Istanbul is a city of a breathtaking mixture of contrasts: old men sitting in crumbling tea houses playing chess next to Starbucks where young women sip lattes in short shorts; a mosque serenely placed down the road from an orthodox church; gleaming shiny malls surrounded by colourful ancient bazaars offering authentic Turkish goods. The more you discover during your time in Istanbul, the more wondrous treasures await you.
With accommodation and transfers included in volunteer placements, the hassle of commute is often obsolete. The public transport system might not be the easiest to understand, but the wide range to choose from (metro, tram, bus, train, metro bus, ferry) make it easy to travel about Istanbul (and beyond) and explore.
Volunteers generally live and work together, meaning, from day one, you’ll meet wonderful multi-cultural friends from all over the world wanting to make the difference to the society. You have each other to navigate the baffling Istanbul maze of streets in Arnavutkoy and to try all the different types of street food the city has to offer.