We embark on a journey into the history of Istanbul-London connection with stories of Londoners in Istanbul and Istanbulites in London.

Accompanying us on this excursion are Lady Mary Montagu, Julia Pardoe, Albert Smith, Namık Kemal, and Halide Edip Adıvar among others.

Join us as we delve into the minds and lives of these traveling thinkers and uncover the centuries-old intersections and interactions that bind the two cities together. In the coming days and weeks, on these pages, you will be reading numerous stories demonstrating the often unexpected yet astonishing ways in which Istanbul and London’s paths crossed. To that end, we will accompany Sultan Abdülaziz on his royal trip to London; we will admire the Turkish pavilions in 19th-century Expos held in London; we will hang out with spies in Park Hotel and Agatha Christie in Pera Palace; we will visit Turkish coffeehouses, baths, and gentlemen’s clubs in London; we will take a ferry built in London to cross the Bosporus; we will listen to stories from occupied Istanbul as we enjoy a cold glass of beer in London Alehouse; we will enter the world of movies and travel decades back in time; and much much more. 

You can start reading our blog written by Bora Isyar below!