For many years, I have been a local tour guide in Istanbul—walking the same ancient streets, telling the same timeless stories to curious travelers from around the world. From the grandeur of Hagia Sophia to the mysteries of the Basilica Cistern, I’ve recited the known, explained the seen, and translated the visible layers of this layered city.
But at some point, I realized something was missing.
There are parts of Istanbul no human can ever truly reach. Not just hidden courtyards or lost relics—but forgotten feelings, unspoken memories, and the silent breath of time itself. As a guide, my words often stayed in the realm of facts. But my imagination… it wandered elsewhere.
So I created Istanbul Stories.
Not to repeat what history books already say, but to whisper the things they forget.
To do that, I needed a new language. Not the voice of a guide, but the voice of the city itself—spoken through its animals. Because unlike us, animals are not bound by time, identity, or role. A seagull can fly over centuries. A cat can slip between eras. A mouse can hear what we never will.
That’s how Alek, Misi, and Rubi were born.
- Alek, the wise and aloof seagull, sees the city from above. He watches emperors rise and fall like waves on the Bosphorus.
- Misi, the melancholic and intuitive cat, walks in silence through the city’s courtyards and ruins—feeling what has been lost.
- Rubi, the sharp-witted and curious mouse, hides in palace walls and listens to whispers that once changed the world.
They are not me. They are freer. They go where I never could.
They see Istanbul not through facts—but through fables.
Each story here is a blend of history, memory, imagination, and longing. Sometimes joyful, sometimes mournful—but always told with love for this impossible, beautiful city.
And because stories need eyes to shine through, I also share supporting visuals on our Instagram page @alekmisirubi. These help bring the voices of Alek, Misi, and Rubi to life—through mood, color, and a little magic.
Istanbul Stories is not a guidebook.
It is a quiet stroll through time—with feather, paw, and tail leading the way.
Welcome to their city.