3 Days in Istanbul, Turkey - To see, eat and do
Monday, April 27, 2020
IF you were to take my favourite things about Europe and my favourite things about Asia and put them together in one city – the result would be without a doubt Istanbul. The Turkish capital is rich in culture and history but also kindness, delicious food and a buzz that is contagious. We spent three days in Istanbul absorbing the beautiful culture but if there is one thing I would change about our trip, it would be to make it longer and to eat more.
Here’s everything we got up to when in Istanbul:
DAY 1
To see: We stayed in Fateh which was very convenient for exploring all the main tourist sites in the city. So, day 1 was dedicated to strolling through and appreciating the incredible architecture steeped in rich history, starting at Sultanahmet Square, which houses the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topakapi Palace. These three stunning structures are in proximity and are easily covered in one afternoon. The only gripe is that the Blue Mosque was under construction when we visited last July, making it a little harder to enjoy some aspects of the structure.
After admiring this grand trio, we opted for site seeing of a different sort at the Basilica Cistern. These underground cisterns point to a different part of the city’s history, when it was Constantinople. The several hundred cisterns were built during the Byzantine empire in the sixth century and are truly a unique experience. It’s also refreshingly cool down there which was much needed after the heat of the day!
To eat: For breakfast we opted to have Kasharli Tost which is essentially a cheese toasty but Turkish style, and menemen which is an egg hot pot along with fresh orange juice at a little eatery on the way to Sultanahmet. We also bought some delicious simit bread with cheese from one of the numerous stands in the Sultanahmet square to keep us company in the queues as we explored the area. Dinner was a fancier affair at a restaurant which faced the Blue Mosque. This was ideal for us because it allowed us to get a full view of the mosque without it being obstructed by construction. We enjoyed ravioli, a vegetarian Turkish plate of dips and apple tea to finish.
To do: You can’t come to Turkey and not have a hammam bath… however awkward it might be. I’m comfortable with nudity to a degree, but when we walked into the hammam, the hilarious encounter that was about to unfold was not what I had expected. The first part was easy enough: wrap yourself in a towel and lay down in the marble chamber to sweat. The second part though was where things got trickier. Two women in this little family run hammam took us to a room where they promptly took of allllll our clothes, leaving behind only underwear. And then proceeded to scrub us vigorously, while in their underwear themselves. I won’t lie, it was a little confronting to begin with. But by the time the ladies were through with us, having washed out hair, given us a scrub and wash, I certainly felt more comfortable in my skin and learnt a thing or two about self confidence from them. They had no fears about their bodies, with cellulite, stretch marks and all the signs of a body that’s been lived in, out on full display. It makes you think as to why social media and society pushes us to see our naked bodies as a source of shame and not the source of life, and happiness and health? The final part of the hammam was a relaxing massage and apple tea. Safe to say we were very well rested after this visit.
DAY 2
To see: On day 2 we left the religious venues for the more luxurious side of town by visiting Taksim Square. Here, there are plenty of fancy restaurants, hotels, little eateries, and all that you can expect to find in the heart of the city. We spent out time here enjoying the best of modern Turkish cuisine and looking for souvenirs before heading to the Galata Tower. The beautiful tower can be seen from several different walkways, and you can also climb up but we chose not to, opting instead to stroll on the lively Istiklal Avenue.
Top - Story of Lola (ASOS)
Jeans - Supre
Sandals - Birkenstocks
Inspiration - Sally LaPointe Pre Fall 2019
To eat: Day 2 was all about street food as we explored Istiklal Avenue and Taksim Square trying whatever we fancied along the way. First up, we had borek, tulumba and other snacks for breakfast from a local café. As Indians, roasted corn cob or “bhutta” as we’ve known it all our lives has always held a special place in our hearts and the one in Turkey tasted just like the ones they sell in India, not too sweet, drier and so smokey.
Next, we had Turkish ice cream, which is a lot stretchier and stickier than your usual ice cream. The best part though was the servers who play little tricks on you as they serve them, it makes the whole experience so much better. For lunch we had cig kofte at a small eatery which is a wrap with lettuce, pomegranate molasses and a spicy bulgur mix.
Finally, we ate one of the most memorable street food of our trip: kumpir. It’s like your Mexican jacket potato but on steroids. It’s mashed on the inside with fillings like chilli corn, slaw, chillies and more! So SO good!
To do: One of the best ways to enjoy the city’s beautiful Bosphorus river is on a day cruise which takes you through all the remarkable sites alongside the river. We got some delicious Turkish delight to enjoy on the cruise while we were there.
DAY 3
To see: Our final day in Istanbul was spent exploring lots of markets. We started out at the Grand Bazaar which was the perfect place to pick up souvenirs and haggle for prices with the charming store owners. The bazaar is like a sprawling maze, with tempting things to buy in every corner you turn to. We weaved in and out of the lanes, enjoying the abundant amount of fresh fruit and juice all around. We also headed to the spice bazaar, which was smaller and more organised than the grand bazaar but still a load of fun. We came away with packets of saffron, tea, and spices. Our final destination for the day was the beautiful Suleymaniya Mosque.
To eat: During the day we stopped at Sark Kahvesi, an iconic 1950 era coffeehouse located inside the Grand Bazaar. Coffee has been a part of Turkish culture since the Ottoman empire and plays an important role even today. Sark Kahvesi has become an icon due to its heritage but Turkish coffee culture can be experienced in many cafes around Istanbul. For us though it was a great respite from walking and exploring the bazaars. For dinner we headed to Asitane, this fine-dining restaurant adapts Ottoman dishes that would be served to the royal for modern day foodies like us! The dishes were super rich and delicious and came with details about the time period they came from.
To do: One of our favourite memories of the trip was locating a decrepit old rooftop which offered the most magnificent views of Istanbul. We were initially looking for the very famous "secret rooftop", Buyuk Valide but found out it has been shut down by the government due to its growing popularity amongst tourists. However the locals very kindly shared the location of another such spot in the streets surrounding the grand bazaar, and after taking directions from locals and climbing a few flights of very dodgy stairs, the view was absolutely spectacular.
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