Istanbul

Where all cultures meet

This could be my favourite city in the world so far.

Historically Istanbul have been a melting point for all people an cultures, and it still very much is.

Here you will find history and culture from Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. Heritage from Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hindu and Buddhism.

And the food!! More about that later but let me just say that Europes largest city is worth a visit for the food only.

The Turkish city have so much to offer that I will only scratch the surface in this blog.

If you visit Istanbul I recommend that you spend at least five days and even then you will feel that you are missing out on a lot of things to see and do.

What to see and do in Istanbul

Blue Mosque

  • Hagia Sophia - This fantastic master piece was finished 537ad and many artefacts inside the building were a 1000 years old already then. It was a church for 900 years, then a mosque for 450 before it became a museum. Now, which I think is unfortunate, it’s a mosque again but you can still by a ticket and explore it’s beauty. Let this be the first thing on your “to do” list in Istanbul and I urge you to go with a guide to learn about its rich history that also shows respect between people and religion. A must.

  • Blue Mosque - Close to Hagia Sophia, maybe 100m, is the Blue Mosque. It is beautiful, big and powerful. Well worth a visit.

Hagia Sophia

  • Bosphorus Cruise - Either you can go on a dinner cruise along the Bosphorus but my suggestion is to go on a cruise with a guide. There are so many interesting spots you will miss otherwise. This was the cruise I took and the guide was very knowledgeable and showed us all from football stadiums to fortresses, from common neighbourhoods to embassies and royal palaces.

Grand Bazaar

Rumelihisarı fortress

  • Turkish bath - or Hammam. Sauna, bath and massage combined. There are separate baths for women and men.

  • Grand Bazaar - or Grand Market. Don’t buy anything except maybe fabric and spices or you will be fooled with cheap copies but it is well worth a visit and get stuck in human traffic jam.

Other places of interest

  • Galata tower - Built in the 14th century as a watchtower and is an iconic landmark in the city.

  • Maiden tower - Have a dinner in the middle of the Bosphorus in the former lighthouse.

  • Spice Bazaar - Buy some spices or just walk in to feel the smell at one of the markets that is just for flavouring. Buy some saffron, good quality and much cheaper than in Europe ore America.

  • Workshop - Participate in Turkish workshop, making pottery, mosaic lamp, food or something else. Learn the craftsmanship from the real professionals.

  • Topkapi Palace - Just around the corner from the famous mosques is the Topkapi Palace from where the Ottomans ruled their empire. This is big and there are so much to see. Make sure you have plenty of time if you want to visit the palace to see the gardens, harem, the sultans private quarter and more. The kitchen inside is a sight of its own. This is also a place where it’s good to go with a guide.

  • Basilica Cistern - How can a basement filled with water be interesting? Well, first of all it’s beautiful, and it’s historically very interesting. This water cistern provided Constantinople with fresh water long before the rest of world knew how to do it.

Do’s and don’ts of Istanbul

Even though the Czech capital is a safe city there are somethings to avoid or be careful about.

  • Be aware of pickpockets - There are no more pickpockets than in other mayor cities. As always, keep your belongings close in crowded areas.

  • Show respect in mosques - Cover your shoulders and knees and women should wear a scarf on the head. In The blue mosque and Hagia Sophia you van borrow or rent a scarf but there is no problem to go and see other beautiful mosques in the city as long as you follow the dress code and behave respectfully. Don’t take photos with flash inside and avoid filming and taking photos during prayer. Also, take off your shoes.

  • Credit card - Is widely accepted but it doesn’t hurt to have some cash for the bazaars and street food.

Scammers

  • Some polite guy walks up to female travellers and say that he wants to practice English (or something). Next thing you know he have lured you into an expensive shop.

  • A guy comes up to single male traveller and say that he wants to get a beer with you and that he knows this awesome place. Next thing you know you are in a strip club or a shady bar. I didn’t fell for it but this happened to me multiple times.

  • Kids asking money are probobly in gang sent out by a sort of pimp.

  • Taxi. The driver doesn’t go by the meter and over charge you. Or, you are going somewhere and the driver say something like “the bridge is closed so we have to take a different route” which makes your bill higher.

Language

Don’t you speak Turkish? Don’t worry, most people speak English in Istanbul city center. Not all though. I played chess and had a beer with a couple of older gentlemen that didn’t speak one word of English: In spite of that we had a great time talking with gestures and expressions.

Learn som basic phrases before you go. Not only is it appreciated, it’s border line expected.

  • Hello - Merhaba

  • How are you? - Nasılsın?

  • Thank you - Teşekkürler

  • Cheers - şerefe

How to get to Istanbul

By boat, train or plane.

Multiple countries have a direct flight to Istanbul. If you are coming from outside of Europe maybe you will have to change flight somewhere.

Book your flight here:

If you need to rent a car I highly recommend Rentalcars.com to get the best deal.

Where to stay in Istanbul

It doesn’t matter so much where you stay in this city as long as you have walking distance to public transportation (more about that later). Istanbul is huge though so to get out the most of your stay try to find accommodation in the city center. If you can see or walk to Galata tower and/or the famous mosques you will be fine.

Sultanahmet, Beyoğlu, Kadıköy and Beşiktaş are nice areas to stay in.

There are plenty of accommodations you can choose, from hostels for 10€ to luxury hotels.

I usually book my hotels via Agoda or Booking and I often compare the sites to get the best deal and to read reviews.

 

Public transport in Istanbul

Is great. Period.

Every public transportation option is safe, clean and reliable.

  1. Metro. Extremely clean and safe.

  2. Tram. Goes all the time. You probably don’t have to wait more than 5min for your tram.

  3. Bus. I didn’t go with a bus myself but from what I have read it is as good as the other. Except for traffic jam.

  4. Taxi. Be careful with this. More about taxis above under “Do’s and don’ts”. Use Uber to be safe or negotiate the rate before you get in the car.

If you want to go from the airport to the city center take the metro. It’s cheap (about 1€) and also the fastest way to the city.

Taxi is not so expensive (about 20€) but remember to negotiate the rate before you get in the car or see so the meter is running. Taxis are stucked in traffic jam quite often as well.

What to eat in Istanbul

One thing that the Turkish people are really bad at doing is to serve you lousy food. They just can’t do it.

Everything is delicious. Everything. From street food to pubs and fancy.

I could go back to this Turkish city for the food alone.

  • Kebab - Lamb, beef or chicken. There are different kinds but they are all delicious.

  • lahmacun - The Turkish pizza. Often made in a fire Owen.

  • Meze - Small starters with a lot of variety. Like Tapas you might say.

  • Grilled sardines - Freshly caught in the Bosphorus. Often served only with a sallad and a slice of lemon. You don’t need more.

  • Baklava - Famous sweet bakery. It is very very sweet. Extremely sweet actually but a must try in Istanbul. Try the baklava with different toppings like cashew or cardamom.

As a rule of thumb, you are expected to tip 5-10% in restaurants, cafés and bars.

There are no restaurants you have to avoid in Istanbul. Even restaurants in touristic areas will serve you delicious food. They might be a little bit pricier though.

Don’t be afraid to try the street food. That was one of the highlights from my trip.

Drink? Tea and coffee.

The Turkish coffee is quite special. It has a different taste than the European/American coffee we are used to but the taste is very good. You will probably be asked if you want sugar in it and how much, small, medium or large amount of sugar.

The Turkish people drink their red tea everywhere and all the time. If it’s for breakfast, afternoon or evening doesn’t matter to enjoy this delight.

Cava

Thank you for reading my travel blog about Istanbul.

I hope you found it interesting and helpful.

Use the form, under contact, if there is something that you think should be added to this site.

Cheers

Roger