Lina was the first host I stayed with as part of my ongoing project to stay at different Airbnb homes and write about hosts' stories to be compiled in a book. My aim is to create sort of a "people guide" for travelers, who don't know much about the daily lives of locals living in a city they want to visit. At this day and age, where city guide type of information is easily accessible, I feel like what's more important is how one can experience true, authentic way of living in the places they visit and the best way to do so goes through getting to know the people who live there.

I couldn't have found a better host than Lina to achieve exactly that! She represents everything that Istanbul has to offer: multi-cultural background, an amazing, warm, friendly welcome and her relentless efforts to feed you good food!! :)

I have used Airbnb as a guest in the past but Lina, by far, has exceeded my expectations in terms of providing me with a homey feeling. I was basically at my own home with her. Not to mention the breathtaking views of the Bosphorous from her large balcony, where we had long dinners and best conversations; a typical Turkish combo that goes hand in hand.

Her apartment is located in the very heart of Cihangir, where all the creative types and just cool people live. Surrounded by many restaurants and cafes, you will never run out of places to enjoy good food and drinks.

It is also very centrally located in terms of getting to more traditional tourist attractions, such as Taksim Square, Besiktas, Karakoy etc...Also, don't forget to use the old staircases on the streets around her apartment as shortcuts to reach Karakoy and Kabatas. They are definitely a part of the whole Cihangir experience.

All in all, one thing is for sure, you will have an amazing stay at Lina's apartment thanks to her extraordinary hosting expertise!

Updates on my #AirbnbBookProject can be found on DeecafWriting.blogspot.com and the book will be out at the end of 2015 or early 2016. You could also follow me on Instagram or Twitter under @duyguaktan for photos and links.

THANK YOU LINA for giving me an amazing start to my project!