The Megis JournalNotes from Istanbul,and beyond.
What we tell our own clients before they travel: when to go, how to arrive, where to stay, and how to plan a private trip in Türkiye well.
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Plan it well.
Written and checked by the people who arrange these trips for our clients.
40 guides
The best time to visit Istanbul, month by month
Spring and autumn are the easy answer. The better answer depends on what you want from the city, and who is travelling with you.
What a private concierge in Istanbul does, and when you need one
One person who plans, books and runs everything around your trip, and who answers when something changes at eleven at night.
An Istanbul itinerary for 3, 4 or 5 days
Three days for the great sights, a fourth for the Asian shore, a fifth for the islands or the hills. Planned around the days the doors close.
A Turkey itinerary for 10 days, with 7 and 14-day versions
Istanbul, Cappadocia and the coast is the classic route for a reason. The art is in the pacing, and in knowing what to leave out.
Istanbul Airport VIP service: meet and greet, fast track and the private terminal
What a VIP arrival at Istanbul Airport really includes, what it cannot change, and how to choose between meet and greet, fast track and the private terminal.
Istanbul airport transfer guide: IST and Sabiha Gökçen to the city
Istanbul has two big airports on two continents. Which one you land at, and when, changes the journey into the city more than anything else.
Hiring a private tour guide in Istanbul: what to know
The right guide turns stones into stories and queues into short waits. Here is how to find one, and what a good private day looks like.
Bosphorus yacht charter: how to plan a private yacht in Istanbul
Two continents, three bridges and a skyline of palaces, seen from your own deck. This is how to plan it well.
Gulet charter in Turkey: a guide to the Blue Cruise
A week on a wooden gulet, cove to cove along the Turquoise Coast, is the oldest and still the best way to see southwest Türkiye from the sea.
A private hot air balloon in Cappadocia: what to know before you fly
An hour above the fairy chimneys at sunrise, with nobody in the basket but the people you came with. Here is how to plan it so it actually happens.
MICHELIN-starred restaurants in Istanbul and Türkiye: the 2026 guide
Seventeen starred restaurants across four regions, and some of the hardest tables in the country to book. How the guide works here, and how to get a seat.
A wedding in Istanbul: venues, legal steps and planning
Palaces on the water, terraces above the Bosphorus and a city that knows how to celebrate. What it takes to marry in Istanbul, from the paperwork to the last dance.
Turkish Grand Prix 2027: dates, Istanbul Park, tickets and planning the weekend
Formula 1 returns to Istanbul Park after six years. What is confirmed so far, what is not, and how to plan a race weekend that works.
Private jet charter and helicopter transfers in Türkiye: a practical guide
Which airports to use, how long it takes on the ground, and when a helicopter is the better answer than a jet or a car.
Luxury shopping in Istanbul: a private guide
Designer flagships on one side of the city, five centuries of bazaars on the other. How to shop both well, and send it all home.
Luxury villa rental in Bodrum: where to stay and what to check
A private pool, a terrace over the Aegean and a different bay every afternoon. Choosing the right villa on the Bodrum peninsula starts with choosing the right side of it.
Hagia Sophia tickets and visiting guide: hours, dress code and the upper gallery
Hagia Sophia is a working mosque and a fifteen-century-old monument at once. Knowing how the two sides of the building work makes the visit calmer.
Topkapı Palace tickets and visiting guide: the Harem, hours and how long to stay
For four centuries Topkapı was the house of the Ottoman sultans. It is a palace of courtyards rather than corridors, and it rewards a slow morning.
Istanbul in winter: weather, what to do and what to wear
From December to February Istanbul is grey, damp and quiet. The monuments are calmer, the hammams warmer and the city belongs to the people who live in it.
What to eat in Istanbul: a Turkish food guide, dish by dish
Istanbul eats all day: a long breakfast, something from a street cart, a kebab at lunch and meze late into the evening. This is what to order, and where to look for it.
Is Istanbul safe? Honest travel advice for visitors
Millions of visitors come to Istanbul every year and leave with nothing worse than tired feet. The risks are real but specific, and most of them are easy to manage.
Private driver in Istanbul: how to hire a chauffeur, by the hour or the day
In a city of traffic, hills and two continents, a car that waits for you changes the whole day. Here is how to hire one well.
Istanbul trade fairs 2027: dates, venues, hotels and logistics
Istanbul hosts some of the largest trade fairs in the region. The hall is booked months ahead; the hotel, the cars and the interpreters should be too.
An Antalya luxury holiday: where to stay and what to see
Long beaches, a walled old town, Roman theatres and mountains that drop straight into the sea. The Antalya coast is wide, and where you stay shapes the whole holiday.
A honeymoon in Turkey: routes, places and when to go
An evening on the Bosphorus, a balloon over Cappadocia at sunrise, then a villa above the Aegean with nobody else around. Türkiye fits a whole honeymoon into one country.
A marriage proposal in Istanbul: places, ideas and planning
A yacht on the Bosphorus as the sun goes down, a table on a terrace above the water, a photographer nobody notices. A proposal in Istanbul is about the setting and the secrecy.
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul: hours, what to buy and how to bargain
For more than five centuries the Grand Bazaar has sold gold, carpets and cloth under one roof. It is still a working market, and it rewards the buyer who knows what they want and takes their time.
The best area to stay in Istanbul: districts compared
Istanbul is too large to choose a hotel first and a district second. Pick the area for the trip you want, and the traffic, the evenings and the early starts all fall into place.
Do I need a visa for Turkey? A guide by nationality
Most of the passports we see at Istanbul arrivals need no visa at all for a holiday. The details that cause trouble are passport validity, staff on other passports and look-alike visa websites.
Cappadocia from Istanbul: flights, car, train and how long to stay
Cappadocia is a short flight from Istanbul and a long day by road. The airport you choose, and the night you arrive, matter more than most people expect.
Corporate events in Istanbul: venues, incentives, galas and planning
Two continents, one airport that reaches most of the world, and a waterfront made for evenings. Istanbul works for a board of twelve and a congress of thousands; the difference is in the planning.
The best time to visit Turkey: Istanbul, the coast and Cappadocia, month by month
Türkiye is three climates in one country: a humid city on two seas, a hot Mediterranean coast and a high, dry plateau. The right month depends on which of them you want most.
New Year's Eve in Istanbul: fireworks, a yacht on the Bosphorus and getting home
One night of the year when the whole city looks at the water at once. It rewards the people who planned in October, and it is unkind to those who try to find a taxi at half past twelve.
Bosphorus cruise guide: public ferry, tour boat or private yacht
The same strait, three very different afternoons: a city ferry with tea on the deck, a shared tour boat with commentary, or a boat that leaves when you are ready. This is how to choose.
Istanbul in December: weather, what to do and a four-day plan
December is Istanbul with the volume turned down: grey mornings, short afternoons, quiet monuments and long evenings indoors. Plan the light well and it is one of the most rewarding months to come.
Cappadocia in winter: snow, balloons, cold mornings and warm caves
Fairy chimneys under fresh snow, balloons over white valleys and a fire waiting in a cave room. Cappadocia in winter is quieter and colder, and it asks for a little more patience.
Vienna Christmas markets 2026: dates, the best markets and how to plan
Lights strung between palace squares, roasted chestnuts, warm punch in a souvenir mug and the smell of cinnamon in the cold air. The Vienna markets open in November, and the right hour makes all the difference.
Muslim-friendly luxury travel in Türkiye: a guide for Gulf families
Türkiye is one of the easiest places in the world for a halal holiday. What makes it truly comfortable is the detail: the right villa, the right table and the right timing.
Istanbul with kids: a calm family guide
Istanbul is easier with children than its crowds suggest. The trick is short days, a car between sights, and one thing each child will remember.
Skiing in Turkey: the best ski resorts, from Uludağ to Erciyes
Few people think of Türkiye for snow. Those who do find high mountains, dry powder, short queues and a city like Istanbul a short flight away.
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