Latest news from Istanbul and Türkiye — real estate market, residence law, transport, economy, tourism and city life. Curated articles in English.
According to a study by EVA Gayrimenkul Değerleme, since the start of the Gulf-region war, overseas property purchases have risen sharply among Gulf nationals, with Türkiye as a leading destination.
Global rap superstar Kanye West is finally set to perform at the long-rumored Istanbul concert that fans have discussed for months.
Türkiye expects significant tourism growth from the return of Formula 1 racing. Under a new five-year agreement, F1 will return to Istanbul Park.
April 23 marks both the opening of the Grand National Assembly in 1920 and a national holiday dedicated to children across Türkiye.
An overview of Türkiye’s evolving automotive market, including the rise of domestic and imported electric vehicles.
New legislation under discussion would require social-media platforms to verify age and block under-15 users across Türkiye.
The Turkish national team secured qualification to the next FIFA World Cup, ending a 24-year wait since their last appearance.
Türkiye and Greece agreed to extend the special one-year visa scheme that eases travel for Turkish citizens visiting Greek islands and nearby regions.
Istanbul has launched Türkiye’s first 5G-enabled smart road, providing real-time traffic data, safety features and connected-vehicle services.
A new national program offers 36 months of free technology-skills training to students across Türkiye, aiming to boost digital literacy and employability.
Türkiye’s domestic Togg brand and imported electric vehicles are reshaping the market, with hybrid cars also seeing fast growth.
The Matata twin brothers took both men’s and women’s victories at the latest Istanbul Half Marathon, making history for their federation.
Türkiye has announced the rollout of 5G mobile services in its major cities starting April 2026, with operators preparing nationwide infrastructure.
The renowned Ottoman historian and prominent public intellectual passed away on March 13 at Koç University Hospital in Istanbul after weeks of complications.
Apple assembled around 55 million iPhones in India in 2025 — up from about 36 million the year before — marking a significant supply-chain shift.
Elon Musk confirmed on March 10 that the X Money service will launch in Early Public Access to users starting next month.
Thousands of users were unable to send or receive direct messages, with many also reporting issues opening the app or publishing posts on March 11.
The ruling AKP party submitted a bill to parliament on Monday introducing taxes on cryptocurrency-derived income for the first time.
According to official data released Monday, Türkiye’s GDP grew 3.6% in 2025, exceeding the government’s target of 3.3%.
The Ministry of Industry and Technology announced the Tech Visa program has successfully relocated and settled 22 foreign technology startups in Türkiye.
Ripple’s Middle East and Africa chief said the blockchain-based payments company is "very bullish on Türkiye," calling it a global leader.
Türkiye’s video-game industry reached a historic milestone in 2025, crossing the $1 billion threshold in revenue for the first time.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed a $2 billion solar-energy agreement at a ceremony held in an Ottoman-era palace overlooking the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
Tesla continues to expand its Supercharger network in Türkiye with a strong start to 2026, including a new 8-stall Supercharger station in Istanbul.
UDEF and the ILKE Foundation released a comprehensive report on the education and living experiences of international students in Türkiye.
Türkiye’s higher-education institutions continue to strengthen their international standing, with 23 universities ranked among Europe’s top 500.
Registered users on Türkiye’s e-Devlet Kapısı government services portal have reached 68,193, enabling digital access to public services.
Fifteen major technology companies from four continents launched the "Trusted Tech Alliance" at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
X, the social-media platform previously known as Twitter, will enable in-app trading of stocks and cryptocurrencies within the next few weeks.
Asian stocks pulled back from record highs on Friday as a new wave of concerns over AI’s disruptive capacity swept through global markets.
Investment firm Bernstein reaffirmed its $150,000 Bitcoin price target for 2026 and called the recent market decline the "weakest bear-market scenario".
Spotify executives outlined an expanded vision for AI’s role in the music industry during a Tuesday earnings call for Q4 2025.
Apple shares fell about 5%, their worst day since April, after reports of Siri AI update delays and a warning letter from federal regulators.
After pausing cross-border shipments when simplified customs for goods under €30 were scrapped, Temu now imports via its Turkish unit WhaleCo Turkey Teknoloji and collects taxes at checkout.
Uber agreed with Mubadala to acquire Getir’s Turkish delivery operations — USD 335 million for 100% of food delivery and USD 100 million for 15% of grocery, retail and water.
Microsoft is rolling out OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 to Copilot on web, Windows and mobile through a new “Smart Plus” mode, weeks after its 11 December launch.
On 29 December silver futures fell 8% and copper 13% as investors took profits, with easing geopolitical tensions, higher CME margins and new Chinese silver export rules adding pressure.
From 1 January 2026, ISPARK parking fees rise by up to 62.5%, with the highest rates in the historic peninsula and Kadıköy pier area; forest entry and taxi-stand fees also rise.
In The Batch’s year-end issue, DeepLearning.AI named reasoning models such as OpenAI’s o1 and DeepSeek’s R1 the most transformative AI technology of 2025.
DRAM prices rose nearly 300% in three months as makers prioritise high-bandwidth chips for AI data centres; 16Gb DDR5 went from USD 6.84 to USD 27.20.
TechRadar predicts AI will become pervasive in 2026, competition will narrow to OpenAI vs Google, Apple will enter smart glasses, and the RAM shortage will worsen.
Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade extended the “6 months–6,000 km” rule and the ban on unusually priced used-car ads until 1 July 2026, and temporarily dropped the high-school diploma requirement.
OpenAI is testing sponsored content and ad modules in ChatGPT, with ads projected to bring about USD 1 billion from 2026 and nearly USD 25 billion by 2029.
Spotify disabled accounts linked to “Anna’s Archive”, which claims to have scraped about 86 million audio files and metadata for 256 million tracks.
A whale known as “BitcoinOG” or “1011short” moved 100,000 ETH (about USD 292 million) to Binance on 23–24 December while holding USD 717 million of leveraged longs.
Kepler-22b, about 600–640 light years away, was the first confirmed planet in the habitable zone of a Sun-like star — and is central to Vince Gilligan’s hit series.
A large trader (wallet 0x94d3) opened about USD 243 million of leveraged shorts on Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, a sharply bearish bet as markets struggle to recover.
YÖK is preparing a model allowing four-year bachelor’s degrees to be completed in three years through a third semester, without reducing credits or learning outcomes.
More than 1,500 runners took part in a night race through the Grand Bazaar on 21 December, while about 2,000 runners and 500 cyclists marked the solstice in İzmir.
Türkiye’s transport minister says the Eurasia Tunnel under the Bosphorus, linking Istanbul’s European and Asian sides, has contributed about USD 2.6 billion over nine years.
A meteorological engineer forecasts heavy snow in Istanbul and the Marmara region between 28 December and 2 January, lasting about 4–5 days.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple aims to unveil N50 smart glasses without a display in late 2026 and to add Apple Intelligence features to AirPods from spring 2026.
At an all-hands meeting, Elon Musk told xAI staff that AGI could arrive within a few years, possibly in 2026, with Grok 5 central to the plan and GPUs scaling past one million.
Boston neurotech firm Neurable raised a USD 35 million Series A led by Spectrum Moonshot Fund, bringing total funding to USD 65 million, to commercialise its consumer BCI platform.
Türkiye’s deposit return scheme aims to recycle more than 25 billion beverage containers a year, generating about USD 612 million (around €520 million) in economic value.
JWST found PSR J2322-2650b, a Jupiter-mass planet with a helium-carbon atmosphere stretched into a lemon shape by a pulsar, and the oldest supernova yet seen, GRB 250314A.
Apple’s open-source SHARP uses 3D Gaussian Splatting to create photorealistic 3D scenes from a single image, rendering at over 100 frames per second.
In Euromonitor’s 2025 ranking of top destinations, Antalya placed fifth — the only resort-based destination in the top 10 — while Istanbul and Antalya both feature among the most-visited cities.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan unveiled the world’s smallest robots — smaller than a grain of salt — that sense, compute and move for months.
Time chose eight tech leaders — including Jensen Huang, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Lisa Su, Dario Amodei, Demis Hassabis and Fei-Fei Li — as 2025’s collective Person of the Year.
Total prize money rises 50% to USD 727 million; the move comes amid sharp criticism of ticket prices for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Porsche Studio Istanbul in Etiler, a 680 m² two-storey space, is one of the most comprehensive versions of the concept worldwide and the 28th Porsche Studio globally.
With Bitcoin near USD 86,000, more than 30% below its October high, leading analysts issued bearish warnings ranging from USD 70,000 to as low as USD 10,000.
In the TasteAtlas Awards 2025–2026, Beyran ranked 2nd in the world, lentil soup 10th and tomato soup 55th.
Gold hit a seven-week high of USD 4,311.73 on 11–12 December 2025 after the Fed’s third cut of the year to 3.5–3.75%; silver set a record at USD 62.88.
A PTYD study of over 21,000 complexes finds Beşiktaş has the highest average monthly fee (TRY 13,134) and Adalar the lowest (TRY 645), driving “fee migration”.
Turkish singer Mahsun Kırmızıgül performs at Günay Restaurant Bar in Şişli, Istanbul, on Friday 5 December 2025.
Turkish pop star Serdar Ortaç performs at JJ Arena in Ataşehir, Istanbul, on Friday 28 November 2025.
A BitMine-linked wallet received 21,537 ETH (about USD 59.17 million) as whales accumulate ahead of the Fusaka upgrade, which raises the block gas limit and introduces PeerDAS.
Engineers make up 40% of more than 4,700 recent Amazon layoffs across four US states, part of the 14,000 job cuts announced in October.
The dollar index hit 100.29 after Fed minutes showed resistance to further cuts; the yen weakened to 157.78, prompting Japanese warnings of possible intervention.
Held on 21–22 November at the Lütfi Kırdar Congress Center, the event brings together businesses, experts, investors and officials; Türkiye’s e-commerce volume reached about USD 90 billion in 2024.
Bitcoin dropped to USD 94,480, its lowest in over six months, losing about USD 12,000 since Tuesday amid a tech sell-off, record ETF outflows and fading rate-cut hopes.
Spot gold rose 0.7% to USD 4,142.83, its highest since 24 October, after the Senate voted 60–40 to end the 41-day shutdown and rate-cut hopes grew.
This week Istanbul offers the Bosphorus Film Festival, ballet and opera at AKM, city theatre, the 29th Istanbul Theatre Festival, concerts, exhibitions and children’s workshops.
At the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2025 in London, Istanbul won the Gold Award for Most Desirable City in Europe, up from Silver last year.
Nominal house prices rose 32.82% in July 2025 but fell 0.52% in real terms; sales rose 24.2%, foreign purchases fell 12%, and rental yields average 7.76%.
Of 341,195 homes sold in Antalya in 2021–2025, 59,549 went to foreign buyers; the city also welcomed 14.09 million tourists in the first nine months of 2025.
Qwen3-Max turned USD 10,000 into a 22.32% gain in two weeks to win Alpha Arena Season 1; only two Chinese models were profitable, while GPT-5 lost 62.66%.
Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” tour has grossed over USD 327.4 million from 64 shows, the highest-grossing tour ever by a female Latin artist.
The four-part series starring Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen tells the story of the 1881 shooting of James A. Garfield and the medical errors that killed him.
Despite 41% revenue growth to USD 271.7 million and over 50 million daily active users, Duolingo fell more than 24% on a Q4 bookings forecast of USD 329.5–335.5 million.
Gold traded near USD 4,008 on 6 November 2025, about 9% below October’s USD 4,381 record, as the dollar index reached about 100 and Fed policy remained uncertain.
Zeytinburnu, on Istanbul’s European side facing the Sea of Marmara, covers about 11.42 km² with 280,000–300,000 residents and excellent transport links.
Known for “smart design for a better life”, IKEA has three stores in Istanbul: Bayrampaşa, Ümraniye and Kartal.
After US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil on 22 October, Chinese refiners cancelled cargoes, cutting Russian crude exports to China by about 45%, while Turkish refiners also scaled back.
Better-than-expected inflation may support the central bank’s cautious rate-cut cycle; the policy rate stands at 39.5% after a 100-basis-point cut in October.
Built in 1348, the roughly 67-metre stone Galata Tower above Karaköy offers 360-degree views of Istanbul and now houses exhibitions as part of a museum.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will power a redesigned Siri, due in March 2026, with a custom Gemini model running on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute.
Astronomers recorded a flare as bright as 10 trillion suns, caused by a supermassive black hole devouring a giant star 10 billion light years away.
After first-half sales jumped 110%, Nintendo raised its fiscal-year Switch 2 forecast from 15 to 19 million units and lifted its operating profit forecast 16% to ¥370 billion.
Turkish pop star Gülşen takes the stage at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre in Istanbul on Wednesday 5 November 2025.
Turkish pop star Buray performs at Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre in Istanbul on Friday 7 November 2025 as part of his new tour.
Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon expects a 10–20% correction within 12–24 months; Palantir fell 7% despite beating forecasts, and Fed officials cast doubt on a December cut.
Bitcoin fell to USD 99,134 on Tuesday, its first dip below USD 100,000 since June and more than 20% below its 6 October record of USD 126,000.
Kağıthane, on Istanbul’s European side next to Şişli and Beşiktaş, has turned from an old industrial area into a modern residential and commercial hub with prices of TRY 80–130k per m².
Gold dropped 1.5% on Tuesday as investors pulled out of stocks, metals and even bonds; the dollar hit a three-month high and rate-cut odds fell.
Covering 1,215,000 m², the park can shelter more than 165,000 people in disasters and features 20,399 trees, cultural buildings, a library and wind and solar power.
Uber will open its fourth global tech centre outside the US in Istanbul, starting with 180 engineers and specialists who joined via its acquisition of Trendyol Go.
Gold ended the week near USD 4,118, about 3% below its record of USD 4,381, its first weekly decline after 10 straight weeks of gains.
A major crypto whale bought about USD 47 million of SOL in four days; with an ascending triangle and strong fundamentals, analysts see a path to USD 280–300.
On 22 October 2025 Google announced its Quantum Echoes algorithm on the Willow chip — the first verifiable quantum advantage in history.
The nine-episode series starring Rhea Seehorn premieres on 7 November 2025 with two episodes, with weekly releases until 26 December; it has already been renewed for a second season.
Reacting to leaked Amazon documents on replacing about 600,000 US workers with robots by 2027, Musk predicted “universal high income”.
İİB exports rose 5.8% year on year to USD 9.2 billion from January to September 2025, reaching 198 countries; the US was the top market.
Gold fell more than 6% on Tuesday, its biggest daily drop since April 2013, a day after hitting a record USD 4,382 an ounce.
According to TÜİK data for 2024, 24.9% of Türkiye’s household consumption spending took place in Istanbul, followed by Ankara (8.3%) and İzmir (6.4%).
Organised by Bilgili Sanat and Sabiha Kurtulmuş, Artweeks Istanbul 2025 runs at Akaretler Sıraevler and The Ritz-Carlton Residences Istanbul until 26 October, with free entry.
In May 2026 Istanbul hosts SAHA Expo 2026, bringing together the largest domestic and international defence firms.
In autumn 2025 the 18th Istanbul Biennial, the 20th Contemporary Istanbul and the Istanbul Culture Route Festival all take place at the same time.
The new roadmap focuses on home appliances, textiles, automotive, tourism, technology, nuclear energy and other sectors; bilateral trade reached USD 32.6 billion in 2024.
From January to August, 168 cruise ships carrying 410,577 passengers arrived in Istanbul, a 53% rise on the same period last year.
By the end of August 2025, more than one million cruise passengers had arrived at Turkish ports, with cruise calls up 17% to 878.
Held at Istanbul Expo Center (İFM) from 8 to 11 October, the event discusses AI, sustainability, energy efficiency and data centre security.
Facing falling sales, Tesla is expected on Tuesday to unveil a more affordable version of its best-selling Model Y SUV.
The BIST 100 returned 12.02% from January to September 2025; 17 of 22 sectors gained, led by financial leasing and factoring at 430.44%.
ULAK Haberleşme AŞ will set up Türkiye’s first dedicated 5G technology lab at Teknopark Istanbul to boost domestic 5G production.
In Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2025, with over 757,000 votes, Shangri-La Bosphorus was named Türkiye’s best hotel and ranked fifth among the world’s top 50.
Around 300 historic clocks, some dating to the 16th century, are now on show as “Time and Art at Topkapı Palace” in the Royal Stables in the palace’s second courtyard.
From 20 November 2025 Southwind Airlines will fly twice weekly between Moscow Zhukovsky and Istanbul with Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
The country’s 11th ecological road bridge, under construction in Trabzon on the Black Sea coastal road, will be completed by the end of 2025.
On Sunday Istanbul hosts the second edition, with a 105 km route from Beykoz Sports Forest across the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and a 50 km option, linking Asia and Europe.
To protect the region’s natural, geological and cultural values, the Cappadocia Area Presidency has set quotas for ATV, UTV and jeep safari tours.
A proposed amendment to the Highway Traffic Law brings steep fines, licence suspensions and vehicle seizures for traffic offences, possibly from early 2026.
Metro İstanbul reminds passengers of luggage rules: no bags over 30 kg or 120×60×50 cm, and one large bag plus one small bag per passenger.
Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus and Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet made the top 10 hotels in Türkiye in both the US and UK Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2025.
Far from the crowds of Sultanahmet and Taksim, Florya offers a calm seaside retreat with shaded walkways, Aqua Florya and Atatürk’s Marine Mansion.
Sakarya, a major hub of Türkiye’s car industry, exported USD 4.061 billion in the first nine months of the year, ranking seventh nationally.
John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for macroscopic quantum tunnelling and energy quantisation in electric circuits.
From late 2026 Turkish Airlines will fly non-stop from Sydney to Istanbul in about 17 hours, roughly five hours faster than the current route via Kuala Lumpur.
Based on Yandex Search and Maps data from June to August 2025, the study maps where Istanbul’s restaurants, shops, sights, mosques, hotels, parks and sports facilities are concentrated.
Pegasus Airlines will fly direct from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen to Bilbao from 1 December, with fares from €69.99.
A powerful rainy system arriving from Greece brings heavy rain to Istanbul from 03:00 tonight, with high flood risk on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Istanbul was liberated on 6 October 1923 after four years, ten months and 23 days of Allied occupation that began on 13 November 1918.
The IBB Digital Experience Centre’s Van Gogh exhibition drew 55,000 visitors in its first month since opening on 23 August.
In autumn 2025 Istanbul is enjoying record travel demand, with high hotel occupancy and bookings stretching into October and November.
To mark the 102nd anniversary of Istanbul’s liberation, public transport is free on Monday 6 October 2025 with a personal İstanbulkart, with some exceptions.
Türkiye exported USD 36.6 billion to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2020–2024 and imported USD 26 billion from them.
Türkiye will build 500,000 social housing units in all 81 provinces, including social rental homes for the first time, with the state covering 40–50% of costs.
Despite changes to Game Pass Ultimate and Amazon Luna, cloud gaming remains unpredictable and unstable, and we don’t yet recommend any service.
A CER-backed plan envisages a 49,400 km network of 250–350 km/h trains connecting all major EU cities within 20 years, at a cost of €546 billion.
A secondary share sale by current and former employees valued OpenAI at USD 500 billion, ahead of SpaceX and ByteDance.
Why following today’s technology news matters more than ever — from AI and cybersecurity to green tech and space — and how to keep up without feeling overwhelmed.
Nvidia and Fujitsu will work together to build AI infrastructure for Japan by 2030, using Nvidia GPUs and drawing on Fujitsu’s experience.
China’s K visa for foreign science and tech professionals, in force since Wednesday, has sparked worries among Chinese about job competition.
The Turkish Higher Education Roadmap 2030 focuses on quality, digital transformation, international reputation, innovation and employment-oriented education.
JPMorgan analysts say Bitcoin could rise to USD 165,000 by the end of the year.
In the first nine months, EV and hybrid sales in Türkiye reached 331,955 units with a 44.7% market share as petrol and diesel sales fell.
Until 31 December 2025, cinema tickets at all participating cinemas in Türkiye will cost at most TRY 120 on Wednesdays.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk briefly became the first person ever with a net worth above USD 500 billion, according to Forbes.
Pegasus has started flights from Istanbul Airport to Ercan in Northern Cyprus, rising to twice daily (14 weekly) from 23 October.
The 15th IST.FESTIVAL, on 10–12 October, asks “What Is Real Reality?” with Jeff Koons, Stefan Sagmeister, Kid Cudi and many more.
A USD 8.1 billion, 125 km freight rail line will link Çayırova on Istanbul’s Asian side to Çatalca on the European side via the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge.
Social security expert Emin Yılmaz says Türkiye’s minimum wage could rise 20–25% to around TRY 26,000 in 2026.
As part of the 500,000-unit social housing plan, TOKİ will for the first time build rental homes, some of them in Istanbul offered only for rent.
Projection-mapping shows at Galata Tower, the Maiden’s Tower and the Tophane Fountain run nightly from 8 pm to midnight until the end of October.
Winds of 50–75 km/h, reaching storm force in places, are expected in the Marmara region on Thursday 2 October.
Swedish heavy metal band Sabaton plays Zorlu PSM Main Theatre in Istanbul on 6 October 2025 at 19:00.
British pop star Robbie Williams takes the stage at Yenikapı Event Area on 7 October 2025 at 21:00; tickets from TRY 1,650.
The Istanbul Marathon, the world’s only intercontinental marathon, is held on 2 November; registration closes on 14 October.
The 5th World Marketing Summit takes place in Istanbul on 15–16 October with more than 150 speakers on “AI Transformation and Human-Centred Marketing”.
Istanbul’s airports handled 86.4 million passengers in January–August, up 6% and more than Türkiye’s population of 85.8 million.
City and State Theatres, the Culture Road Festival, Galataport concerts, the 7th International Folk Music Festival and exhibitions from Dalí to Matisse and Steve McCurry.
Liverpool, winners against Atlético Madrid on the Champions League opening night, visit Galatasaray at RAMS Park tonight.
Türkiye plans to fully deploy 5G from next April, transforming industry, health, agriculture, transport and education.
In H1 2025, Türkiye’s average mobile gaming session reached 32.8 minutes, above the global 29.9 and MENAT 30.4 minutes.
World-famous photographer Steve McCurry premiered his new exhibition “The Haunted Eye” in Istanbul, on view at Tophane-i Amire until 30 November.
The app-only O-Club programme offers LabClassic, LabPlus and LabPremium tiers with LabCoins, birthday drinks, size upgrades and more.
Pavlonya, Maşuk Devr-i Meyhane, Ala Kadıköy, Piraye Taş Plak and Agapia — our pick of Kadıköy’s best meyhanes.
The Istanbul 2025 National Stamp Exhibition is open at Rami Library from 27 September to 5 October 2025.
Two light installations by Peruvian-American artist Grimanesa Amorós, “PASSAGE” and “MARITIME”, are on view at The Peninsula Istanbul until November.
Heavy downpours are forecast in parts of Istanbul, Yalova, Kocaeli and Sakarya, with risks of flooding and travel disruption.
Istanbul attracted 13.5 million tourists in the first nine months of 2025 — more than all foreign arrivals to Türkiye in 2002.
According to PwC Türkiye, Istanbul needs about 122,000 new homes a year — around 1.22 million over the next decade — as households grow and shrink in size.
Istanbul Airport rose to second place worldwide in OAG’s Megahubs 2025 index, behind London Heathrow.
On 27 and 28 September, film lovers across Türkiye can watch films for a symbolic TRY 80 at nearly 1,500 cinemas in 80 cities.
Turkish Airlines will order 75 Boeing 787-9/787-10s and has concluded talks for 150 737-8/10 MAX aircraft.
The 20th Contemporary Istanbul brings together 931 works by 579 artists from 16 countries and 51 galleries, running until 28 September.
Analysts predict millions of humanoid robots in homes and workplaces by 2035 and up to a billion by 2050, raising hopes and concerns about safety, privacy and ethics.
Gold has risen more than 40% this year to a record USD 3,791 an ounce, on rate-cut expectations, Fed independence concerns and debt worries.
Istanbul’s transport coordination centre UKOME unanimously approved mandatory interior and exterior cameras in all school transport vehicles from 2026.
Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus, starring Rhea Seehorn, premieres on Apple TV+ on 7 November with two episodes.
According to Vestel’s IoT data, YouTube took 43% of viewing time in July and August, overtaking traditional broadcasts at about 36%.
The Bolshoi will also stage Swan Lake at the Atatürk Cultural Centre on 29 and 30 September, with around 350 dancers, musicians and staff travelling to Istanbul.
British act Barry Can’t Swim performs at Zorlu PSM on 26 September.
Belgrad Forest, Atatürk Arboretum, Hidiv Kasrı Korusu, Mimar Sinan Urban Forest and Yıldız Park — the best spots for autumn colour without leaving the city.
From the Bolshoi’s Romeo and Juliet at AKM to Blind Guardian at Zorlu PSM and Robert Capa at the Ara Güler Museum, here is Istanbul’s cultural week.
Contemporary Istanbul’s 20th edition, 24–28 September 2025 at Tersane Istanbul, will show Alexander Calder’s first BMW Art Car and Julie Mehretu’s latest.
Homes priced at TRY 2–4 million (about USD 97,000) in Anatolian cities are selling fast as investors seek higher rental yields than in Istanbul.
Istanbul’s strategic position between Europe and Asia has made it a key hub for companies such as Booking.com, Turkish Airlines, Oracle and Garanti BBVA.
The 13th TEKNOFEST, held in Istanbul from 17 to 21 September, welcomed 1,032,000 visitors; across all 2025 editions it hosted more than 1.5 million people.
A five-day drone racing competition at TEKNOFEST saw 32 pilots from 27 countries fly their handmade drones through tight obstacle courses.
The Gumball 3000 rally set off from Sultanahmet Square, with 138 cars heading via Edirne to a finish in Ibiza.
Sailors compete in the 24th Bosphorus Cup regatta in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 20 September 2025.
Spiced grilled Turkish meatballs in fresh, soft bread with tomato, onion and parsley — many Turks’ favourite after-midnight snack.
Istanbul’s çorba evi (soup houses) can offer more than 20 soups; Havun Çorba Evi is a must for soup lovers.
Thin dough filled with potato, kaşar cheese, minced meat, spinach or feta, cooked on a hot saj and brushed with butter.
Fresh mussels stuffed daily with fragrant spiced rice and served with lemon — eaten on the go, the way locals do.
Rice cooked in chicken stock with shredded chicken and chickpeas — the classic street version is best tried at Unkapanı Pilavcısı.
Kumpir’s real star is the toppings. The best place to try it is Ortaköy, Istanbul’s “kumpir heaven”.
Once made with raw meat, today’s çiğ köfte is entirely plant-based — bulgur, pepper paste, onion, parsley, pomegranate molasses and spices.
For Istanbulites, recommending a mantı spot is personal. Our picks: Aşkana Mantı, open since 1987, and Emek Mantı Evi.
The Leyla tost — a toasted sandwich with melted chocolate and banana — was invented at Marmaris Büfe in the 1960s.
“Islak” means “wet” in Turkish — and the steamed, garlicky tomato-soaked islak burger is far more appetising than it sounds.
Istanbul’s street food may even outshine its restaurants. Here are ten dishes to try on a visit to Türkiye’s largest city.
Turkish retirees leaving cities like Istanbul are heading to coastal towns such as Urla, Seferihisar, Kuşadası, Dalaman and Datça.
FIBA has announced that Istanbul will host one of the qualifying tournaments for the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup, from 11 to 17 March 2026.
ALUEXPO, one of the aluminium industry’s most important global events, opens at Istanbul Expo Center on 18–20 September 2025.
At TEKNOFEST Istanbul, former NASA official Robinson praised Türkiye’s efforts in space research and its first astronaut flight.
With the launch of AI Mode and the Veo 3 video model, Google has signalled more aggressively that it has caught up with rivals.
As tariffs weigh on markets, Bitcoin hit a record above USD 118,000 and Nvidia passed a USD 4 trillion market value.
From 16 October 2025, everyone entering the US Diversity Visa (DV) lottery must pay a USD 1 electronic registration fee.
Aloft Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy, has opened Aloft Istanbul Karaköy, with 107 rooms and suites and an all-day restaurant.
Turkish Airlines has started daily flights on its new Istanbul–Seville route, operated with Airbus A321neo aircraft.
An immersive exhibition in Istanbul turns Van Gogh’s iconic works into a multisensory journey of light, sound and emotion.
Global demand for matcha has surged, but poor harvests, labour shortages and tariffs could push prices up 30–75%.
Key dates for the three main breaks (two mid-term breaks and the semester break) and the last day of school in Türkiye’s 2025–2026 academic year.
Despite global protectionism and geopolitical tensions, exports from 45 Turkish provinces grew in January–August 2025, and 32 provinces exceeded USD 1 billion.
Istanbul public transport fares rose 30% from 15 September, but the increase will not apply to ministry-run “U”-logo metro lines and Marmaray.
Meta unveiled its first consumer smart glasses with a built-in display, the Meta Ray-Ban Display, priced at USD 799.
Turkish Airlines will operate its first direct flight between Istanbul and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 10 December 2025.
Turkish Airlines has added daily direct flights between Istanbul and Seville, its sixth destination in Spain.
The legendary Gipsy Kings, led by Grammy winner André Reyes, return for a Türkiye tour starting in Istanbul on 28 September.
“The Studio” won a record 13 comedy Emmys, Tramell Tillman became the first Black actor to win his category and 15-year-old Owen Cooper became the youngest male winner.
The Peninsula Istanbul now offers private cruises and water transfers aboard PEN 1, letting guests see the city from the water.
British architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, one of the most influential figures in contemporary architecture and designer of Istanbul Airport, has died aged 85.
Iranian composer, songwriter and singer Mohsen Namjoo returns to the stage in Türkiye after years, starting in Istanbul on 24 September.
Acclaimed Iranian singer Alireza Ghorbani performs on 22 September at Istanbul’s Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre.
Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi returns to Istanbul for a magical night at Volkswagen Arena on 27 September 2025.
The new Alie Istanbul, the second hotel owned by Paris Society, combines historic authenticity with contemporary design on the Golden Horn.
TOGG T10X versions, prices and optional extras valid from 1 August 2025.
Hüseyin Tekerci, a 60-year-old retiree from Karabük, was admitted to Karabük University’s art history programme after passing the YKS exam.
The 32nd Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival, organised by Türkiye’s State Opera and Ballet, opened with a grand performance.
According to TurkStat, Türkiye’s housing market kept rising in August despite high loan rates and inflationary pressure.
The historic and iconic Haydarpaşa Station, one of Istanbul’s best-known landmarks, is set to play a role beyond that of a major railway terminal.
Türkiye’s largest technology festival, TEKNOFEST, takes place in Istanbul from 17 to 21 September.
According to Boeing’s Türkiye and Central Asia managing director, Boeing’s total sourcing from the Turkish aviation industry has passed USD 2 billion.
According to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, Türkiye’s budget closed August with a surplus of TRY 96.7 billion (USD 2.34 billion).
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has raised public transport fares by 30%.
Binghatti Holding officially unveiled its newest ultra-luxury project, Binghatti Skyblade, at a grand ceremony on the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
Türkiye’s steel exports to Ukraine grew 36.1% in the first eight months of 2025, according to the Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association.
Hyundai will begin producing its newly unveiled Concept THREE in Türkiye from 2026, its first EV production in Europe.
Türkiye’s largest coffee festival, the “Türk Telekom Prime Istanbul Coffee Festival”, has opened for the 11th time.
According to official documents, Türkiye aims to expand its export markets by stepping up trade diplomacy under its 2026–2028 Medium-Term Programme (OVP).
This week at Europe’s largest motor show, Togg unveiled its artificial intelligence platform.
For nearly 200 years, Istanbul’s white ferries have crossed the Bosphorus, carrying passengers between the city’s European and Asian shores.
The steps for converting an Iranian driving licence in Türkiye under current Turkish regulations in 2025.
According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, internet use in the country has reached 90.9%.
Türkiye set a new record in August, hosting nearly 360,000 cruise ship passengers.
The things that, alongside the historic monuments, form small pieces of Istanbul’s great puzzle.
Nearly 20 million students and more than one million teachers in Türkiye return to classrooms on 8 September.
