Dolmuş is the Turkish word for filled, stuffed or full, and refers to the yellow shared taxis or minibuses that operate in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey. They are an easy, quick and useful means of transportation for small rides to and from destinations just outside the city center. But, what destinations do they cover, how do you take such a shared taxi, how and where can you get off, and how do you pay for it? And where can you find the dolmuş stops?

What is a dolmuş?

A dolmuş is actually a shared taxi that seats maximum 8 passengers. They drive day and night on pre-determined routes, but without set stops. The idea is that each passenger only pays one eight of the fee a normal Istanbul taxi would charge for the same destination. Therefore, the minibus normally only sets off when all the seats are taken.

How and where can you take a dolmuş?

How to get on a dolmuş in Istanbul?

You can either go to the dolmuş departure point for a certain route, or flag them down on the street. I suggest getting on the dolmuş at its point of origin, because on popular routes it’s very difficult to find a shared taxi with seats available once it’s on the road.
Before you get into the minibus, make sure you’re about to hop on the correct one. Their point of origin and final destination are displayed on the front window, usually on the passenger’s side. Once you’re sure it’s going in the right direction, just hop in and take a seat. No need to take a ticket or token, you’ll pay when once it starts driving (see below).

Here are some of the most popular or useful dolmuş routes, with their place mark on the map:

• Taksim – Kadıköy
• Taksim – Bostancı
• Taksim – Teşvikiye
• Taksim – Beşiktaş
• Taksim – Aksaray
• Taksim – Topkapı
• Taksim – Bakırköy
• Taksim – Yeşilköy
• Taksim – Şirineveler

View Popular Dolmus (Dolmuş) Starting Points in a larger map

How and how much do you pay for a dolmuş?

I can’t give you a pricelist. The prices vary from route to route, and you can even bargain if you intend to get of halfway the final destination. But to give you an idea, rates vary between TL 3 to 5. You can of course ask the driver, but it’s easier to watch what everybody else is paying.

Make sure to have small notes (maximum TL 5 or 10) or exact change. Paying starts after the dolmuş leaves its stand. In case you can’t reach the driver to hand him your money, just give it to a fellow passenger in front of you. He’ll forward it to the driver and give you back your change. You may be asked to do the same for locals seated behind you.

How and where can you get off the dolmuş?

If you want to get off before the shared taxi reaches its final destination, just shout inecek var – somebody wants to get out (you can check the correct Turkish pronunciation rules here). The driver will stop at the first convenient spot available and probably open the door beforehand. By all means, don’t jump out before the minibus comes to a complete standstill.

Is taking a dolmuş safe?

Yes. You may have the impression they drive a bit wild, but these drivers know their routs and minibus inside out. Accidents are rare.

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As of today you can enjoy the state-of-the-art Istanbul Trails picture gallery. In my quest to provide my readers with the best Istanbul experience on the web, I decided that simply embedding a handful of pictures in an additional post was under par. Instead I created Istanbul Trails Photos, a place dedicated to photographs of Istanbul and an integral part of Istanbul Trails.

Aesthetic Intervention Required

It goes without saying that I take a lot of pictures while wandering around Istanbul and conducting research for my posts. But ever since I started this blog, I struggled to find an adequate way to present you these photographs. During the first year I embedded six to ten of them in a post, and used the Lightbox script to present you the bigger version of the thumbnails. But this little workaround started to generate errors. So since the New Year, bigger versions just showed up in a blank page. Not aesthetic, and annoying for my readers.

All Istanbul Pictures In One Place

There had to be a better way, so I searched, and searched … and found. I decided to give my pictures their own spot, embedded in a nice and easy to navigate design thanks to the Reflection theme. And you my dear reader, will benefit from it most! You no longer have to select a certain topic, you can see all the pictures at once by using the gallery page of Istanbul Trails Photos. Of course you can still browse by topic, by year or at random – it’s up to you. I suggest you read the Istanbul Trails Photos about page first, so you know how to make most out of this gallery.

But whichever option you chose, you will get even better informed than before. Every image comes with shot notes, exif information and a possibility to leave a comment. And last but not least, bookmark Istanbul Trails Photo, because I will add a new picture on a daily basis.

I hope you appreciate the effort and look forward to read your comments, here on in the photo gallery!

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I think it’s fair to say that the Bosphorus is the maritime counterpart of Istiklal Caddesi – it’s one of the busiest ’streets’ in Istanbul. Or should I say the world, since it’s the second busiest strait on the planet. On average 48,000 vessels per year transit between the  Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea by using this Istanbul strait – a narrow ‘S-shaped’ complex natural channel with several sharp turns and headlands, which prevent a proper overview, and with changing currents. That’s 132 vessels per day, not including local traffic consisting of public transportation ferries, Bosphorus cruises and fishing boats.

Bosphorus Facts & History

The Bosphorus (İstanbul Boğazı) is the northeastern strait of the Sea of Marmara, which connects this inner sea with the Black Sea. Even today there is still a lot of speculation about the origin of the Bosphorus.

One recent theory (published in 1997 by William Ryan and Walter Pitman from Columbia University) contends that the Bosporus was formed about 5600 B.C. when the rising waters of the Mediterranean/Sea of Marmara breached through to the Black Sea, which at the time (according to the theory) was a low-lying body of fresh water. Yanko-Hombach, a geology professor of Odessa State University, Ukraine, claims that the water flow through the Bosporus repeatedly reversed direction over geological time depending on the relative water levels of the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. This contradicts the proposed catastrophic breakage of a Bosporus sill on which Ryan and Pitman base their hypothesis. Undoubtedly to be continued.

The first Bosphorus bridge in Istanbul.

What we do know are the following facts about Bosphorus. It is 32 km long, with a maximum width of 3,700 m at the northern entrance, and a minimum width of 700 m between Kandilli and Aşiyan and 750 m between Anadoluhisarı and Rumelihisarı. The depth changes from 36 to 124 m in midstream.

Two bridges connect the European and the Asian continents. The first bridge over the Bosphorus is simply called the Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü), measures 1074 meters and was completed in 1973. The second bridge (1090 meters long) was completed in 1988, and is called the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü). Locals also refer to the bridges as the first and the second bridge.

Bosphorus Mansions (yalı)

A mansion (yalı) on the shores of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.

The shores of Bosphorus have always been the city’s most favorite locations for settlements. The trademark of the Bosphorus is the yalı – a house or mansion constructed at the immediate waterside (almost exclusively seaside) in Istanbul. More than 600 finely worked wood constructions, mostly in the style of traditional Turkish houses, are lined next to one another and make the Bosphorus tour a treat for your eyes. The oldest surviving yalı is the one built by the grand vizier Amcazade Köprülü Hüseyin Pasha (of the highly influent Köprülü family) in 1699 in the Kanlıca district, on the Asian shores of the Bosphorus. The most expensive yalı is ‘Erbilgin Yalısı‘ located in Yeniköy, Istanbul. Forbes magazine listed ‘Erbilgin Yalısı‘ as the fifth most expensive house in the world with a price tag of $100 million.

On the surface of the Bosphorus the current usually flows from the Black Sea towards the Sea of Marmara. However, at a certain dept, the current flows in the exact opposite direction.

Strategic Importance

The Bosphorus has a huge strategic importance, both economical and military. In recent history alone, twice has the control over the Istanbul strait been at stake: in the Russo–Turkish War (1877–1878) and during World War I when in 1915 Allied Forces attacked the Dardanelles.

Currently, according to the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Turkish Straits of July 1936, the Bosphorus is treated as an international shipping lane, but Turkey does retain the right to restrict the naval traffic of non-Black Sea nations.

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No Istanbul experience is complete without a cruise up the Bosphorus. A bold statement? Sure, but in my opinion, it is as crucial as visiting any of the other major sightseeing spots. Certainly from June to September it’s one of Istanbul’s greatest pleasures. There are several ways to take a tour on the Bosphorus. But take my advice, don’t get tempted by the private bout tour offers ‘hustlers’ on the docks of Eminönü make. There is no better deal than the Scenic Bosphorus Tour operated by IDO – Istanbul’s Fast Ferry and Seabus Company. And did you know they also offer an unmissable night cruise on the Bosphorus?

Bosphorus Details

With two shores laden with highlights over a 32 km stretch, I decided to break up the more detailed descriptions of the Bosphorus and its main attractions in the following pages:

• Do You Know These Bosphorus Facts and Figures?
• Map of the Scenic Bosphorus Tour Ferry Route
• Cruise Highlights of the Lower Bosphorus
• Don’t Miss These Spots of the Middle Bosphorus during Your Cruise
• Cruising On the Upper Bosphorus towards the Black Sea

Bosphorus Cruises (Boğaz Turu)

As I said before, stay clear of the private companies that offer cruises on the Bosphorus. They are overpriced, offer smaller tours and operate boats that often barely look seaworthy. Instead, either opt for tours provided by Turyol or IDO, where the latter has my preference.

IDO Scenic Bosphorus Tour (IDO Boğaziçi Özel Gezi)

The IDO dock in Eminönü.

Standing in Eminönü facing the Galata Tower, you’ll find the IDO Bosphorus Tour dock on the right-hand side of the Galata Bridge. The full cruise takes you for TL 20 from Eminönü to the Black Sea and back. Each way takes about 90 minutes, but you also want to get off the boat and spend some time in Anadolu Kavağı (the last stop, close to the Black Sea). There you can have lunch in one of the many fish restaurants and/or visit the fortress. So don’t throw away your boat ticket, because you’ll need it to board the ferry again after your excursion.

Every day, there are three boats going in the direction of the Black Sea, and of course three boats back. You can get on and off the ferry at either of the following docks, but to make the most of your trip I suggest starting in either Eminönü or Kabataş. Please note that the timetables below are only valid from 15 June to 23 September 2009.

Not applicable on Saturdays and Sundays
Applicable on Saturdays and Sundays

IDO Scenic Bosphorus Tour by Night (IDO Boğaziçi Özel Gezi)

The Dolmabahçe Palace at night.

If you ask me, this one really is top of the bill. From 1 July until 21 August, every Saturday you can make a nightly cruise on the Bosphorus. The ferry heads for the Black Sea just before the sun starts to set. Once in Anadolu Kavağı, you have 70 minutes to go ashore and enjoy a dinner in one of the many fish restaurants.

By the time you board the ferry again, darkness has fallen and you’ll enjoy the Bosphorus by night, in all its grace with nicely lit monuments and a variety of city lights, including the Bosphorus Bridge. So, for a mere TL 20, you get to see both shapes of the Bosphorus in one cruise.

Make sure though not to miss the boat back at 22:00, it really is the last boat!

Turyol Bosphorus Tour (Turyol Boğaz Turu)

If you’re pressed for time or don’t fancy a long cruise on the Bosphorus, then you may want to check out Turyol. They are located on the left-hand side of the Galata Bridge. For TL 9 Turyol takes you on a 90 minutes Bosphorus trip to the second bridge and back. From 12:00 onwards (11:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 on Sundays), boats depart approximately every hour. The last boat leaves the docks at 20:00.

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As a reader of Istanbul Trails, you can have me as your personal guide from 29 June until 6 September 2009. This service is part of the new Istanbul Trails Support Pack that I offer to tourists and business men visiting Istanbul during the summer months. Not only will you be able to pick my brain on virtually any Istanbul related question that may spring to your mind, you’ll also save a lot of time and money with it. Find out below how I’ll be at your beck & call!

Why I Introduce the Istanbul Trails Support Pack?

I try hard to offer my readers the most complete Istanbul tourist information service available. And by establishing this local Istanbul hot line, I am able to provide you with quick and tailor-made advice and support, at the time you need it most.

Up to now I responded to questions from tourists on the road in Istanbul that reached me via mails and tweets sent from their mobile devices. But in the case of Twitter, I often felt limited by the quality of the advice I could squeeze into 140 characters. And with mail I was lacking the quick interaction needed to get to the bottom of the request. Not to mention that I’m not monitoring my mail inbox and tweets every second of the day.

I do of course always have my mobile phone with me, so with giving people the chance to call me for advice at local rates (I’ll lend you a local SIM card), I think I can take my service to a higher level. It’s quick, cheap, and to the point.

Advantages of the Istanbul Trails Support Pack

To give you an example, the other day I received a mail from a reader wondering where he could find the best kebap place in town to have dinner later that day. I already recommend the Hamdi restaurant here on Istanbul Trails, but the reader either forgot the name or didn’t have a chance to check out that page before he arrived in Istanbul.
Unfortunately, I saw that mail too late and he picked a different restaurant. Needless to say I felt sorry. If he had the chance to call me, in under five minutes I could have recommended the restaurant, give him directions and even made a reservation form him if would have wanted that.

And that’s only one of the many advantages of the Istanbul Trails Support Pack. Certainly considering that most Turks only speak Turkish and that from the moment you leave your hotel until you return (late) in the evening, you’re pretty much on your own. So do check out all the advantages and details of the Istanbul Trails Support Pack, as well as the typical situations tourist often find themselves in.

How to Get the Istanbul Trails Support Pack

Simply visit the Istanbul Trails Support Pack and fill in the form at the bottom of the page.

Photo Credit: Ed Yourdon

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The map below shows the route that the ferry takes during the Scenic Bosphorus Tour. A cruise on the Bosphorus (Boğaziçi) is simply put an excursion you can’t afford to miss. There are plenty of highlights and the sea-breeze offers a welcome refreshment on hot summer days. Not to mention that the setting is extremely romantic at dusk.

On the map, you’ll see the route the ferry takes (back and forth) and the docks where it briefly stops to let people on and off. In chronological order (and from south/bottom to north/up), the boat icons represent the following docks:

• Eminönü (Lower Bosphorus, European shore)
• Beşiktaş (Lower Bosphorus, European shore)
• Kanlıca (Middle Bosphorus, Asian shore)
• Yeniköy (Middle Bosphorus, European shore)
• Sariyer (Upper Bosphorus, European shore)
• Rumeli Kavağı (Upper Bosphorus, European shore)
• Anadolu Kavağı (Upper Bosphorus, Asian shore)

View The Route of the Scenic Bosphorus Tour in a larger map

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As of today you can consult Istanbul Trails on your cellular phone via a tailor made interface (by BraveNewCode) for mobile devices. With the holiday season just around the corner and a growing amount of people possessing mobile phones capable of browsing the web, I thought the time had come to provide this extra service to my readers. Certainly since Türk Telekom is implementing more and more (against a fee) hotspots in Istanbul, enabling you to quickly recheck some info while onthego.

Mobile vs Classic

Post excerpts of a post on the mobile version of Istanbul Trails.

Istanbul Trails was of course already available on mobile devices in its original classic version. But the new mobile version has plenty of advantages for 3G visitors. The mobile version is stripped from complex java scripts, has no flash animation nor advertising, and pictures are reduced in size. This all improves the load speed, without compromising most of the websites features.

By default, the new mobile version will load when you browse to Istanbul Trails on your mobile device. But for those among you who still prefer the classic version, just scroll to the bottom and switch back.

Stripped Yet Powerful

Pictures are still visible inside the posts.

Navigation within the mobile version is plain, easy and quick. The homepage shows the title, publish date, amount of comments, categories and tags of the last 10 posts. Although I try to make the post titles as descriptive as possible, you can see an excerpt of the post by clicking on the arrow on the right of the title. To read the entire post, as usual click on the post title.

To find older posts you have two options, both located at the top right of the screen of your mobile device. You can either look in the menu or browse in the category overview.

Another feature that still exists is the possibility to read and post comments. So, for those among you with web enabled mobile devices, surf to Istanbul Trails, bookmark it and leave a comment about your findings of the mobile version.

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The Turkish national dish is undoubtedly the kebap. Kebap refers to a variety of meat dishes, consisting of grilled or broiled meats (usually lamb or beef) on a skewer or stick.

The word kabab is ultimately from Arabic and originally meant fried meat, not grilled meat. Only in the Turkish period, did kebap gain its current meaning. Turkish tradition has it that medieval Turkic soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires invented the dish.

One of the most famous kebap dishes is undoubtedly döner. But the kebap comes in many forms, of which you’ll find a wide variety in Istanbul. Take a look at the list below so you know what to order … and to expect.

Grilled Kebabs

• Adana Kebabı – Minced meat (lamb), dried red and green hot pepper, garlic and fresh red pepper are kneaded, coated on the skewers and grilled.
• Antep Kebabı – Minced meat is kneaded with red hot pepper and salt, grilled and served with pide (pitta bread), onion, tomato and green pepper.
• Çağ Kebabı – Very thin sliced lamb meat is rested in onion, yogurt, salt and pepper for a day, put on a skewer, and then grilled. Thin slices are cut like döner and served on skewers with grilled pepper, tomato and onions.
• Döner – Pieces of meat and minced meat are put on a big skewer, cooked vertically by spinning it next to the grill. If you know that dönmek means ‘to turn’, then you understand the origin of the word döner. Thin pieces are cut like leaves with a big knife. Can be served on a plate, in between bread or with pide. Döner dürüm is wrapped in lavaş (tortilla like thin leaves of bread) with some tomato, lettuce, pickles and fried potatoes.
• İskender Kebap – Döner meat is laid on pieces of pide dressed with butter. Yogurt is served on a side of the plate and if preferred tomato sauce and extra butter can be used for dressing. It is also known as Bursa Kebabı.
• Patlıcan Kebabı – Minced meat, salt and pepper kneaded and meatballs are put on the skewer in turns with big pieces of aubergines. Served with grilled tomatoes and peppers.
• Şiş Kebap – Small cubes of lamb meat are rested in onion, yogurt, salt, pepper and olive oil for two hours and then grilled with cubes of pepper and tomato.
• Urfa Kebabı – Minced meat (lamb), dried red hot pepper, onion, tomato and parsley are kneaded, coated on the skewers and grilled. Served on small pieces of pide and dressed with gravy.

Stove or oven cooked Kebabs

• Alinazik – Roasted small chopped pieces of steak or minced meat are served on top of the mash of broiled and peeled aubergine, yogurt, garlic and spices.
• Beyti Kebap – Minded meat is kneaded with tomato, tomato paste, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Wrapped in lavaş (see above), baked and served with tomato sauce and yogurt.
• Buğu Kebabı – Small pieces of lamb meat are cooked with tomato, shallot (small onions), thyme, daphne, salt and pepper in casserole (clay pot) covered with dough not to let the steam go out.
• Kağıt Kebabı – Sebzeli kebap (see below) is cooked, wrapped in fireproof paper and oven cooked some more.
• Sebzeli kebap – Pieces of meat cooked in a pot with various vegetables like onion, potato, carrot, tomato, aubergine, pepper.
• Tandır Kebabı – Lamb chops (legs) are baked with lemon, onion, tomato and green pepper, served with fried potatoes.

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Köfte is commonly translated as meatballs – but this is selling the Turkish versions a bit short. It is believed that there are 291 different kinds of meatballs (köfte) in Turkey. However, originally meatballs came from Iran. They called a mixture of vegetables and eggs covered with meat küfte. Once the Turks got their hands on them, they increased the diversity of the dish enormously and called it köfte. Make sure to eat at least once this Turkish delicacy.

Köfte Ingredients

The diversity comes from a number of sources, such as:

• the minced meat used: lamb or calf
• the onion: grated or chopped
• the cooking style: fried, grilled or baked
• variety and preferences in spices
• type and amount of oil or butter used for frying
• amount of the fat the meat has

Most Common Köfte Dishes

Below you will find the most common meatball dishes (köfte çeşitleri) that you can find in Istanbul (or Turkey for that matter).

• Kuru köfte – Kuru means dry because there is no dressing or sauce, just kneaded and pan fried rolls of minced meat, onion, egg, bread (soaked in water and squeezed), parsley, pepper and köfte baharı (spices mixed for meatballs). Cumin and garlic are optional.
• Dalyan köfte – It is prepared as kuru köfte and rolled as a big loaf with carrots, peas and even hard boiled eggs in the center. Baked in the oven and served in slices.
• İzmir köftesi – The kuru köfte and potatoes cooked with tomato sauce in a pot on the stove or in an oven.
• Çiğ köfte – Fatless minced meat kneaded with grinded wheat (ince bulgur), onion, tomato or red pepper paste and spices like cumin, paprika, pepper, mint, coriander, cinnamon. This is a raw dish, served with lettuce and is ordered as a starter.
• Şiş köfte – It is prepared as kuru köfte, wrapped around a skewer and grilled (originally on a charcoal fire).
• Harput köftesi – Small balls of kneaded minced meat, wheat, onion, parsley, pepper and sweet basil cooked in a sauce of butter, water, tomato and/or red pepper paste.


İçli Köfte is served with lemon and parsley.

• Mercimek köftesi – Red lentil and grinded wheat kneaded with onion, parsley and tomato paste. Served with rocket or lettuce.
• Izgara köfte – It is prepared as kuru köfte only the egg doesn’t participate in the game and it is grilled.
• İçli köfte – Roasted minced meat, onion and walnut with a coating of wheat, flour, egg and red pepper paste. Generally served as a starter. It looks like a big egg, mostly fried but can be boiled as well.
• İnegöl köftesi – Balls of very thoroughly kneaded minced meat, onion, pepper and sodium bicarbonate are cooked in the oven. To get the taste of the meat, very few spices are used.
• Kadınbudu köfte – Big balls of kneaded roasted minced meat and onions with boiled rice are fried after being dipped in flour and eggs.
• Tekirdağ köftesi – It is prepared as kuru köfte, only the bread is used as dry small pieces.
• Sulu köfte – It is a soup like dish. Small balls of kneaded minced meat, grinded wheat or rice, onion and parsley are cooked in a sauce of butter, tomato paste and water. Some prepare the sauce with small cubes of carrots and potatoes as well.
• Ekşili köfte – It is called terbiyeli köfte, too and prepared as sulu köfte. The difference is the additional sour (ekşi) taste. An egg, lemon, yogurt and flour mixture is used to get the sour taste.

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The Turkish Grand Prix will take place on June 7 2009 and is the seventh Grand Prix of the 2009 Formula One World Championship. The venue for this Formula One motor race, which debuted on August 25 2005, is Istanbul Park (Istanbul Parkı), also known as Istanbul Racing Circuit. Drivers and spectators alike praise this state-of-the art counter-clockwise racetrack. Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has even called it “the best race track in the world”. If you are a Formula 1 fan (and happen to be in Istanbul), this is an event you simply can’t afford to miss.

Istanbul Park Race Track Characteristics

Istanbul Park racetrack layout.

The newly built Istanbul Park race circuit is located in Pendik on the Asian side of Istanbul. It was constructed by the famous German civil engineer Hermann Tilke, who had a hand in the Austrian A1-Ring changes, previously built the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and the Bahrain International Circuit of Bahrain. The circuit is one of only three circuits on the Formula One Grand Prix calendar that runs counter-clockwise, the others being the Interlagos circuit and the Singapore Street Circuit.

The Istanbul Park racetrack follows the contours of the land, hence runs over four different ground levels. The circuit is 5.338 km long, with a start/finish straight of 650 m and a total of 16 corners. In particular Turn Eight (a fast, sweeping corner with four apexes) has been appraised by the drivers. Also notable is Turn One, a sharp downhill left-hander immediately after the front straight.

The Istanbul Park racetrack has a total capacity of 155.000 spectators, of which 25.000 can find a seat on the main grandstand.

Istanbul Park Driver Quotes

“It is an amazing track to drive, with so many different challenges, and overtaking is possible. The circuit is pretty wide, which always helps when you are trying to pass. It is a very physically demanding circuit, all the fast corners, such as Turn Eight which is awesome and flat out, and the heat place a big demand on the drivers.” ~ Lewis Hamilton, McLaren

“I am looking forward to Turkey, which will always have a special significance for me, as it was in Istanbul that I got my first ever Grand Prix victory. I love the track and the city. Istanbul Park is a really great track and everyone talks about Turn Eight, which is definitely one of the best corners of the season. I like this corner, and it is really challenging.” ~ Felipe Massa, Ferrari

The grandstand of the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix in Istanbul Park, Turkey.

“The track is great to drive, with some sections that are really on the limit and what you want to race on as a driver, Turn Eight in particular. We race anti-clockwise and this also adds a challenge. The final factor is that the track is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar, with long fast corners.” ~ Fernando Alonso, McLaren

“The Turkish Grand Prix has quickly become one of my favourite races on the F1 calendar. The track layout is excellent with a challenging combination of long straights, tight hairpins and the very high-speed Turn Eight. The changes in elevation also contribute to making it a fun circuit for the drivers. There are some really good overtaking opportunities at Turn One and Turn Three. You really need to consciously push hard all the way round and use the track’s camber to your full advantage.” ~ Jenson Button, Honda

Previous Winners of the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix

2008 – Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
2007 – Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
2006 – Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
2005 – Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren-Mercedes)

Getting To Istanbul Park

Istanbul Park is located in Pendik on the Asian side of Istanbul, around 55 km east of the city centre (Taksim). It is adjacent to the newly constructed Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and is surrounded by forests and fields.

Although it is close to the junction of Kurtköy on the north side of the TEM Motorway, linking Istanbul to Ankara, I strongly advice neither to go by car nor to hire a car for the occasion. On normal days, traffic in Istanbul is already hectic and clogged, so you can imagine what it will look like on a race day.

The best alternative is to take a sea bus from Kabataş to Pendik, where you can hop on special shuttle busses. On race days, there are also municipal buses available various points in and around Istanbul, including Ataturk Airport, Taksim Square, Mecidiyeköy, Kadıköy, Bostancı and Pendik.

Photo Credit: Will Pittenger

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