Napoleon once said that if the whole world was
a country, Istanbul would be the capital. And though I can not know what
Napoleon saw in this city hundreds of years ago, and what exactly he had in
mind, I would somehow agree with him.
It's not just its geographic location and the
fact that all you have to do is cross a bridge to get to know two different
continents, two different worlds. They are all these different empires, the
nations, the invaders and the religions that have passed from this city and
left their mark, which makes this city so different and so rich.
What to see
Hagia Sophia: Apart from a very impressive
temple, Hagia Sophia is at the same time a great part of the city's history. A
perfect example of the ongoing struggle between the Christian and Islamic
world. It was built by Justinian between 532 and 537 and was the largest
cathedral in the world for 1,000 years until the construction of the Seville
Cathedral in 1520. After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, Hagia Sophia became
a mosque, and since 1935 operates as a museum.
Blue Mosque: The Sultan Ahmet Mosque or Blue
Mosque, as it is best known, is one of the most stunning things to see in
Istanbul. It is a very large mosque consisting of five main domes and six
minarets. Its interior is decorated with beautiful carpets covering the whole
floor and with over 20,000 handmade blue tiles.
Royal Kinsterna:This underground tank was built
in 532 to bring drinking water to Istanbul. For its construction, 336 columns
were used, which had come from old temples. Royal Kinsterna was later closed,
and was discovered again by accident by local residents in 1545.
Galata Bridge and Tower: The Galata Bridge is
490 meters long and connects the Sultanahmet area with Beyoğlu. This bridge,
built in 1994, is the fifth bridge built at the same site. From the top of the
bridge pass vehicles and pedestrians, while it is usually full of fishermen. At
the bottom there are several restaurants where you will find mostly seafood. On
the north side of the bridge you can see the Galata Tower, which is 67 meters
high and offers panoramic views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.
Dolma Bahce: One of the brightest palaces in
the world, Dolmabahce Palace, with its 250 rooms and beautiful gardens, is one
of the most spectacular sights in Istanbul. The moss-like wooden flooring and
the huge crystal chandelier weighing 3.5 tons in the throne room are
particularly impressive.
Taksim Square & Istiklal street: Apart from
the point where all the demonstrations in Istanbul start, Taksim Square, the
central square of the city is the heart of modern Istanbul. Around the square
there are many shops, restaurants and hotels.A large pedestrian street,
Istiklal also starts from here.
Grand Bazaar: Grand Bazaar (Kapali carsi),
built in 1461, is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world.
It consists of more than 4000 stores, which occupy 61 roads. Although quite
impressive, it is very touristy and overwhelmed by people, so it is best to
visit it early in the morning.
Spice Bazaar: The Mizir carsisi or Egyptian
market, as it is also known, is just a short distance from the Grand Bazaar,
and although it is smaller, it is also a less tourist experience that makes
your walk here more enjoyable. It is a great market where you will find mainly
spices, tea and dried fruits.
What to do
Turkish bath: A day in Istanbul is always full
and can be quite tiring. Let yourself relax at the end of the day, enjoying a
massage and a hot steam bath in one of the historic Turkish hammams.
Bosporus Cruise: If you are tired of walking
around the city, it is a nice idea to take a break by catching a boat to take a
small cruise (about 2 hours) to the Bosporus. It is also a unique experience to
see Europe on the one hand and Asia on the other.
Sunset: The sunsets in Istanbul are always very
impressive. The orange color of the sky, and the sun losing behind the mosques
of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque combined with hundreds of seagulls flying
in the sky makes the spectacle gorgeous. You can see the sunset from one of the
rooftop bars or from Galatas Bridge, but for me the ideal spot is Uskudar. Take
the fer ryfrom Eminonu to Uskudar station and walk alongside the Bosporus until
you find dozens of Turks and tourists enjoying their tea waiting for the
sunset.
What to eat
Turkish breakfast: Turkish habits at breakfast
are slightly different from European. Here, tea replaces coffee. Also their
breakfast consists of many different dishes including tomatoes, cucumber,
bread, cheese, yoghurt, olives, butter, honey, jam, eggs, sausage and various
kinds of pies.
Kofte: Meatballs in Istanbul are scrumptious.
They are made from lamb or veal meat and contain enough spices and herbs. They
are usually served with rice, green peppers or a red spicy sauce.
Kebab: Kebab is made of lamb meat which is
kneaded with dried red and green hot pepper and baked on the grill. They are
usually served with bread, roasted onion and green peppers.
Fish sandwich (Balik ekmek): One of the most
popular street foods in Istanbul is fish sandwich. These are mackerel fillets,
grilled, salted and sprinkled with red pepper, placed on a bread roll with
onion, lettuce and lemon juice. You will find them on the floating fishing
boatsnext to Galata Bridge.
Stuffed potato (kumpir): Kumpir, is also a very
widespread street food in Istanbul. This is a cooked potato which is cut in the
middle and salted butter and cheese are added. Then everyone adds the filling
they like: mayonnaise, pickles, corn, sausage, mushrooms, etc. The best area to
taste the kumpir is Ortaköy.
Baklava: The most popular dessert in Istanbul
is baklava. Baklava is baked and made
with dozens of layers of paper-thin filo pastry, syrup and rather hazelnuts, walnuts or pistachio.
Where to eat
If you want to taste some of the most delicious
meatballs in Istanbul you have to go in Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi near Hagia
Sophia. For kebab, I have to suggest Zübeyir Ocakbaşı, near Taksim Square and
Yirmibir Kebap. If you go to Ortaköy, just take a stroll from Borny's Kumpir to
try stuffed potatoes. May Istanbul be famous for baklava, but the Turks also
make a great profiterole. Visit İnci Pastanesi where you will eat the best
profiterole of the city. Finally, if you want to have your drink overlooking
the city, my favorite spot is Leb-i Derya.
Getting around
Istanbul is a big city with many uphill and
downhill, which means you can not explore it only on foot. It has, however, a
fairly good transport network, but because it is a fairly large city with many
different transport options (underground,trams, buses and ferries) this may
sometimes seem a little complicated. Istanbulkart is the best way to pay for
your transportation as it is a reusable card covering all public transport.
Where to stay
Istanbul is a quite cheap destination in terms
of accommodation. What you have to think about before you end up in your hotel
is where you want to stay. If you are more interested in exploring the Old City
and its Roman heritage, Sultanahmet is the ideal place. If you want to be closer
to the modern side of the city and you are interested in shops and
entertainment, Galata area is the ideal.
If you are a hostel type, the Stay Inn Taksim
Hostel is a great choice.
If you are looking for a hotel, in Sultanahmet,
take a look in:
Hotel Nomade
Grand Naki Hotel
Orient Express Hotel- Sirkeci Group
Hotel Nena
If you prefer Beyoğlu, you can check the
following:
The Purl Hotel
Hotel Pera Parma
Nordstern Hotel Galata
Art Nouveau Galata
How to go
The easiest way to get to Istanbul is by plane.
Turkish Airlines and many other world airlines have regular daily flights to
Istanbul. The city has two international airports; one on the Asian side
(Ataturk Airport) and the other one on the European side (Sabiha Gokcen
Airport). You can also go by bus.Istanbul is well connected to many European
cities by private bus companies run scheduled buses to Istanbul from Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, France, Greece, Bulgaria, Russia etc.
When to go
Spring and Autumn are the best times to visit
the city. The weather is good,
the days are long, crowds at the city's attractions are manageable, and
room rates are average. The winters are fairly cold and
rainy, while in the summer the heat is very intense.
Language
Turkish
Currency
Turkish lira
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