TURQUOISE DAYS
A City & Shipyard Guide
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"IF THE EARTH WERE A SINGLE STATE, ISTANBUL WOULD BE ITS CAPITAL"
Napoléon Bonaparte
WELCOME!
Welcome, crew, to Turquoise Yachts and the beautiful city of Istanbul! We’ve put together a little guide to help you settle in. If at any point during your stay here you have questions, feel free to reach out to any one of the contact persons detailed below.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Welcome to the city where Europe meets Asia, the crossing of two worlds with an incredibly rich maritime history. Whether you find yourself wandering the UNESCO world heritage sites of Fatih, the high-end shops in Bebek, or local spots right here in Pendik, there’s something for everybody in Istanbul.
Legend tells us that the city of Byzantium was founded on the land in which you now step, around 667 BC by a group of colonists from Megara, northwest of Athens. The new colony quickly prospered, largely due to its ability to levy tolls and harbour fees on ships passing through the Bosphorus, then as now an important waterway.
Over the next hundreds of years, the city traded hands, to the Persians at first, then the Athenians, and following them the Romans. As the capital of the Roman empire, Constantinople prospered as a city before eventually succumbing to economic downturn and coming to rest in the hands of the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to the Turkish Republic. From here - an empire was born and rapidly became one of the most successful maritime nations to ever exist.
Today, Istanbul is globally a top economic, touristic and residential hub. Welcome, crew, to the city that never sleeps.
CITY LAYOUT
Istanbul can be roughly divided into shopping, residential, commercial and touristic districts, with the lines between the three very often blending heavily. The city is divided between a European Side and an Asian side by the Bosphorus strait running through the middle.
TOURISTIC
Generally speaking, the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet, Fatih & Eminönü are heavily touristic, home to classic sights like Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar. This area is located on the south of the European side of the city.
COMMERCIAL
Levent & Maslak neighbourhoods, located northwards on the European side, are the heart of Istanbul’s commerce district, being home to financial centers, office complexes, and high-end malls.
RESIDENTIAL
The Anatolian side of the city is generally more residential, with sprawling neighbourhoods like Üsküdar, Moda, and Kadıköy where it’s not unlikely to see a 300 year old wooden mansion on the same street as a modern tower of flats.
SHOPPING
Finally, newer districts like Atasehir and modernized historic districts like Galata are home to some of the most comprehensive shopping opportunities in the world.
GETTING AROUND
During your stay, your two most frequently used methods of public transport will likely be car & taxi. Beyond this however, Istanbul has a great public transport network. To use almost all of them, you will need an IstanbulCard as a payment system. You can pick one up from subway stations and municipal kiosks. To see various public transport routes to get you to your destination, you may want to use an app like Trafi (https://web.trafi.com/tr/istanbul)
Main public transport options include:
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Metro & Other Railroad: One of the best ways to get almost anywhere, payment is by Istanbul card. The metro is an efficient way to get to most major destinations in the city. The closest station to the shipyard is just across the road and is named Tersane. You can find the full routes map available here.
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Bus: Payment by Istanbul card. Goes almost everywhere in the city but can be slow and crowded.
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Dolmush: Payment by cash. These minibus-taxi hybrids are yellow vans that run along pre-defined routes and can be flagged down.
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Ferry: Payment by IstanbulCard. Runs regularly between the European and Asian side from most coastal districts.
Around Turkey in 35 Seconds
Click on "Weekend Trips" in the menu for advice on some great places to see outside of Istanbul borders. Or - watch this 35 second video to get a general idea of the diverse experiences available!
USEFUL TECH
Here are a number of apps that you may want to have on your phone to make your life easier
YEMEK SEPETI
An app for delivery of full meals from restaurants.
HAYAT EVE SIĞAR
During the COVID outbreak, the Turkish government has instituted mandatory HES (Hayat Eve Sıgar) codes for entry into certain places like malls and hotels. You can download the HES app to obtain your code in a few clicks.
GETIR
Getir is a delivery app for groceries, food, and some other items. Good for quick delivery of small items.
BITAKSI
Uber for Yellow Cabs.
UBER
Cheaper option than taxis and generally more English-speaking drivers.
SAHIBINDEN
One of the biggest e-commerce sites in Turkey, from second hand selling of phones to real estate.
GOOGLE MAPS
Includes public transport routes in Istanbul and most public places. We recommend downloading a map of Istanbul for offline use.
Cuisine
Turkish food still carries centuries of legacy and the fusion of cultures. Dominant ingredients include red meats, earthy vegetables such as aubergine and courgettes, and a healthy amount of spices.
In Istanbul, it’s possible to find all sorts of cuisine restaurants, from Italian high-end dining to far-east Asian and of course, the ever sought-after Turkish kebab in a variety of forms.
We urge you to be adventurous and to explore the city through its cuisines, one of the best ways to get to know a people whom we’re confident you'll find to be welcoming, hospitable, and kind.
Let's make it easy for you - Here's a checklist of foods to try before you leave:
Main meals: Adana Kebab, Doner Durum, Iskender, Mantı, Kagıtta Levrek, Paçanga, Yaprak Sarma
Vegetarian meals: Etsiz Çig Köfte, Mucver, Saksuka, Kurufasulye Pilav, Borek
Desserts: Baklava, Sütlü Nuriye, Sütlaç, Künefe, Kadayıf, Lokum
Breakfast: Serpme Kahvaltı (Assorted Turkish Breakfast)
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
The good friendship that you find when you work with Turquoise is an important quality, and it makes things easier!
Alessandro Nazareth
Valicelli Yacht Design
I love building in Turkey, where the workers are extremely resourceful and think out of the box!
Richard Masters
Master Yachts Consultancy
The team is extremely passionate, many times I find them putting in hours late into the night.
Mohammed Barwani
Chairman, MB Holding
NEAR THE SHIPYARD
Here are some places that may be useful for you within the vicinity of the shipyard, Pendik area.
HOSPITAL
Johns Hopkins Hospital, under the name Anadolu Saglık Merkezi, is located approx. 10 minutes away by car, within the borders of Gebze city. For minor injuries or discomforts, you may also choose to consult with the Shipyard doctor, conveniently located near the entrance. Phone number: +90 444 42 76
PHARMACY
Neomarin Pharmacy is located within the walking-distance shopping mall Neomarin.
DRY CLEANING
Dry Service Kartal is a nearby service that will come pick your laundry up and return it having been cleaned. Available at below website or at +90 (216) 451-6451
SHOPPING CENTRES
Neomarin is the nearest shopping center and is a short walk from the shipyard entrance. Viaport is an outlet mall home to designer brands, around 15 minutes by car. More high end shopping can be found at Akasya mall on the Asian side of the city or Zorlu Centre and İstinyePark on the European side.
GYM
A number of hotels nearby have gyms available for use. The Green Park Pendik Hotel & Convention Center is a local favourite. For outdoor exercise and jogging, Pendik Dr. Tahsin Arcen Park is a great nearby alternative.
RESTAURANTS
While it is impossible to exhaustively list all of the great places to eat, here are some close-by favourites of Turquoise employees: Tuzla Balıkçısı (Fish & Seafood), Esentepe Köftecisi (Meatballs), Uzun Yayla Döner (Doner & homemade food), Dönerci Kenan Usta (Higher end Doner & homemade food), Komagene (Vegetarian Fastfood), Gazi Burma (Dessert Shop)
AIRPORTS
The nearest airport to the shipyard (around 10 minutes drive) is named Sabiha Gökçen (Code: SAW) and is available for both commercial and private aviation. Further afield on the European side of the city are two airports: Istanbul Airport (Code: IST) and Ataturk Airport (Code: ISL)
MARINE GEAR
One of the most comprehensive marine gear stores in town is Eastmarine (https://www.eastmarine.com.tr/en/) located 20 minutes west of the shipyard and available for shopping online. If you are in a hurry, try Bizim Liman, a 4 minute drive from Turquoise.
CONTACT
Turquoise Yachts is located within the Istanbul city borders, in the neighbourhood of Pendik. The address for the shipyard is as follows:
Turquoise Yat Sanayi
Güzelyalı Mah. Malkoçoğlu Sokak No: 3/1
34903 Pendik - Istanbul / TURKEY