www.kultur.gov.tr is the official site of the Turkish Ministry of Culture, and an excellent source for information and links to the country's major arts events.

www.tourismturkey.org is the website of the Ministry of Tourism.

www.turkishdailynews.com and www.turkishpress.com, the sites for Turkey's two English-language dailies, allow you to plug into real-time issues.

www.asiaminor.com is an English-language site featuring travel, cultural, business, and city guides.

www.lesartsturcs.com has extensive information on Turkish culture and learning opportunities, and links to its adjunct Istanbul city guide.

Not satisfied with the equivalent of a drive-by visit to Istanbul? Sign up for one of a growing number of courses ranging in length from 1 hour to several months. Les Arts Turcs, Incili Çavus Sok. 37/3 (tel. 0212/520-7743; info@lesartsturcs.com), (Nurdogan Senguler)  is a leader among those committed to restoring and reviving endangered traditional Turkish and Ottoman arts. They arrange classes in the art of ebru (marbleized paper), calligraphy, miniature painting, and belly dancing. Fees are about $15 to $20 per hour, and classes can be arranged around the needs of the visitor.

The Istanbul Handicrafts Center also promotes the exclusive and lost arts of the empire, offering classes in painting classic Iznik designs on glass, porcelain, or textiles. Also offering courses in traditional Ottoman arts is the Caferaga Medresesi (tel. 0212/513-3601), a restored religious seminary. Courses include painting, woodcarving, jewelry making, ebru, and miniatures. They also offer private music lessons on the ney, saz, davul, and the ud, all traditional Turkish folk instruments. For those wishing to tackle the complexities of the Turkish language, Tömer, Abide-I Hürriyet Cad. 43, Sisli/Istanbul (tel. 0212/230-7083; fax 0212/230-7084), the Language Teaching Center of Ankara University, offers a convenient schedule of 4- and 8-week classes. Classes are staggered January through November and cost $250 for 80 hours of coursework; $384 for 96 hours; and $640 for 160 hours.