Most cities take their time to let you in. Not Istanbul. It crashed into me like a wave. It was messy, immediate, and unforgettable—and I’ve been trying to make sense of it ever since.
I’m Kiara Wittek. I’ve edited papers, shaped words as a copywriter, and told stories as a journalist. Now, through Istanbul Notes, I’m building something bigger—a platform where writers, researchers, and cultural insiders unpack the layers of this city: its history, culture, art, music, food, and more.
This blog is part guide, part magazine, and part ongoing conversation with the city itself. It’s written for locals who live its contradictions, and for visitors curious enough to go beyond the surface.