All About Turkey

New terminal at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen airport

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:31:00 +0000

Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), located on the Asian side of Istanbul, opened its new International Terminal complex on 31 October 2009, which will be operation starting from November 9th. It's said that the new terminal will multiply airport’s annual capacity to a 25 million passengers, and more international flights will land and depart from this airport.

The new terminal has a hotel, a big food court area and a big duty free shopping area at international standards.

U2 in Istanbul on September 6th, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:39:00 +0000

Following the success of the 2009 tour, U2 have confirmed that the 360° Tour will continue in 2010.

European fans who missed out this year will have a new opportunity to experience the 360° Tour with stops confirmed in Germany, Denmark, Finland, Russia, Austria, Greece, Turkey, France, Brussels, Spain and Portugal.

The concert in Istanbul will be held on 6th of September 2010 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

Istanbul Biennial Sep-Nov 2009

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:37:00 +0000

The 11th edition of International Istanbul Biennial will be held between 12 September - 8 November 2009 in Istanbul. It will be curated by What, How & for Whom (WHW), a non-profit organization for visual culture and curators’ collective based in Zagreb, Croatia.

The Biennial is one of the most important cultural events of Istanbul which is housed in several venues around the old and new city (such as the Underground Cistern, Hagia Irene and the imperial mint inside the Topkapi Palace, Taksim-Beyoglu etc).

This is an important cultural event, and in 2010 Istanbul will be the Cultural Capital of Europe, a huge cultural event in the continent.

Istanbul Formula 1 race in 2009

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:45:00 +0000

In 2009 Istanbul Formula 1 race will be held between June 5-7 at Istanbul Park race circuit. This is one of the most popular motor sport events around the world.

Most of the hotels in Istanbul are already fully booked for this period.

Intercontinental Istanbul Marathon, 26 Oct

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:42:00 +0000

30th edition of the Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon will be run on two continents on 26 October 2008, Sunday. It starts from the Asian side of Istanbul, and ends on the European side of the city.

Besides the 42km marathon, there is also a 10km public run with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people. This gives great images on the Bosphorus bridge.

New museum fees

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:33:00 +0000

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has raised the costs of museum tickets in "all" of their museums throughout the country as of 1st of August 2008. Most of the museums tickets are doubled (such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi palace etc).

Please note that this raise applies to ALL museums of the Ministry, not the private or local government museums, at leats not yet. Most probabily they'll also rates their tickets after the Ministry.

Please also note that all payments for the museum tickets (belonging to the Ministry) has to be made in Turkish Liras. Some big museums (Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Ephesus etc) accept credit cards too.

Istanbul Formula 1 race, May 9-11

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:13:00 +0000

5th leg of 2008 Formula 1 race will be held at Istanbul Park race circuit in Istanbul between May 9th - 11th, 2008. Alonso, Raikonen, Massa and many other pilots will be competing for the checker flag. 110 thousand spectators are expected on stage, and about 3 billion people will be seeing it on TV around the world. Don't miss this great international motor sports event.

Tulip Festival in Istanbul, April 5-13

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:33:00 +0000

3rd edition of the International Istanbul Tulip Festival will be held in various parks of Istanbul with millions of tulips poping up around, between April 5th-13th, 2008. Especially the Emirgan Park will be the center of the festivities.

For those who doesn't know, Tulips are originated from Turkey, not from Holland !!

New domestic airline

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:26:00 +0000

A new domestic airline company of Turkey, Anadolu Jet, will be flying from Ankara to various cities throughout the country. Anadolu Jet is a sister company of the Turkish Airlines, and it will be a low-cost airline for all domestic flights.

2008 Saint Paul Year

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 11:02:00 +0000

Pope Benedict XVI has declared 2008 the "Year of Saint Paul" in honour of the saint, marking 2000 years since St Paul's birth this year. The anniversary year formally begins on 28 June, and many Christian pilgrims are expected to visit his church in Tarsus.

Saint Paul was raised as a Jew named Saul in Tarsus and later changed his name to Paul. He made three journeys through Anatolia between the years AD 47 and 57, preaching the Gospel and writing letters to the Ephesians and Galatians, before he was arrested in Jerusalem and beheaded in Rome in AD 65.

Istanbul Boat Show

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:42:00 +0000

27th edition of International Istanbul Boat Show will be open between 8-16 December 2007 at Istanbul Fair Center in Yesilkoy district.

Turkey's exports and imports

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:31:00 +0000

According to the figures of 2006, Turkey ranked 15th in imports and 22nd in exports worldwide last year. Turkey's exports increased 16 % in 2006. It also increased its imports by 17 % and ranked among top 10 countries that increased imports last year.

According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Turkish imports which amounted 137 billion USD constituted 1.5 % of all global imports in 2006. Turkey's exports in 2006 amounted 85 billion USD.

Turkey's economy keeps groving constantly every year.

Antalya to be Beach Volley Center of Europe

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:28:00 +0000

European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) decided that "European Beach Volley Center" will be established in Antalya along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Many countries including Greece and France were candidates for the center, but Turkey has fulfilled natural conditions and sufficient infrastructure for the center. The decision will be declared to 55 countries during CEV Congress.

Russian tourist boom to Antalya

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:14:00 +0000

In 2007 it's expected that nearly 2 million Russian tourists will have their holidays in Turkey, especially in the resort city of Antalya. Russian people love this city because of its scenic beauties and climate. Antalya is like a tourist magnet for Russian people.

New excavations in Gaziantep

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:12:00 +0000

An American and German archaeologists team launched archaeological excavations to unearth an ancient city in southeastern province of Gaziantep's Islahiye town. Excavations in Zincirli Tumulus, an ancient Hittite site, are supported by Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and University of Chicago.

Izmir is candidate for Expo 2015

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:06:00 +0000

The Aegean city of Izmir is the candidate for hosting the EXPO of 2015. If selected, this will be the first ever EXPO in Turkey. Since EXPOs are gathering people from all around the world and thus give a chance and a role to the hosting cities for a sustainable development, it's considered as a permanent prestige by that city.

In Exposition (EXPO) which has been arranged for 63 times over a period of 150 years, products from different countries have been exhibited for letting countries to present their various historical and cultural values. Every 5 year period EXPO is placed in a selected city and lasts for 3 to 6 months.

Turkish Tourism Promotions in 2008

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:01:00 +0000

In 2008, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism will attend 142 tourism fairs in 56 different countries. The first major tourism fair that Turkey will participate in will be the Utrecht Tourism Fair to take place in the Netherlands between January 8th and 13th, 2008.
Turkish tourism will be promoted at a tourism fair in Madrid, Spain between January 30th and February 3rd. Turkey will be represented at tourism fairs to be held in Milano, Berlin, Moscow, Dubai and London in 2008.

Blue Flag beaches and marinas in Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 12:11:00 +0000

"Blue Flag" award ceremony was held in Kusadasi resort town in the city of Aydin after Blue Flag International Jury in Danish capital of Copenhagen announced 235 beaches and 14 marinas of Turkey worthy to get "Blue Flag" award. Only 2,579 beaches and 631 marinas are given "Blue Flag" awards in the world.

Turkey obtains the 4th place for 2007 with the number of blue flags after Spain (499 blue flags), Greece (430) and France (238).

Turkey photo exhibition in Madrid until Sep 30th

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 12:10:00 +0000

A Spanish photographer, Sergio Martinez, opened an exhibition on Turkey featuring 16 photographs he took during his 5-month stay in the country in 2006. Martinez visited Istanbul, Konya, Cappadocia, Harran, Sanliurfa, Pamukkale, Fethiye and Kas.

The exhibition will remain open until September 30th.

International Istanbul Biennial, Sep 8 - Nov 4

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:45:00 +0000

The 10th International Istanbul Biennial, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSEV), will be open in the city from September 8th until November 4th, 2007. This year's Biennial will be under the curatorship of Hou Hanru, currently Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at San Francisco Art Institute.

The title of The 10th International Istanbul Biennial is "Not Only Possible, But Also Necessary - Optimism in the age of global war". The venues of the Biennial will be Antrepo 3 in Karakoy, IMC (Istanbul Textile Traders' Market) in Unkapani near the Golden Horn, AKM (Ataturk Cultural Center) in Taksim Square, and Santralistanbul in Sutluce - Eyup.

World Kiteboard Championship in Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:42:00 +0000

One of the Kiteboard World Cup legs will be held in Istanbul between July 23rd - 29th. The races will be at the Burc beach in Kilyos on the Black Sea. There will be also a special race on the Bosphorus in front of Kurucesme Arena venue on July 26th, and another special race at Dragos in the Sea of Marmara on July 27th. Fourtyfour sportsmen will join the races which are organized by Jim Beam.

Izmir International Festival in June

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:31:00 +0000

The 21st Izmir International Festival will begin on June 10th, organized by Izmir Culture, Art & Education Foundation (IKSEV). It's beleived that the festival would make a valuable contribution to Izmir's candidacy for the EXPO 2015. Some of the guests of this year's festival are; Maurice Bejart, Robin Gibb, Mikis Theodorakis and the British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Turkish Director rewarded in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:28:00 +0000

Turkish director Mr. Ferzan Ozpetek won the "Barocco Award" in Italy for his latest film "Saturno Contro" in 2007. "Barocco Award" ceremony was attended also by famous film stars like Catherine Deneuve, Gianna Nannini and Eleonora Abbagnato.

Success for Turkey at Eurovision

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 14 May 2007 13:27:00 +0000

Turkish singer Kenan Dogulu, representative of Turkey in the 52th Eurovision Song Contest, came 4th in the finals held on May 12th in Helsinki. His song, Shake it up Shekerim, got 163 points, meanwhile Serbia came the 1st with 268 points.

Cappadocia as New Wonder of the World

noreply@blogger.com (All About Turkey) — Mon, 07 May 2007 12:34:00 +0000

Times Magazine has selected "25 New Wonders of the World". According to this list, fairy chimneys of Cappadocia are in Top 5. Here is the complete list:

1 Bolivia: Salar de Uyuni salt lands
2 Australia: Uluru or Ayers rockies
3 Egypt: Giza Pyramids
4 Amazonia
5 Turkey: Cappadocia
6 USA: Grand Canyon
7 Jordan: Petra ancient site
8 Peru: Pyramids
9 Spain: Familia Sagrada Cathedral in Barcelona
10 Patagonia: Glaciers
11 Rome: Chapel of Sistine
12 Himalayas: Trekking on Himalaya
13 Kambodia: Angkor Wat Temple
14 Venice: Water channels
15 Sahara Desert: Camel caravans
16 China: Great Wall
17 Zambia and Zimbabwe: Victoria Waterfalls
18 Belize: Reef
19 India: Tac Mahal
20 Mexico and Guatemala: Maya civilization remainings
21 Easter Island: Rock monuments
22 Mali: Great mosque
23 Las Vegas: the city
24 China: Forbidden city
25 Paraguay and Brazil: Itaipu Dam