Claire Karaz has dual degrees in English (University of Michigan) and Medieval Art History (University of Rome, "La Sapienza"). She lived in Rome for a decade where she taught art history at Trinity College and study abroad programs for other American universities. She has lived in Istanbul for the last twelve years. She is presently an adjunct faculty at Yeditepe University and freelance translator. Originally from Washington, DC, Claire is very interested in social history. She is the author of Topkapı Palace: Inside and Out, published by Citlembik (Istanbul, 2004).

Max Vetter is a Vienna-bred historian/art historian with a special interest in the social context of art and architecture. Having landed in Istanbul a couple of years ago, not without several detours, he there conducts research on the architectural history of the Ottoman Empire and teaches at one of the many Istanbul universities. Max is an active participant in international conferences and author of a number of articles in specialist journals. He is also eager to explore and share the treasures of Istanbul "off the beaten track", which linger behind many a corner in this overwhelming urban site.

Ceylan Zere was born and raised in Istanbul and has spent much of her life wandering through its maze busy streets and alleys. With a background in engineering, she possesses a good knowledge of the city's built environment. Ceylan spent many years in the United States, and although she continues traveling her deep love is for Istanbul—in particular, its traditions, lives, characters, and the stories of two great Empires that made the city their capital over the last 2000 years. A licensed guide for Turkey, Ceylan spend much of the year leading expeditions to archeological sites along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey. She is the co-author of Turkey Guide: Confluence of Civilizations, written for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.