Rena Effendi

Urbanism

Is the reinvention of downtown Cairo Egypt’s most controversial comeback?

The Egyptian capital is fast evolving as developers seek fresh opportunities on its storied streets. Here we investigate whether the restoration of its bustling heart can be done without sacrificing its essence.

Travel and restaurants

Istanbul’s secret village: Why Kuzguncuk is the city’s coolest historic quarter

Hidden in the sprawl of Turkey’s largest city, Kuzguncuk is a slice of old Istanbul on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. Once a quaint village, it is now a stylish, spirited neighbourhood.

Travel and restaurants

Street food is still a defining force in the culinary scene of Istanbul

The reinvention of Turkey’s largest city as a gastronomic hub continues apace – but not at the expense of the unfussy, authentic fare that has long delighted the metropolis.

Affairs

How Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are laying down tracks for the future with the BTK railway

By plane, train and automobile, we take in the shifting allegiances within the Caucasus’s former-Soviet states.