The free starter pack
Your first 7 days
in Istanbul.
7 short emails over 7 days. The practical stuff that gets foreigners stuck in their first week, without sending you to 8 different websites to figure each one out.
Day 1 arrives in a minute, then one email each morning at 08:00 Istanbul time. Unsubscribe with one click.
What's in the pack
Seven topics to help organise your first week.
Day 1 · Get connected
Compare a local SIM with a travel eSIM, and check what changes if you need a Turkish phone number.
Day 2 · Understand the tax number
What a Turkish tax number is used for and where to find the application steps.
Day 3 · Plan your banking
Documents to prepare and questions to ask your chosen bank before visiting.
Day 4 · Look for an apartment
Where to search, what to check at a viewing and how to assess a request for a deposit.
Day 5 · Work out your regular journeys
Plan the routes between your accommodation, workspace and the places you will visit often.
Day 6 · Find healthcare information
How to contact providers, ask about costs and check your insurance cover.
Day 7 · Check your residence plans
Find the application information and deadlines relevant to your stay.
Arrived before check-in?
Ask your accommodation to hold your bags first. If that does not work, find storage near where you want to spend the day.
Where to leave your luggage in Istanbul →Getting from the airport? Compare transfer options from IST and SAW →
No data yet? Most eSIM apps are blocked in Turkey. The one that still works, with a 15% reader code →
The guides behind each day
- → Are Balloons Flying in Cappadocia Today? Live Official Flags
- → Basilica Cistern Istanbul: 2026 Ticket Price, Hours, Night Visit
- → Best eSIM for Turkey (October 2026): Tested From Istanbul
- → Best VPN for Turkey (October 2026): Which Ones Work From Istanbul
- → Bosphorus Cruise Prices 2026: Public Ferry 340 TL, Tours from $9
- → Bosphorus Sunset & Dinner Cruises Compared 2026: 14 Checked
- → Botox in Istanbul for Foreigners · Prices, Rules and What to Check (2026)
- → Can Turkey Attract the Next Generation of Digital Nomads and Entrepreneurs?
- → Cappadocia from Istanbul 2026: Flights, Day Trips, Balloons
- → Contractor or Employee in Turkey? Misclassification Risk for Foreign Companies
- → Does PayPal Work in Turkey? No, Since 2016. What to Use Instead
- → Does Wise Work in Turkey? Send Yes, Receive No (2026)
- → Dolmabahçe Palace Tickets 2026: 2,000 TL, Harem, Hours, Closed Mondays
- → EE Roaming in Turkey (2026): £6 a Day, or Cheaper
- → Employer of Record (EOR) in Turkey: Costs, Providers, When You Need One
- → English-Speaking Dermatologist in Istanbul · How to Book, What It Costs (2026)
- → English-Speaking Doctor in Istanbul: Booking a First Appointment (2026)
- → English-Speaking Hospitals and Health Insurance in Istanbul (2026 Costs)
- → Fees and Tariffs for Foreigners in Istanbul, 2026 (Checked Monthly)
- → Foreigner Prices in Istanbul 2026: What Tourists Pay vs Turkish Citizens
- → Galata Tower Tickets 2026: €30, Hours, Müzekart, and When to Go
- → Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş Tickets as a Tourist: Passolig 2026
- → Getting Paid in Turkey as a Nomad · Payoneer, Wise, SWIFT (2026)
- → giffgaff Roaming in Turkey (2026): £18 for 10 GB, or Cheaper
- → Hagia Sophia Entrance Fee 2026: €25, Hours, Queue
- → Hair Transplant in Istanbul · Licence Check of 40 Clinics, Prices, Recovery
- → Hodjapasha Whirling Dervish Show: Tickets, Times, Review & Alternatives
- → Holafly Turkey 2026: Prices, the BTK Block, and Whether It Still Works
- → Hotels Near Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), 2026
- → How to Open a Turkish Bank Account as a Foreigner · 2026
- → How to Pay Freelancers in Turkey: Wise, Payoneer, SWIFT and Invoices
- → Is Airalo Blocked in Turkey? Not Working Fix (Oct 2026)
- → Is Hagia Sophia Open Now? Live Status, Today's Hours, Friday Closure
- → Istanbul Airport Transfers: Book from IST or Sabiha Gökçen
- → Istanbul Apartment Hunting for Foreigners · 3 Platforms + 5 Scams
- → Istanbul Food Tour 2026: The Two Best-Rated, and How to Do It Yourself
- → Istanbul Hamam Prices 2026: 10 Historic Baths Checked
- → Istanbul Layover Guide 2026: Touristanbul, Hours Needed, Hotels
- → Istanbul Museum Hours & Müzekart: Checked Monthly at Source
- → Istanbul Museum Pass vs E-pass vs Tourist Pass: Which Pays Off (2026)
- → Istanbul Photoshoot 2026: Prices, Packages and Which One to Book
- → Istanbul SIM Card & Turkey IMEI Registration 2026: BTK Fee, 120-Day Rule
- → Istanbul with Kids 2026: Miniaturk, Aquarium, and What Is Closed
- → Istanbul Workshops 2026: Mosaic Lamp, Perfume, Coffee, Cooking Compared
- → Luggage Storage in Istanbul: City Bag Drops and Airport Left Luggage (2026)
- → Maiden's Tower Tickets 2026: €27 Entry, Boat Fee, Hours, Timetable
- → Mounjaro and Ozempic in Turkey · Prescription Rules and Prices (2026)
- → O2 Roaming in Turkey (2026): £7 a Day, or Cheaper
- → Outsourcing to Turkey or building a team in Istanbul: agency vs own team
- → Princes' Islands 2026: Ferry Times, Fares, Which Island
- → Renting a Car at Istanbul Airport (2026 Guide)
- → Selling on Etsy, Amazon or Shopify from Turkey: How You Get Paid (2026)
- → Simbye Discount Code NOMADISTAN15: 15% Off Turkey eSIM (Oct 2026)
- → Skin Treatments in Istanbul · Hydrafacial, PRP and Somon DNA Explained (2026)
- → Three Months in Istanbul: A Realistic Budget for Your Stay (2026)
- → Three Roaming in Turkey (2026): £7–8 a Day, or Cheaper
- → Topkapı Palace Tickets 2026: Price, Harem, Hours, Museum Pass
- → Turkcell Tourist eSIM: Buy Online Before You Arrive, Price 1,800 TRY (Oct 2026)
- → Turkey Citizenship by Investment for Founders (2026): The Honest Math
- → Turkey Citizenship by Investment vs Caribbean: 2026 Math for Founders
- → Turkey Digital Nomad Visa, Eligibility, Requirements, Process · 2026
- → Turkey eSIM and Internet Block Statistics 2026
- → Turkey eSIM Block (2026): What Still Works After BTK Blocked 37 Stores
- → Turkey eSIM Unlimited Data 2026: From $17 a Week, Compared
- → Turkey payroll and employer cost in 2026: what you pay on top of salary
- → Turkey Residence Permit Health Insurance · What Göç İdaresi Accepts (2026)
- → Turkey Roaming Charges 2026: UK Networks Compared
- → Turkish developer salaries and rates in 2026 (for hiring budgets)
- → USDT & Crypto Off-Ramp via Turkey · 2026
- → Vodafone Roaming in Turkey (2026): £8 a Day, or Cheaper
- → What Is Blocked in Turkey: Checked October 2026, From Istanbul
- → Where to Live in Istanbul as a Foreigner · 6 Neighborhoods, Real Rents
- → Whirling Dervish Show in Istanbul (2026): Where to See It, Prices & Tickets
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