Travel

Feed Yourselves (Seriously, This Is The Priority)

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• Turkish breakfast at Van Kahvaltı Evi (Cihangir): Order the full spread: cheese, olives, eggs, tomatoes, fresh bread, honey and clotted cream. Clear two hours. Worth every minute!

• Meyhane dinner on Nevizade Sokak (Beyoğlu): Pick any table, order mezze and raku.

• Çiya Sofrası (Kadıköy, Asian side): Anatolian regional cooking unlike anything else in the city. 

• Street food you must try:

  • Balık ekmek (grilled fish sandwich) at Galata Bridge

  • Döner from any busy lokanta at lunch.

  • Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice from street vendors

  • Kokoreç if you're brave: seasoned offal in bread, very local, order it without asking too many questions.

• The sweet things:

  • Künefe (warm shredded pastry, melted cheese, sugar syrup) is the dessert of the city

  • Lokum (Turkish delight) and Turkish Baklava from Hafız Mustafa

  • Dondurma is the stretchy Turkish ice cream. Vendors will tease you with it before handing it over.

  • Top it off with a strong Turkish coffee. Say yes when they offer to read your fortune in the grounds.

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Walk Through 5,000 Years of History

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• Grand Bazaar: One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, built in 1455. 4,000 shops across 60 streets, all under one roof. Go for the architecture and atmosphere as much as anything else. It is a genuinely extraordinary piece of history that happens to also sell carpets (talk to our wedding guest Hakan and wife Guniz about their carpet business at the Bazaar!!)

• Hagia Sophia: The scale and history are humbling. Now an active mosque, please dress accordingly.

• Blue Mosque: Five minutes from Hagia Sophia. Free entry. The interior tilework is extraordinary.

• Dolmabahçe Palace and Museum: Sahar and Connor's personal favorite part of all the city. A 19th-century Ottoman palace stretching along the Bosphorus waterfront, with interiors so extravagant they have to be seen to be believed. Go. You'll understand why we love it, and don't miss the bakery! 

• Topkapi Palace: The treasury contains some of the most extraordinary objects you'll ever see in a museum!

• Galata Tower: A medieval Genoese tower that has stood over the city since 1348. Wander the cobbled streets that spiral down from its base, one of the most atmospheric corners of the city.

• İstiklal Avenue & the Galata backstreets: The main pedestrian boulevard running from Galata up to Taksim Square is lined with independent shops, bookshops, old arcade passages called pasaj, and excellent bakeries. The side streets off it are where the good independent boutiques hide.​

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Get Lost On Purpose

• Balat: The old Greek quarter. Colorful crumbling houses, steep cobbled streets, and excellent brunch spots.

• Kadıköy market streets (Asian side): Wander Güneşlibahçe Sokak and the surrounding alleys. Fish markets, cheese shops, bakeries, locals actually living their lives.

• Cihangir: The neighbourhood locals call home. Antique shops, independent cafés, cats everywhere. 

• Karaköy backstreets: Between the waterfront and Galata Tower there are independent galleries, design shops, and excellent coffee. Kronotrop is the best café in the city.

• Bebek: Upscale Bosphorus-side neighbourhood with waterfront cafés and a completely different, slower pace. Perfect for an afternoon escape.

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Treat Yourself

• Go to a hamam!!! A proper Turkish bath is one of the great experiences of the city. Çemberlitaş Hamamı is the most beautiful and has been running since 1584. Book the full scrub and massage. You will leave feeling like a new person.

• The Spice Market (Mısır Çarşısı): Better for buying than the Grand Bazaar. Load up on saffron, sumac, Turkish tea, and lokum. Haggling expected.

• Nişantaşı: Istanbul's upscale shopping neighbourhood. Turkish designers, international brands, good for a browse even if you don't buy.

• Karaköy ceramics and tile shops: Hand-painted İznik-style tiles make the best souvenirs. Several good independent shops around Galata.