsung Places, May 20, 2023.
- Longing for Istanbul: The Words I Haven’t Said Yet, November 2021.
- Inside Out In Istanbul: Making Sense of the City 2nd Edition, October 2015.
- Istanbul Dreams: Waiting for the Tulips to Bloom (originally published as Waiting for the Tulips to Bloom), September 2015.
- Exploring Turkish Landscapes: Crossing Inner Boundaries, April 2014.
Turkey General & Travel
- 7 reasons to visit Lefkosa in Turkish Cyprus — and no, they aren’t gambling-related, Türkiye Today, October 22, 2024.
- Mandarin Oriental Bodrum entry in The 21 Best Hotels in Europe, Fodors, October 2024.
- Inside the town where three religions come together, CNN Travel, August 28, 2024.
- The Extraordinary and Ancient Secret Places Hidden under Turkey, CNN Travel, April 23,2024.
- A Local Reveals 6 Off-the-Beaten-Path Things to Do in Turkey, Shermans Travel, September 18, 2023.
- Cappadocia: One of Turkey’s most spectacular hiking destinations, CNN Travel, October 14, 2022.
- Izmir: Turkey’s historic capital of cool is back on the rise, CNN Travel, October 4, 2022.
- Is Turkey Safe for Solo Female Travelers?, World Nomads, June 1, 2022.
- Crime in Turkey: What Travelers Need to Know, World Nomads, June 1, 2022.
- Mardin: Turkey’s ancient treasure trove, CNN Travel, May 10, 2022.
- Kaş: A beautiful unspoiled corner of the Med, CNN Travel, April 25, 2022.
- How to Avoid Common Travel Scams in Turkey, World Nomads, April 21. 2022.
- Transport Tips in Turkey: Tips on Getting Around, World Nomads, April 21, 2022.
- Terrorism in Turkey: Should Travelers Be Worried?, World Nomads, April 21, 2022.
- Turkey’s Lycian Way: An epic hike with beautiful beaches at every turn, CNN Travel, March 25, 2022.
- 4 Reasons to Visit Turkey in Winter, World Nomads, January 10, 2022.
- 5 Things to Know Before Traveling to Turkey, World Nomads, June 18, 2021.
- Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys, pristine snow beckons winter tourists, Al-Monitor, December 30, 2019.
- 3 Unmissable Museums in Bodrum, Luxos, September 1, 2018.
- Dear Travelers to Turkey: Please Don’t Come Visit Until You’ve Understood these 8 Things, Matador Network, June 11, 2016.
- “Goreme: If you look you’ll find yourself”, We Said Go Travel, June 1, 2013.
Istanbul – General
- This Restored Hammam is Istanbul’s Latest Gem, Destinasian, August – October 18, 2024
- Istanbul’s Best Makers of Modern Ottoman Wares, Destinasian, August – September 25, 2024.
- In Istanbul, Check Out These Seven Reimagined Turkish Baths Without Getting Wet, Silversea, August 17, 2024.
- Istanbul: The Fodor’s Five, April, 2024.
- The Gigantic Tunnels and Bridges Linking Asia to Europe, CNN Travel, December 26, 2022.
- In Istanbul’s Private Retreats of the Sultans, Time Stands Still, The New York Times, September 20, 2022.
- A local’s guide to Istanbul: mosques, slow-cooked kebabs and the magnificent Bosphorus, The Guardian UK, January 8, 2022.
- The Most Incredible Istanbul Hamam Experiences, Travel Curator, December 1, 2021.
- 4. Istanbul, Turkey, in Nine New European Trips to Take in 2019, Virtuoso, January, 2019.
- 3 Best Ottoman/Modern Shopping Experiences, Luxos, September 1, 2018.
- Tour descriptions for Istanbul Tours Expert, such as Best of Istanbul Tour, Exotic Istanbul, and others, December, 2017.
- By Order of the Sultan: Teşvikiye, Luxos Magazine, autumn/winter 2017 Istanbul, September, pp. 72-77.
- Istanbul City Guide, Air Canada enRoute, August 9, 2017.
- Top 5 Family Friendly Things to Do in Istanbul, Kids Are a Trip, August 4, 2017.
- Top 10 Things To Know Before You Arrive in Istanbul, International Hotels Group Blog, August 22, 2016.
- Small Projects Istanbul: Little things making big things happen, Your Middle East, February 4, 2016.
- Istanbul: In the sultan’s city, We Said Go Travel, March 15, 2013.
Istanbul – Asian side
- Wine and Dine: Kadıköy Cuisine, Porthole Cruise and Travel, January, 2023.
- Discovering Barış Manço Museum, Yabangee, April 21, 2019.
- Things to Do in Kadıköy, Luxos, May, 2019.
- When Old is New Again in Istanbul, Luxos, May, 2019.
- A Multicultural Mosaic in Istanbul – Kadikoy, Istanbul’s Other Side, Luxos, August 10, 2018.
- Stepping Back Through Chalcedon: Kadikoy Walk – Discover Kadikoy’s multicultural past as you immerse yourself in everyday life in contemporary Istanbul on my specially curated audio tour, December 17, 2016.
Istanbul – European side
- Raimondo D’Arcono – an Italian Architect in Istanbul, Bosphorus Review of Books, March 1, 2020.
- Istanbul’s Arnavutkoy Embracing Change for Centuries, Al-Monitor, December 6, 2019.
- Istanbul’s Waterfront Idyll: Arnavutköy, Luxos Magazine, spring/summer 2017 Istanbul, April, pp. 44-49.
Food
- Wine and Dine: International Dining in Istanbul, Porthole Cruise and Travel, October, 2024
- Turkish Delights: Culinary keys to the culture of Istanbul, Elevate, p21, Going Places, Malaysian Airlines Magazine, September 2024
- A Local Reveals 8 Must-Eat Dishes in Turkey and Where to Find Them, Shermans Travel, September 19, 2023.
- Wine and Dine: Kadıköy Cuisine, Porthole Cruise and Travel, January, 2023.
- Turkish Wine – 5 Must-Try Wine Bars in Istanbul Turkey, A taste for travel, 15 August, 2022.
- Turkey section in How to Cook Rice Around the World: Rice Cooking Tips from the Experts, Grantourismo, Ocober 4, 2020.
- Best Turkish Foods: 23 Delicious Dishes, CNN Travel, April 9, 2020.
- Istanbul’s Asitane is a ‘gateway’ to the city’s culinary past, PRI, January 17, 2020.
- 10 Turkish Specialties Not to Miss in Istanbul, Wine4Food, December 4, 2019.
- Turkey’s ancient tradition of ‘paying it forward’, BBC Travel, November 26, 2019.
- Rich Ottoman recipes grace Istanbul tables, Al-Monitor, September 13, 2019
- Restaurants with a View in Istanbul, Luxos, May, 2019.
- This Odd Turkish Dessert is Made with Chicken, Fodors, March 19, 2018.
- “A Touch of Spice”, Lale: Magazine of the International Women of Istanbul, May Issue 05, 2014.
Culture & Society
- Interview with Idil Erdoğan for Hidden Carers by Puja Bhattacharjee, ADP Rethink Quarterly, September 15, 2022.
- Turkish barbers beyond beards — from past to present plus expert tips for shaving at home, CNN Travel, November 15, 2021.
- The Language of Swimming: Freestyle of Overarm?, Yabangee, July 12, 2018.
- Shopping for Unmentionables: Buying Underwear in Turkey, Yabangee, June 21, 2018.
- A Five Star Toilet – Bathroom Tales in Turkey, Yabangee, March 8, 2018.
- “Celebration Time”, Lale: Magazine of the International Women of Istanbul, November/December, 2014, pp. 28-30.
- Cultural Encounters, The Story Teller and Life, Izlekler, August 11, 2014.
- What lies ahead for a brave new Turkey?, The Drum, ABC News, July 18, 2013.
- A night in Istanbul: democracy is under threat, The Drum, ABC News, June 19, 2013.
- Everyday I’m chapulling: life in Turkey during the uprising, The Drum, ABC News, June 14, 2013.
- Turkish protest about more than just a park, The Drum, ABC News, June 4, 2013.
Art & Architecture
- Like a Bird on Barbed Wire, Hyperallergic, February 22, 2023.
- Turkish Homeware: (Re)presenting the Past in the Present, Luxos Magazine, spring/summer 2018 Istanbul, April, pp. 52-57.
- Glass Birds Perched in a Berlin Museum as a Metaphor for Migration, Hyperallergic, February 27, 2018.
History
- Nakiye Elgun was a well-known feminist in Ottoman times, PRI, March 7, 2019.
- The Turkish Fez, Hats & Ataturk, Yabangee, August 27, 2018.
Language & literature
- How to Improve Your Turkish, Invisible Idiot, October 16, 2019.
- Turkish Literature 101: Nazim Hikmet Ran, Yabangee, September 21, 2018.
- A Surprising Way to Improve Your Turkish: Bureaucracy Part II, Yabangee, May 3, 2018
- A Surprising Way to Improve Your Turkish: Bureaucracy Part I, Yabangee, April 26, 2018.
- “Learning Turkish: Do as I say not as I do!”, Lale: Magazine of the International Women of Istanbul, September/October, 2014, pp. 36-37
Religion
- Ramazan Dos and Don’ts for Yabangees, Yabangee, May 6, 2019.
Other – Creative non-fiction
- Rakkas – Being and Becoming, Expat Sofra: Culinary Tales of Foreign Women in Turkey, October 14, 2019.
- Metrobus Dreams, The Two Currents: Bosphorus Review of Books Anthology, April 15, 2019.
- Hamam, Bosphorus Review of Books, September 1, 2018.
- To the Wedding, Bosphorus Review of Books, March Issue, 2018.
- You Are My Sunshine: Farewelling My Father, Bosphorus Review of Books, January Issue, 2018.
- Metrobus Dreams, Bosphorus Review of Books, September Issue, 2017.