Stories & Guides
Istanbul guides, event recaps, nightlife tips, and everything you need to make the most of the city.
Halloween is a tradition celebrated every year on 31 October, with costumes and horror-themed events. In Turkish it is called Cadılar Bayramı. The name means "All Hallows' Eve", the evening before All Saints' Day on 1 November.
Istanbul is one of Europe's biggest Erasmus destinations and one of the least explained. The residence permit deadline that actually matters, what a semester costs in 2026, which areas work for students, and how the social side actually happens once you land.
Renting in Istanbul is a different question from visiting it. What each neighbourhood actually costs to live in during 2026, and who it suits, from Kadıköy's value to Nişantaşı's quiet upscale streets.
Which Istanbul neighbourhoods are worth booking if safety, especially travelling solo, is the deciding factor, and what the data actually says about the city compared with other European city breaks.
Istanbul is the world's biggest hair transplant destination, which cuts both ways. The two documents that actually separate a licensed clinic from an unregulated one, and what a real all-inclusive package costs in 2026.
Which Istanbul neighbourhoods to skip after dark, Tarlabaşı, Dolapdere, Aksaray, Kasımpaşa, Kuştepe and the far outskirts, plus the pickpocketing and bar-invitation scams that actually target visitors.
The best hostels in Istanbul for Erasmus and exchange students: social spots in Beyoglu near Taksim plus a Kadikoy pick, with prices and hostel-versus-apartment advice.
A realistic monthly student budget for Istanbul in 2026: rent by area, groceries, transport with the student Istanbulkart, cheap eats, free things to do and the money traps to avoid.