If you're a student journalists or happen to know one aspiring to become travel writers, there's no reason to wait to do slave work at an internship where you won't see the outside of a cubicle. Rough Guides and BikeHike Adventures are offering a contest that will send one one travel-hungry student to Istanbul on assignment.

You'll get to be a travel-writing assistant for Terry Richardson, author of The Rough Guide to Istanbul, who's researching a new edition of the book. But as is the case with any assistant gig, you'll be the one doing the grunt work researching and updating the guidebook. Be prepared to do some solo traveling.]]> Jennifer Kester 2011-02-02T09:46:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/11/17/1159/5563

Here at Jaunted, we are seemingly always discussing the newest (and awesomest) in-flight amenities, airline meals and airport lounges that come part and parcel with the price of your ticket. Alas, there are even more extras to discover during international travel, like the fact that Turkish Airlines takes passengers with long layovers on FREE tours around Istanbul.

It works like this: if you're flying on Turkish and switching flights at Istanbul's Atatürk Airport and you've got a layover of six hours or more, then you can head to the airport's Hotel Information Desk to partake in a free tour with a private guide. Stops on the tours usually include time at the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. The itineraries do vary, but you can check ahead of time here to see exactly where the tours go and when.

[Image: TurkishAirlines.com] ]]> JetSetCD 2010-11-17T11:45:50-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/8/2/6319/31117

If you think you have the chops to be a travel writer—or are willing to do whatever's necessary for a free trip—here's your big break. Great Hotels of the World is holding a travel-writing contest whose winner will go to Istanbul on assignment.

The prize includes all of your flights, a five-night stay at Istanbul's Midtown Hotel, breakfast, dinner and "VIP travel writer treatment"—though most credible travel scribes do it anonymously to get the everyday person treatment. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2010-08-02T15:31:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/23/13120/3213

Turkish Airlines wants you to feel like a flight attendant is always hovering over your shoulder on your next flight. The Star Alliance member tapped Kevin Costner for its latest commercial, which features the "Field of Dreams" actor making significant eye contact with an attendant who then serves him dinner and puts in his bookmark (not a euphemism) as a bouncy tune suggests he "feel[s] like a star." Let's just hope he didn't show her the business in gratitude.

We saw this spot over and over on CNN International last month and never once registered that it was Costner. (In fact, we didn't even remember the airline name, just the tune as heard through a haze of jet lag.)

That said, doesn't his presence actually undermine the claim that anyone flying Turkish Airlines will feel like a star, considering Costner was an A-lister at one point and is still pretty famous. Maybe they teamed up with him because of his long and happy history with turkeys from "Waterworld" to "Swing Vote." Costner has actually been to Turkey before, though, on a world tour with his country band, Kevin Costner and Modern West.

Turkish Airlines recently suffered a nasty crash outside Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport in February in which nine died as the plane broke into three places in a botched landing.

Related Stories:
· Kevin Costner Rounds Out The Wacky Crowd At Tribeca Grand [HC]
· Turkish Arlines Jet Crashes Outside Schiphol Airport [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted] ]]> egw 2009-06-23T15:23:20-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/27/154549/376

Last week Shira Levine spent a few days getting her Turkish Delight on in Istanbul, Turkiye ("Turkey is a bird; Turkiye is the country"). Any questions about what to do in Turkiye? Send 'em to us and we'll have Shira answer them for you.

We've been through plenty of shuks, souks, ferias, and open-air markets in both developing and developed nations. The Turkish Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market take the pistachio or saffron-flavored cake in offering interpersonal adventures, thanks to the unbelievably high levels of persistence shop owners have in hopes of making a sale.

Even if you don't buy, these sweet and sensitive guys get very offended if you don't engage them in conversation and step into their shops. Resist! No one has that much time or patience.

Here's our list of tips on how to make the most of your trek through the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar. ]]> shiralevine 2009-05-28T14:32:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/10/35024/6357

We don't want to wish any serious airport stranding on ourselves, but if and when, then couldn't it be somewhere as bizarre as this, the executive lounge of Turkish Air at Istanbul's Ataturk airport?

We're pretty impressed that some people felt relaxed enough here in this über-decadent airline lounge to not just put their feet on the seats, but actually stretch out--we would be hearing our mother's voice in our ear telling us to behave.

We can't put it better than the photographer who described this place as having a "your flight has been delayed so now you're stranded at Dolmabache Palace" feel to it.

What we can't figure out is why our delays are always at airports where we can't access any decent lounge and end up sleeping on plastic benches at fast food franchises instead. Can anyone tell us which god we have to pray to?

Related Stories:
· Security Guards in Qatar's First Class Lounge Won't Allow Any Pictures [Jaunted]
· Turkey Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong?] ]]> amandak 2009-02-11T09:21:03-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/5/1/121956/2467

"The Today Show" publicity stunt/geography lesson that is "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" continued today with a stop in Istanbul. We'll give Meredith Vieira a pass on her claim that "New Zealand is on a submerged continent" and instead focus on the cool info that Lauer had on Turkey, where tourism has doubled in the past six years.

The morning host was also joined by Lester Holt who did a quick tour around the country to Bodrum, Pamukkale, Cappadocia and Ephesus. We also got a look inside the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

Oh, and it's a good thing Matt did his introductory stand-up on a boat in the Bosphorus. Helped him avoid those May Day demonstrations that police in Istanbul put down with tear gas and water cannons today.

Related Stories:
· Where in the World Is Matt Lauer? [MSNBC]
· Television Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-05-01T12:30:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/