The couple, nicknamed “Brangelina,” will be the guests of Mars Entertainment, a group that owns a chain of movie theaters in Turkey, but no detailed information about their visit was revealed.

The last time Jolie came to Turkey was in June 2011, when she visited one of the Syrian refugee camps in the Altınözü district of the southern province of Hatay.

Jolie, 36, and Pitt, 48, announced their engagement in April.

The seemingly small and simple idea filled an important void in Istanbul’s fashion world. By launching the campaign years before Istanbul would be named the “2010 European Capital of Culture” Mavi not only contributed to the city’s promotional marketing but became the first clothing brand to support the city in its bid for the European Capital of Culture title. Over time, Mavi’s Istanbul t-shirts have become a company, and city, trademark.

The success of the Istanbul t-shirt series is evident in its ever-growing legion of fans—people who eagerly await the latest design, ‘collectors’ who creatively incorporate each new design into their wardrobe, people who saw the t-shirts as the best gift for loved ones, tourists who saw the designs as the perfect souvenir to take back home. Artists from many different disciplines have jumped at the chance to illustrate what they love about Istanbul through graphics and drawings which get turned into designs for the collection.

Through their designs these artists have reflected what it is like to live in Istanbul, what it means to make Istanbul a part of yourself; ultimately what it is like to be an Istanbulite. Over the years designs have included a silhouette of the iconic Istanbul skyline as well as classic symbols of the city such as “simit for seagulls,” “horse mackerel,” “the trolley car,” “the Maiden’s Tower” and “Galata Tower.”

With the continued addition of new designs the Mavi Istanbul t-shirt collection grew into a giant collection featuring 98 different designs by 44 different artists, all worn by millions of people in Istanbul, in Turkey and abroad.

The Turkish jeans wear company Mavi has signed with Brazillian supermodel Adriana Lima. Watch Adriana Lima latest commercial for Mavi`s 2012 spring-summer collection.

Mavi Adriana Lima “çok mu çok renkliyiz?” Reklam Filmi from mavi.

“Honorary Awards” of the Istanbul Theatre Festival were presented to the significant theatre actors during the Opening Ceremony of the 18th Istanbul Theatre Festival hosted by Demet Evgar, who is also the lead actress of Macbeth to be staged by Tiyatro Pangar in the festival.

Cüneyt Türel, who was deemed worthy of Honorary Award of the Istanbul Theatre Festival and was going to perform with Tilbe Saran in I Take Your Hand in Mine directed by Başar Sabuncu, bid farewell to stages and life on 1 May, 2012. Award of Cüneyt Türel, who is one of the unforgettable names of the Turkish theatre with the characters he played during his career longer than 50 years as well as his works at radio, cinema, television, and dubbing, was presented by actor Metin Deniz to Tilbe Saran and his daughter Elif Türel.

Second Honorary Award of the festival was presented to Başar Sabuncu, who directed more than 100 radio series and who is a director at Istanbul Municipal Theatres and also nationally and internationally awarded for film and theatre directing, script writing, translation, and stage design. Metin Deniz presented the award for Başar Sabuncu.

Another person awarded with the Honorary Award of the festival was Prof. Özdemir Nutku, who is the founder of Dokuz Eylül University Fine Arts Faculty Department of Theatre. Nutku contributed to Turkish theatre with his academic studies and is known for his Shakespeare translations and works on theatre. Journalist Zeynep Oral presented the award for Prof. Özdemir Nutku.

Fourth Honorary Award of the Istanbul Theatre Festival was presented to Prof. Sevda Şener who started her academic career as the first assistant of the Theatre Institute established at Ankara University in 1958 and is a significant academician of our theatre with her books, research, observations, and scientific articles on world and Turkish theatre. The Istanbul Theatre Festival Director Dikmen Gürün presented the award for Prof. Sevda Şener.

Final Honorary Award of the festival will be presented to Thomas Ostermeier, Art Director of Schaubühne Berlin and one of the prominent directors of the world theatre. Thomas Ostermeier will be presented the award before the staging of Hamlet on Saturday, 12 May at 20.30 at Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Sahnesi within the festival.

Istanbul Theatre Festival kicks off with the Opening Performance by Genco Erkal
“Nâzim and Brecht, and a Bit Of Aziz Nesin”
After the Opening Ceremony, the 18th Istanbul Theatre Festival started with Genco Erkal’s opening performance “Nâzim and Brecht, and a Bit Of Aziz Nesin”.
Genco Erkal, who has been staging works of Brecht since 1971, Nâzım Hikmet since 1973, and Aziz Nesin since 1975, took the guests of the ceremony to musical journey composing of poems and stories by Nazım Hikmet, Bertolt Brecht and Aziz Nesin together with Tülay Günal, Evrim Özkaynak and pianist Yiğit Özatalay.

The 18th Istanbul Theatre Festival, which will continue until 5 June, will be a month full of theatre in Istanbul with more than 100 shows of 5 theatre and dance companies from abroad and 40 companies from Turkey as well as panel discussions, workshops, conferences, and exhibitions with the participation of worldly known theatre and dance groups.

Further information on the 18th Istanbul Theatre Festival:
tiyatro.iksv.org
facebook.com/istanbultiyatrofestivali
twitter.com/tiyatrofest

Art lovers will be able to view not only the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Pera Museum’s collection of Orientalist paintings, but also its other collections, including the Kütahya collection of tiles and ceramics, a collection of Anatolian weights and measures and a the Old Istanbul Photographs Collection, on Google’s easy-to-navigate web platform. Users can explore a wide range of artworks in brushstroke-level detail, and even build their own collections to share. “The Art Project is going global, thanks to our new partners from around the entire world,” says Amit Sood, the head of the Google Art Project.

An enhanced “My Gallery” feature allows users to select any of the 30,000 artworks — along with their favorite details — and build their own personalized gallery. Comments can be added to each painting and the whole collection can then be shared with friends and family. The new Art Project includes other completely new tools called “explore” and “discover.” Users can find artworks by period, artist or type of artwork, displaying works from different museums around the world. “Google is committed to bringing all types of culture online and making it accessible. The Art Project demonstrates how the Internet helps spread knowledge,” Nelson Mattos, vice president of engineering at Google, said.

As well as retrospective screenings of the director’s best-known films, including “Metal and Melancholy,” “O Amor Natural,” “The Underground Orchestra,” and “El Olvido,” the festival will host a “cinema class” taught by Honigmann.

Apart from bringing together well-known documentary filmmakers, directors and festival organizers, the event is a significant meeting point for Turkish and international documentary filmmakers. This year’s festival program will include a number of different categories. One focus area of the festival is reflected in the category “Arab World: The Winds of Change,” featuring films on the Arab region, which has become the most politically dynamic region in the world.

Another section focuses on the hard times Turkey’s neighboring country of Greece is experiencing “Greece: Neighbor’s (Bad) Fortune.” The films in a third section, “Documenting Memories,” will address the relationship of memory to documentary films. Films on the synergy between music and cinema are grouped under the section titled “Music Documentaries.”

This year in these and other sections of the festival a total of 90 films will be shown. Apart from the newest award-winning films, which had their world premieres at such festivals as the Berlinale, IDFA, DOK Leipzig, Thessaloniki, CPH:DOX and Jihlava, classics such as “Step Across the Border” stand out among the offerings at Documentarist 2012.

This year Documentarist is supported by the Consulate General of the Netherlands, the Institut Français de Turquie, the Consulate General of Greece, the Dimitrie Cantemir Romanian Cultural Institute, the Goethe Institut, the Consulate General of the Czech Republic, Anadolu Kultur, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Armada Hotel. The festival’s venues include Akbank Art, the Institut Français, Aynalı Geçit, SALT Beyoğlu and the Romanian Cultural Institute.

The full program for the festival will be announced on May 15. For further information, please visit www.documentarist.org

Donald and Ivanka Trump began their visit with a press conference attended by the developers of the project, Aydin Dogan, Dogan Holding’s Honorary Chairman and Mehmet Ali Yalcindag, Dogan Yayin Holding, Member of the Board as well as VIP guests and key media outlets. Speaking in sequence, Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump expressed their great pride and enthusiasm for Trump Towers Istanbul.

“As the developers of Trump Towers Istanbul, Dogan Holding has delivered an incredible property. We look forward to this being the first of many world class developments undertaken together in Istanbul and throughout Turkey,” said Donald Trump.

Designed by Brigitte Weber, Trump Towers Istanbul is comprised of a 39-story, 204-unit residential tower, a 37-story, 86-unit office tower, and a seven floor retail platform, Trump Towers Mall, which is comprised of 194 units. This gorgeous property boasts spectacular views of the Bosphorus, the heart of Istanbul and historic Old Istanbul. Residents have already begun to occupy the tower and are privy to enjoy 24-hour white glove concierge service, state-of-the-art technology systems in every unit, a private lounge area with library, bar and kids club, a well-being center as well as a private wine cellar.

The office tower boasts the concept of “New Work” which was developed to combine unique attributes of the office building with white glove services and abundant amenities of the entire Trump Towers complex, creating a full lifestyle proposition. Business owners and their employees now have all of their professional and personal needs met in one central location- an unparalleled concept in Istanbul.

“At Trump Towers Istanbul the bar has been raised. With its spectacular design, world class amenities, incomparable lifestyle proposition and prime location, there is nothing like it in Istanbul,” said Donald Trump.

Consisting of five floors of shopping plus two floors dedicated to well-being and food and beverage, and totaling 43.000 square meters rentable area, Trump Towers Mall was designed by specialist retail architects, Chapman Taylor, which is one of the world leading firms in this field and blazes many trails in its sector. The “Mini Mall” floor with a 9.000 square meter area introduces a novelty in Turkey with its brands and activity areas special to children. The mall covers 141 national and foreign brands in 194 units, a fitness centre, the Trump Towers Theater where Disney Live! shows will be performed, as well as a state of the art movie theater with stadium seating.

Underlining the fact that the Trump Towers Mall is distinguished from its competitors with a unique concept, Ivanka Trump said, “One of the key differentiators of this mall is that it has a playing and recreation center, an entire floor in fact, dedicated exclusively to children. This is a concept created by the Trump Hotel Collection and exemplified by our Trump Kids program at hotel properties around the world.”

Ivanka Trump went on to say, “I was very excited when I met Mehmet Ali Yalcindag and began to discuss this project four years ago. The building is truly spectacular and one that we are very proud to have as a part of the portfolio. I hope it to be the first of many iconic projects together that will carry the Trump name.”

Trump Towers Istanbul-Sisli is not owned, developed or sold by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their affiliates. Ortadogu Otomotiv Ticaret A.S., is the owner and developer of the property, uses the “Trump” name and mark under license from Trump Marks Istanbul II LLC, which license may be terminated or revoked according to its terms.

SOURCE The Trump Organization

The elegant row houses in the Akaretler district of Istanbul, just off the shore road from Beşiktaş, have a classic, timeless appearance. They were built 136 years ago as extra accommodations for the royal staff at the nearby Dolmabahçe Palace.

Akaretler street scene was revitalized in 2008 in to an array of trendy, high-end shops and galleries. Akaretler boasts the flagship branch of Haremlique, retailer of elegantly designed linens and textiles, hip new wine bar Corvus, branches of upscale jewelry shops such as Sevan Bıçakçı and Storks and a wedding outlet by Turkish luxury designer Vakko.

The Turkish coffee-shop chain Kahve Dünyası has opened a branch. For a more filling meal, you can enjoy fine Middle Eastern cuisine in sumptuous armchairs on the shaded terrace of Al Jamal Badawi restaurant, or cross the street for a dinner at Kalamata Meyhane. Located at the W Hotel, Minyon offers a warm and elegant atmosphere where you can enjoy a light salad or an afternoon cocktail. Another very recent addition to the area’s dining scene is The Winston Brasserie, which specializes in upscale Italian fare.

Akaretler Row Houses, where you can pamper yourself all day, offer the people of Istanbul such stores, design and art galleries as Storks, Gen By Figen Özdenak, 1930 Antika, Sevan Bıçakçı, Haremlique, Rampa Art Gallery, Pronail, Artlimits, Can Hi-Fi, Autoban, Derin Design, Vakko Wedding, Yıldırım Özdemir, Dantell, RON, Art On and very classy cafe and restaurants as Cafe Minyon, OKKA, Kalamata Meyhane, Monies, Riviera Maison, Al Jamal Beyrouth Cafe Club, Kahve Dünyası, Corvus Wine and Bite, Caffe Nero and The Winston Brasserie.

In the 18th century Nisantasi was transformed in a Europeanized district within Istanbul. The heart of the neighborhood is the point where Vali Konagi street dissects Rumeli and Tesvikiye Avenues. Nişantaşı is where the locals go to hang out, to see and be seen. Abdi İpekçi Caddesi is the Turkish equivalent of 5th Avenue with rich boutiques and cafes lined up along its sides.

All the beautiful buildings along Macka, Valikonagi and Abdi Ipekci Streets have their own individual stories, and together they go to make up the history of this elegant area. For instance, Macka Palas, the historic building which houses the Emporio Armani and Gucci stores, as well as the Park Hyatt Hotel, was built in 1922 by the famous architect Giulio Mongeri for Munire Hanim, the granddaughter of Sultan Abdulmecid.

City’s Nisantasi shopping center, is located on the street of Tesvikiye which is the heart of retail shopping in the luxurious district of Nisantasi.

The Sofa Hotel on Tesvikiye Street is in a stylish building, full of contemporary art. Among the boutiques and stores present in the district are luxury brands such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, Armani, Gucci, Escada, Max Mara, Laura Ashley, Hermès, Alexander McQueen, Roberto Cavalli, Ermenegildo Zegna, Brioni, Valentino, Burberry, Tod’s, IWC and Cartier. Local shopping mecca Beymen (which carries Dior, Miu Miu, Michael Kors, and many more names) has a fantastic multi-storey building in which they present their latest collections, along with other brands ranging from Marc Jacobs to Viktor&Rolf, Balenciaga and Chloé.

Many leading Turkish labels, such as Gönül Paksoy, Beymen, and Vakko, have also set up shop in the area. Nişantaşı is also one of the best neighborhoods for jewelry shopping, with a number of major international jewelry chains, such as Tiffany’s and Cartier, and some of the best known Turkish jewelers, such as Urart and Gilan.

Istanbul, which has recently been hosting the James Bond film crew in its historical neighborhoods, has long been a popular destination for international filmmakers due to its many cultural and historical venues.

The city, which is currently hosting filming for the latest installment of the James Bond film series, “Skyfall,” has served as the setting for many world-famous films. Istanbul has already hosted filming for other films in the James Bond series, including “From Russia with Love” and “The World is not Enough.” The 2003 Greek movie, “Politiki Kouzina” (A Touch of Spice), was also filmed in Istanbul, along with “The Accidental Spy.”

The city’s world-renowned sites, such as the Topkapı Palace Museum, Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, Eminönü, the Basilica Cistern, Beyazıt and many other locations in the city have drawn a long list of filmmakers.

So this week, we’re counting down our top 10 movies filmed in Istanbul and which have made great contributions to Istanbul’s international promotion.

1. Skyfall (2012)
   In SKYFALL, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. Directed by Sam Mendes. Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Dame Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Ben Whishaw.
2. Taken 2 (2012)
   In Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter. Starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace.
3. The International (2009)
   Directed by Tom Tykwer, “The International” stars big-name actors such as Clive Owen, Naomi Watts and Haluk Bilginer. In the film an Interpol agent attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution’s role in an international arms dealing ring. The films locations include Lyon, Milan, Berlin, Istanbul and New York.
4. The Net 2.0 (2006)
   The life of a young computer systems analyst is thrown into turmoil when, after arriving in Istanbul to start a new job, she finds her credit cards useless, her bank account empty, and her identity stolen. Directed by Charles Winkler starring Nikki Deloach, Cengiz Bozkurt, Demet Akbag
5. The Accidental Spy (2001)
   This Hong Kong martial arts film stars Jackie Chan and was directed by Teddy Chan. It tells the story of Bei, a salesman at a workout equipment store who harbors dreams of adventure. He follows his instincts to trail two suspicious-looking men into an alley. When he realizes that the men are robbing a jewelry store, he jumps into action to foil their plans. Later, he sets on his quest to fulfill his dreams of adventure and fortune, traveling to Korea and Istanbul. Many Turkish artists, models and stuntmen acted in the Turkish scenes of the film.
6. Girl on the Bridge (1999)
   It’s night on a Paris bridge. A girl leans over Seine River with tears in her eyes and a violent yearning to drown her sorrows… Directed by Patrice Leconte starring Vanessa Paradis, Daniel Auteuil, Frédéric Pfluger.
7. The World Is Not Enough (1998)
   The 19th film of the James Bond series, directed by Michael Apted and starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond, revolves around the assassination of billionaire Sir Robert King by the terrorist Renard. Bond is assigned to protect King’s daughter, Elektra, who was previously held for ransom by Renard. While on assignment, Bond foils a scheme to increase petroleum prices by triggering a nuclear meltdown in the waters of Istanbul.
8. Hamam (1997)
   The film was the directorial debut of renowned Turkish filmmaker Ferzan Özpetek, who lives in Italy. The main character, Francesco, travels to Istanbul in the film to try and sell property she inherits after her aunt passes away. When Francesco discovers the property includes a derelict hamam (a Turkish bath) he instead decides to restore the hamam and reopen it to the public. The film is set in the Beyoğlu district.
9. Topkapı (1964)
   Directed by Jules Dussin and starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov and Maximilian Schell, the film’s plot centers on a group of thieves who devise a plan to steal the emerald-encrusted dagger of Sultan Mahmud I from the Topkapı Palace. Filmed almost entirely in Istanbul, the city plays a major role in the film.
10. From Russia with Love (1963)
    The second film in the James Bond series, and one of the most popular, was made during a time when the effects of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union were felt the most. In the film, which stars Sean Connery as 007, Bond is sent to assist in the defection of Soviet consulate clerk Tatiana Romanova in Turkey. The settings of the film included Istanbul’s Beyazıt, Sulukule and Basilica Cistern.
11. Istanbul (1957)
    Directed by Hoseph Pevney, the film stars Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers and Nat King Cole and tells the story of a suspected diamond smuggler who returns to Istanbul and finds that the lady love he thought was dead is actually alive.

Leave a comment if you know any other movies filmed in Istanbul.

Awards are a significant boost to any destination’s reputation and the 2011/2012 summer season saw a real increase in tourism in Istanbul, no doubt influenced by accolades, such as the Tripadvisor Destinations top spot.

The city of Istanbul is a vibrant mix of many cultures, due in part to its location (straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait) and, well, in part to its history of getting conquered. The Hagia Sophia, for example, was a church, then a mosque and is now a museum. You’ll spot Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture around town.

In the fourth year of its awards, TripAdvisor has honored 440 outstanding destinations in 37 markets across the globe, including lists for Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Europe, India, Mexico, the Middle East, South America, the South Pacific, and the United States.

The Travelers’ Choice Destinations awards honor top travel spots worldwide based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travelers. Award winners were determined based on the popularity of destinations, taking into account travelers’ favorites and most highly rated places.

Top 25 Travelers’ Choice World Destinations:

1. London, England
2. New York City, New York
3. Rome, Italy
4. Paris, France
5. San Francisco, California
6. Marrakech, Morocco
7. Istanbul, Turkey
8. Barcelona, Spain
9. Siem Reap, Cambodia
10. Berlin, Germany
11. Chicago, Illinois
12. Florence, Italy
13. Buenos Aires, Argentina
14. Sydney, Australia
15. Beijing, China
16. Prague, Czech Republic
17. Las Vegas, Nevada
18. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
19. Shanghai, China
20. Honolulu, Hawaii
21. Los Angeles, California
22. New Orleans, Louisiana
23. Cape Town, South Africa
24. Chiang Mai, Thailand
25. Dublin, Ireland