turkey

Visiting the Museum of Innocence in Istanbul, Turkey

Visiting the Museum of Innocence in Istanbul, Turkey

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It wasn’t my first time visiting the Museum of Innocence in Cukurcuma, a neighborhood in Beyoglu, not too far from the center of Istanbul. Back in 2016, I went there with my then-boyfriend as I brought Orhan Pamuk’s novel with me after I read it in 2012. Though I went there on my last day in Istanbul, it was on Monday, and the museum was closed when we went there.

So when I made Yalova my temporary home last year, I knew that I needed to prioritize the Museum of Innocence on top of everything else when I made my way to Istanbul at the time. Because of this, I decided to book an Airbnb in Beyoglu after visiting Ankara beforehand.

In this post, I’m going to focus more on my experience of visiting the Museum of Innocence in Istanbul. But apart from my view as a visitor, I also want to share my two cents from a reader’s point of view as I’ve read the novel long before I made my way to the museum.

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Ariya Yildiz Apartment in Beyoglu, Istanbul.

Review: Accommodation in Beyoglu, Istanbul – Private Room at Ariya Yildiz Apartment

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Beyoglu is one of the most popular areas for tourists to stay in Istanbul. Not only is it close to some must-visit spots like Istiklal Street or Galata Tower, but the area is full of restaurants and bars that you can visit within walking distance. On top of that, it’s fairly easy to find affordable accommodation in Beyoglu, Istanbul!

Since I stayed in Yalova last year, I decided to stay in Istanbul for a few days after my trip to Ankara. After I got disappointed with Liva Suite Hotel in Taksim, I decided to book my accommodation through Airbnb this time, and that was when I found a private room at Ariya Yildiz Apartment in Beyoglu.

Although I was intrigued to find accommodation a bit further away from Beyoglu, I decided to choose accommodation in Beyoglu instead since the only reason I stopped by Istanbul at the time was that I wanted to visit the Museum of Innocence in Beyoglu.

I thought it would be nice to have a nice walk to the museum from the accommodation while also getting a chance to check out some cafe nearby. Well, as disappointing as it sounds, if there’s anything I’ve learned about traveling to Istanbul, I feel like I shouldn’t trust my judgment when I go to the city!

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historical places to visit in ankara

6 Historical Places To Visit in Ankara, Turkey

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There is no doubt that Turkey (now officially known as Türkiye) is one of the best places to visit if you’re a history buff. You can visit endless historical places in Turkey, from getting mesmerized by the ancient architecture as far as the Bronze Age in Cappadocia to the ancient Greek city like Ephesus or the past glory of the Ottoman Empire in Edirne. And for exactly the same reason, the capital city of Turkey, Ankara, is often overlooked compared to other destinations in the country.

If I gotta be honest, that was also one of the reasons why it took so long for me to finally visit Ankara. In fact, I don’t think I’d even include Ankara in my itinerary if it wasn’t because of my appointment with the Embassy of Estonia to pick up the digital kit for my e-residency. And for that, I decided to stay in Ankara for 3 days.

Now that I’ve been to Ankara, I have to say that it’s also a great place to visit if you love history. The only difference is that Ankara seems to be a great location if you want to dig for more information about modern Turkey. In this post, I’m going to share some must-visit places to visit in Ankara if you want to explore more knowledge about the country’s history in the capital city.

So, what are the must-visit historical places to visit in Ankara? Is Ankara worth visiting? Let’s find out!

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31 Best Places to Celebrate New Year’s Eve

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Traveling to celebrate New Year’s Eve can be fun. It’s the popular time of the year, especially since it’s only a few days after Christmas, which makes you get the most out of the holidays. Deciding where to go or the best place to visit for New Year can be hard, and that’s why I’m compiling this post to showcase some of the best places to celebrate this festive event.

While celebrating New Year’s Eve sounds like a novelty, there are also some downsides to it since it’s the peak season and almost everything, from accommodations and tourist attractions, increases their rate during this time of the year.

If you’re currently planning a trip to celebrate the next New Year’s Eve in a new place, you may want to consider one of these best places to visit for the new year. So, where would you celebrate it next year?

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Cihan Palas Yeni Hotel: A Budget-Friendly Hotel in Ankara, Turkey

Cihan Palas Yeni Hotel: A Budget-Friendly Hotel in Ankara, Turkey

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Writing a review of Cihan Palas Yeni Hotel, the budget-friendly hotel where I stayed in Ankara, was long overdue as I got super packed after publishing my review on the sleeper train from Istanbul Halkali to Ankara Gar last month.

It was my first time in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey (officially known as Türkiye these days), and I honestly didn’t expect much from the city since I imagined Ankara would be a typical capital city almost everywhere in the world: with so many things going on that it comes off as borderline boring.

In this post, I’m going to write specifically about Cihan Palas Yeni Hotel, the hotel where I spent 3 nights in Ankara. It was also the first time I booked accommodation with the “room assigned on arrival” option on Agoda, so I will share my two cents about the booking process, the hotel, and my stay at the property.

So, how was Cihan Palas Yeni Hotel in Ankara?

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