Istanbul – the city – Travel and Shop with Paula

Welcome to Constantinople. Welcome to Istanbul. Magical and unique, with a very vast and rich history. One of my favorite cities in the world. Istanbul has gone through several name changes over the ages. It was Byzantium, named after its founder, King Byzas. Then it was Constantinople, as capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Finally, it became Istanbul after the Ottoman conquest in 1453. It is the city where the cultures of East and West meet. A fascinating place suspended between past and present. ‎ It was founded more than 5,000 years ago and was the capital of 2 of the most powerful empires of the past: the Byzantine and the Ottoman.

So welcome also to Turkey, a very diverse country, with every city offering its own rich culture. Located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, a big country that shares borders with Bulgaria, Syria, Greece, Iraq, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran.

You can listen 5 times a day to the call to prayer, which is so suggestive. You can feel the past, the magic of this incredible city still today, especially in the area of Sultanahmet. You can taste it and smell it in the bazaars, all this lives together in the city. It is also a modern and dynamic city, where they have reinvented themselves constantly, becoming a very important gastronomic city, full of nightlife in different areas of the city and with great shopping. It really offers a lot for the tourist. A country offering true quality for a low cost. I invite you to enjoy it with me! Stroll around this fascinating city, sit and watch the world go by with a Turkish tea, served in a tulip shaped glass, which is the Turkish national flower and which you can see all around the city during the month of April. When the tulips flower the city becomes a big garden. If you can visit Istanbul during April you will enjoy the beauty of the flower decorations from the airport to the city. And in case you want to buy some bulbs to take home, you will find them around the Egyptian Bazaar.

As I said I love to hear the call to prayer. When I arrive in Istanbul the first call to the pray is at around 5 am waking me during my first night of sleep there. It means I am back in Istanbul. Years ago a person used to make the call to prayer. Today it is a recording. Anyway in no other Islamic country is the call to prayer so touching for me. And I have been to a lot of Islamic countries. If you would like to see the person making the call to prayer, there is one in the Topkapi Palace.

I always stay in a hotel beside the Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Palace Hotel. It is an old palace, not very luxurious, but comfortable and very well located. I have been going there for 15 years and it feels like home. Each time I have the same room, and have been helped in everything by the manager, my good friend Levant, who really knows how to give a warm welcome to guests. Such a helpful and loving person. The location of the hotel is perfect for me, in front of the Arasta Bazaar and the Blue Mosque. I sleep with the curtains open to see the wonders of the construction and I also can see a corner of Hagia Sophia from my balcony. The terrace at the back of the hotel overlooks the Bosphorus. It is great to sit out there and listen to the seagulls squawking and circling overhead. It is not a fancy hotel. It is very Turkish, an Ottoman building very well located in the oldest part of the city, from where you can walk to the major sites and the Grand Bazaar. If you are looking for luxury, this is not the place to stay. ‎The view, location and price are very good. But if you are looking for luxury in the same area, you can stay in the Four Seasons or another nice boutique hotel nearby.

Turkey is a very welcoming country. The people are always offering you something to drink: tea or coffee. In Turkey you have apple tea, which can be green, red or yellow. Try it, it is very nice and very sweet, already sweetened before serving it. If you want to take it home with you, you can buy it as tea bags or powder. It is a nice present that you can combine with the tulip shape glasses that I mentioned earlier, and also the different decorated saucers on which the glasses stand. You can then enjoy the tea at home or give it as a nice souvenir to family and friends. The tea does not have a traditional origin. In some moment somebody started to use it for hospitality and then it was adopted by everybody. What is also usually offered is the strong and dense Turkish Coffee, which is drunk in nearly in all of the Middle East. In some countries they add Cardamom, which leaves a special smell in the air. I recognise this smell in the air in several of the countries that I have visited. For instance it was very nice and strong in the streets of the Bazaar of Damascus. In Middle-Eastern countries you note the mix of the smells of the incense (Frankincense) and coffee.

The new Istanbul Airport has just opened, following the closure of the very well-located Ataturk Airport that we miss a lot. The new one claims to be the largest in the world at the moment. However, it is a lot more uncomfortable to reach since it is much further from the city. Not a good thing for us tourists. I used to get to my hotel in Sultanahmet from Ataturk airport in 30 minutes and pay 25 Euros the trip. Today I need between 1 and 2 hours and 50 euros, each way.

Sultanahmet district

The Ottoman Empire had some 36 sultans and a very rich history with a very grand and exotic style of life. All this melt of different cultures left their mark on the city. You can get a taste of it visiting the Sultanahmet area.

The old area of Sultanahmet is very well preserved and full of very nice little hotels, mostly made of wood. There are traditional Turkish houses converted into Bed and Breakfasts and luxury hotels such as The Four Seasons. If you don’t want to be sitting in a taxi for hours and wish to visit this historic part of town then staying in a hotel in the Sultanahmet district is a good solution. To observe how the city used to look you can walk along the narrow streets near the Topkapi Palace, between the entrance of the Palace and the Archeological Museum and the back of the Arasta Bazaar. There are also a few such streets left on the Bosphorus. Mostly of these streets have been destroyed by fire.

‎On the other hand, if you come to relax and enjoy the hotel it is better to stay in the Bosphorus area, where you have a big variety of luxurious hotels like the Kempinski and The Four Seasons that are right on the Bosphorus. An alternative is the Hilton, which is on a hill above the Bosphorus.

This area had been built upon the ruins of the Hippodrome ‎and the Great Palace of Constantine, which was one of the greatest constructions of the Byzantine times. It used to go all the way down to the Marmara Sea. The only remains today are the mosaics in the mosaic museum, beside the Arasta Bazaar.

The Topkapi Palace

One of the must-sees of the city. Here it is possible to go back to the past with the imagination, to discover the secrets of the Ottoman Sultans. From the Palace they governed and conducted their empire and their private lives.‎ For around 400 years the Palace was the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Begun in 1462, the construction of this Palace was started by Mehmet the Conqueror. Every Sultan added something, until it had become a small city. Around 4,000 people lived in this city within a city. Sultan Abdul Mecit moved to the new Dolmabahce Palace in 1853 and by 1909 Topkapi was completely abandoned. In 1924 it was converted in a museum. You can go back to those days of splendour of the opulent style of life, of the sultans and their courts, the intrigues going on constantly inside the Palace.

The Sultan was assisted by a lot of people, including the Jannissaries, an elite force of infantrymen, there to protect him. The black eunuchs were the only men, apart from the Sultan, allowed to enter in the harem They were among the most powerful men in the Palace. They were a big group of around 200 Sudanese slaves that governed with a strong hand and disciplined the private quarters of the palace. You can see in the palace their way of life, their incredible clothes, ornaments and jewels (Imperial Treasury). You can see the secret life of the Ottoman dynasty in their private quarters. The harem, which means forbidden, consists of more than 400 rooms. Imagine how big it was. Today you can visit very few of them, around 40. I was deeply impressed by the claustrophobic feeling you experience inside, thinking of these poor women, that wanting to or not, had to spend all of their lives between these walls.

The concubines were either born in the palace or taken in as very young girls to be instructed in the arts of entertaining and culture. It was a big honour for the girl and their family to be chosen as a concubine. Inside the harem there was very strict discipline. Life was more similar to that in a convent not what westerners imagine it to be in their fantasies! Ja…ja…. The most powerful woman was the Valide Sultan, mother of the ruling Sultan, who generally participated in the selection of the concubines for her son. She also ruled over the Sultan’s wives, the concubines and the odalisques (servant women). Some of these women in their time were able to influence power through manipulating their husbands and sons. An example is Kosem Sultan, the wife of Ahmet I and mother of Murat IV and Ibrahim I.

You can visit the throne rooms and pavilions. You can enjoy the breathtaking views from the palace overlooking the sea. My recommendation is to go early when the palace opens (Wednesday to Monday 9 am to 7 pm from October to March and 9 am to 5 pm the rest of the year) to avoid long lines to buy tickets. You have to buy one for the palace and one for the harem. ‎They don’t have one for all of the Palace. Be aware that the Palace is closed on Tuesdays and the last visit of the harem starts at 4 pm in the winter.

Archaeology Museum (near Topkapi)

When you leave the Topkapi Palace you should walk downhill to the impressive neoclassical building, which is the Archaeological Museum, founded in 1881. This museum is full of classical and pre-classical artifacts. If you are staying in the Sultanahmet area I recommend that you visit it at a different time to the Palace so as to have the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the visit more. Another museum near the Palace is the Islamic Museum, that is worth to visit, where you can see beautiful carpets.

Hagia Sophia

You have to visit the incredible Hagia Sophia even if you visit nothing else in this fascinating city. The majestic coral pink building is the emblem of old Istanbul and one of the most important Byzantine remains in the city. It is one of the architectural wonders of the world. Today it is a museum. For the first 1,000 years of its life it was a Christian basilica, then it was an Islamic mosque for 500 years, until 1935 when Ataturk decided that it should become a museum. Hagia Sophia is a unique fusion of Christianity and Islam.

It is the dome that makes Hagia Sophia world famous, together with the arches. They are still part of the studies in architectural colleges and universities for their perfection. In one of my trips to Istanbul a few years ago with my friend Martina, she was very excited to have the opportunity to see personally the Hagia Sophia, that was one of the first subjects that she studied when doing her degree in architecture. I take the opportunity to say hello to Rene, her mother, that follows me on my trips. I am happy you enjoy reading my adventures. A big kiss for both of you! ‎

Hagia Sophia is one of the principal symbols of the Christian church. It is a miracle of art, particularly the beautiful and glittering Byzantine mosaics ‎that were there during the days that Hagia Sophia was a Byzantine Cathedral. Unfortunately, most of them were plastered over or damaged after the Ottoman conquest when the church was converted to a mosque. Fortunately though, a few remain and we can appreciate them during our visit. The building is an incredible feat of engineering, that has survived for 1,500 years.

The Blue Mosque

It was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet 1 when he was just 19 years old. In Turkish he is called Sultan Ahmet Camii. He was so thrilled with the project that he also worked on the site during the construction. His intention was to construct a mosque that was more grandiose than Hagia Sofia and Suleymaniye Mosque. It was finally finished in 1616 and is one of the most famous mosques in the world. The architect that designed it was Mehmet Aga. ‎

Each day lots of people go to the Blue Mosque to pray during the five calls to prayer. The faithful wash their feet before entering in the special places outside the mosque to purify themselves. They sit on marble benches in front of very elaborate taps. They leave their shoes in the entrance, since you have to go in bare foot. The mosques are divided between the men’s praying area, the women’s praying area and the part for tourists. Women have to cover their heads and their bodies to go in the mosque. You must be respectful. Also men cannot go in wearing shorts.

During the construction the sultan wanted to have one minaret covered in gold, but the architect understood that he wanted 6 minarets! Apart from one in Mecca this is the only mosque in the world with 6 minarets. The more minarets the mosque has, the more important it is. To show the importance of Islam over Christianity the Blue Mosque was constructed in front of Hagia Sophia on what previously had been the Royal Palace during the Byzantium period. The blue ceramics of Iznik decorate the inside of the mosque and give it its name. The Blue Mosque is decorated with 20,000 hand-painted blue tiles. The Sultan prohibited people to sell Iznik tiles until the mosque was finished. The production of the Iznik ceramic started during the Byzantine period and was inspired by Chinese models. The Islamic motives were introduced later by one of the artists that Sultan Selim I (1512-20) brought from Tabriz. The Blue Mosque is one of my favorite mosques in the world.

Basilica Cistern

Visit the Basilica Cistern. Descend into the depths of the magical Cistern, which imbues intrigue as to the origin of the eerie column featuring an upside-down head of a Medusa. ‎In front of Hagia Sophia there is a small building that leads to the Basilica Cistern, that is part of the city’s ancient system of underground reservoirs that used to be fed by water from the Belgrade Forest. The Cistern has a vaulted brick roof that is supported by lots of columns topped by Corinthian capitals. It was built during the Roman period and was used during the Byzantine period and lay forgotten until 1545, when a Frenchman discovered that residents were getting water from there. Then the Cistern was brought back to use to supply water to the Topkapi Palace, and then in 1987 opened to the public. The Cistern is beautifully illuminated, making the place magical. You can walk along the elevated walkways between the columns and think how well it was constructed. It is a remarkable engineering feat that 1,500 years after it was built it is still there in its splendour. The Cistern has fabulous acoustics and make it a perfect place for performances, especially for occasional classical music concerts. If you are interested it is a good idea to check on the Internet if there are any performances whilst you are in Istanbul and get tickets in advance.

Hippodrome

Here you will find the Tomb of Sultanahmet I, who commissioned the Blue Mosque when he ascended to the throne at 12 years old. He reigned for only 14 years, dying at 27. His wife was one of the most powerful women during the Ottoman Empire. She ruled the women in the harem and the empire for 50 years, through her husband, 2 sons and grandson (that’s what the historians says).

Sokullu Mehmet Pasa Mosque.

This was built by Mimar Sinan for Esma Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Selim. Inside this mosque are some of Turkey’s finest 16 century Iznik tiles. After the visit you can have something to eat in the charming restored Sokullu’s mansion, today the Sokullu Pasa Hotel.

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art

I like this museum a lot. When I have the opportunity and the time, I like to visit it. I think that it is one of the best and most beautiful Turkish museums. It is housed in a classical Ottoman residential building that has been very well restored. The museum contains over 40,000 items, dating from the earliest period of Islam. There are beautiful historic carpets, some of which are really very large and beautifully displayed. The ‎design and the work involved in making them can be well appreciated. There is a big collection of religious artefacts and 16^th century books, jewels and other interesting things.

Architect Mimar Sinan

He was the greatest Ottoman classical architect. He made the wonderful Suleyman‎iye Mosque, Caferaga Medresi in Sultanahmet, the Sehzade Mosque, and Rusten Pasa Mosque in Eminonu. In 1538 he was nominated Imperial Architect by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. During his 50 year career he ‎designed 321 buildings, a very prolific worker. Note that today 85 of his buildings are still intact around Istanbul. He was compared with Michelangelo for his majestic domes like the one in the Sulemaniye Mosque and for his innovative use of space and light.

For Shopping the area of Sultanahmet is full of little shops and ‎easy and relaxing to go around.

Arasta Bazaar

This is a small and compact bazaar, next to the Blue Mosque, concentrated in one street only, which has a small amount of quality shops, where you can find a big variety of local products. The quality of the merchandise is good and prices are similar to the rest of the city if you are prepared to bargain. Offer them 50 per cent of the price they tell you and from there you discuss until you arrive at the price you are willing to pay. They always overcharge the tourists. When the vendor arrives at the real price of a piece you know since he will not move from there. If you want to have a drink or eat something during the day, sit in the Mesale café and restaurant where you can have a nice meal. You will see people smoking Nargile or playing backgammon. During the evening there is live music and a Whirling Dervish that dances.

The Nargile, also known as Shisha, continues until today ‎to be a Turkish tradition, that now you can find in many cities of the world. You can find lots of specialist cafés all over Istanbul.

Hotels of charm in Sultanahmet:

Yesil Ev, restructured villa, furnished with old furniture
‎Ayasofya Konaklari has a cafe and a restaurant, ideal for lunch while in the area of Sultanahmet
Hotel Dersaadet, an Ottoman house. You can see the sea from the window.
Mavi Ev‎
Hotel Empress Zoe

Bars and Cafés in the area of Sultanahmet:

The Café Mesale as I mentioned before is in the Arasta Bazaar.
Turkistan Asesi. They serve traditional specialities from Anatolia and Central Asia. The restaurant is located in a restored Ottoman house and has a terrace with a view of the Hippodrome. (Tavukhane Sok 36)
Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi. Traditional bar where you can smoke Narghile ‎(no alcohol).
Sultanahmet Koftecisi is a traditional establishment where they prepare very good Turkish food, that is not expensive. (Divanyolu Cad 12 A)

The Golden Horn

Istanbul is strategically placed between Europe and Asia. And the Golden Horn is a very important point for the commerce between the 2 continents. The Sultans used to get a payment from the ships that pass this point.

The Golden Horn is like a fjord that divides the Old City from the New City ‎in the European Istanbul. It is so beautiful to see the old city from the bridge across the water, the Galata Bridge. The old city looks like a postcard with the mosques standing in front of the sea. Every time I see the city from here I feel so happy to be here again.

All this area is been under restoration for some time and there are a lot of projects for cleaning the water and restoring old buildings in bad condition and requalifying all the abandoned areas.

Eminonu

This is a chaotic area of local bazaars. The best time to go there is early during weekdays. The streets are narrow and are always full of locals walking around, shopping and sitting in the cafés. It is best to avoid this area on Saturdays as it is impossible to walk and see anything. You just have to follow the crowds. On Sunday the shops are closed.

Eminonu is a natural harbour on the Golden Horn. For centuries it has been the center of the commercial activity of the city. Because of the movement of ships coming and going with merchandise the Egyptian Bazaar and the other bazaars around the area started their activities. The area is always noisy and full of people, especially during rush hours, around 5pm, when commuters go back to their homes on the ferries which depart from there to the Asian part or to the Islands.

In front of the Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar – see Shopping section for details – in Eminonu stands the Galata Bridge, which connects the Old Istanbul (Ottoman era) with the more modern areas of Beyoglu and Galata. You can see lots of people fishing there, notwithstanding the very dirty and contaminated water there caused by all of the boats coming and going and with the dirt of the city being washed into the sea. This is why there is a big project to clean the water.

In 1845 the first wooden bridge was constructed there and then replaced in 1910 by the Old pontoon one, with lots of fish restaurants, until it burned down and was again replaced in 1992 with the current one. If you walk across this bridge from North to South you will have the incredible view of the Old city, which I mentioned before‎.

‎Just outside the Egyptian Bazaar is the New Mosque (Yeni Camii), architect of which was killed after he had been accused of heresy. It took a long time for the mosque to be finally finished, in 1663, since there was not enough funding and there was a change of power during the time of construction. The mosque is invaded by pigeons.

Kurukahveci Mehmet ‎Efendi is the most famous coffee roastery in Istanbul, just in front of one of the doors of the Egyptian Bazaar. Every time I pass in front‎ of the shop I see a long queue of people outside, waiting to be served. The aroma of the coffee is fantastic. It invites you to stop.

‎In 1871 Mehmet Efendi took over the shop of his father that used to sell spices and green coffee beans (at that time people in Istanbul still used to roast their coffee at home. Mehmet decided to roast the coffee and was a complete success .

In the same alley as the Coffee shop, there are also a lot of shops selling goat’s and cow’s cheese. There are dried vegetables hanging in long necklace shapes, in different colours, depending on the vegetable, that are eaten with rice and meat, a classical Turkish dish. There are also many alleys with shops full of cooking utensils and nice bars, where you can eat local sweets. I have stopped a number of times to eat in a very nice delicatessen, that has an excellent variety of local dishes at lunch time on the first floor. It also has a very good bathroom, that is not easy to find around this area, unless you go to the public ones with the hole, which I don’t like. In case of emergency there are several around the bazaars. You have to pay some coins and you have paper. Not too much, but some! Ja…ja..

Suleimaniye Mosque was closed for renovation until 2011‎. The Mosque complex was finished in 1557 and is considered a masterpiece of the most famous Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan. It is a testimony to Sultan Suleyman, known as Suleyman the Magnificent, and the Sultan of the Arts. The stained-glass windows of the prayer hall are exquisite. Ahmet Karahisari one of the finest artists of the period made the Calligraphy on the inside of the domes. The Four Minarets represented ‎Suleyman’s status, as the fourth Sultan in the City. Around the main entrance of the Mosque there is a porticoed courtyard, there are 24 columns that are said to have been salvaged ‎from the Byzantine royal box at the Hippodrome. ‎From the beautiful and quiet gardens you have a breathtaking view of the Golden Horn. Also, in the garden complex are the Tombs of Suleyman and beside the tomb of Roxelana.

Suleyman was the Ottoman Empire’s longest ruler. He dedicated his life to the arts. His Empire was very rich during his time. He was the grandson of Mehmet the Conqueror and reigned from ‎1520 to 1566 (46 years) and during this time the Ottoman Empire doubled its territory. With the spoils of the war and the taxes coming to the Sultan, the Palace coffers were full of money. He used them to build a lasting remembrance of his power and glory.

The most celebrated ‎love story was between Sultan Suleyman and the Russian Hurrem (known as Roxelana). She was taken to Istanbul as a slave girl. She rose up through the ranks to become the Sultan’s favourite. Imagine how strong willed was this woman to achieve this. The internal ranks in the harem saw lots of fighting for the affections of the Sultan. It is said that Sultan Suleyman was so in love with her that first he freed her, then married her and remained faithful to her the rest of his life.

If you have time left visit the ‎tomb of Mimar Sinan, who was, as I told before, is the architect of the Suleyman Mosque and other incredible buildings in Istanbul, such as the Suleymaniye Hamam.

Interesting is the late Ottoman building of the Post Office Sirkeci PTT Merkezi. It is worthwhile to have a look inside and from there go to the Sirkeci Station. Constructed in 1890, this was the terminal of the Orient Express train. Today the station is still in use and serves some international destinations and city suburbs. The station that has still a lot of charm, with its stained-glass windows, beautiful chandeliers and the high ceilings of its special waiting rooms and bars and restaurants. The entrance is a very nice building facing the Golden Horn. It has been restored recently.

You can also visit the small Orient Express Museum. The famous Orient Express first arrived in Sirkeci Station in 1891. The train generated a big interest in the East. All this area of the world was so exotic to the Western Europeans. With the train it only took 3 days from Paris to Istanbul. The train inspired a lot of novels and movies, such as the Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie in 1934. Unfortunately, the Orient Express ceased running to Istanbul in 1977. It still runs from London Victoria to Venice if you would like to make a trip with it. The Orient Express (now Belmond group) has been bought recently‎ by the Louis Vuitton group.

Beyoglu

The area of the city, which is on the northern shore of the Golden Horn, ‎in front of the old City of Istanbul is the new city of Beyoglu. In the past it was called Pera. In reality this area has been inhabited for 2,000 years. In the beginning of the Byzantine era Jewish merchants used to live in the area of Pera. Then at the end of XIII century the area of Galata was donated to the Genoese Merchants as gratitude for their assistance to the Byzantines in expelling the crusaders from the city.

‎In this part of the city diplomats, craftsmen ‎and foreign merchants used to live. It was a very lively part of the city. Lately European Ambassadors constructed their mansions on the ‎hills beyond Galata. This place was called Pera (which means beyond in Greek).

‎During the Ottoman Empire the powerful Europeans constructed their magnificent embassies and trading offices here, thus concentrating commerce in this area, not any more in the Grand Bazaar that dominated the trading before.

Today this area is the centre of the European part of Istanbul, with nice pedestrian-only roads such as Istiklal Caddesi, which is very busy with shoppers during the day and is a nightlife entertainment area during the night. Walk along this elegant street, surrounded by beautiful buildings (consulates, embassies, shops, churches, elegant bars and restaurants), sit and drink or eat something and live the atmosphere of this incredible city. An option is to take the 19^th century Istiklal Caddesi tram to see the street from the beginning to the end. The pedestrian part of the street is 1.5 km long. ‎In the beginning, during the XIX century the tram was pulled by horses. In 1914 it became electric. In 1961 the service stopped until 1990 when it started again, giving the area a special flavor and providing a good service for the citizens. The story goes that the horses that were used for the trams were sent to war.

Visit the Galata Tower, which was constructed in 1348 and has eleven floors that you can climb or use the elevator to go to the top and see a magnificent panoramic view of Istanbul. There are also a restaurant and a nightclub on the roof with traditional belly dancing shows. This tower is one of the symbols of this area, and the city, constructed by the Genoese as part of the fortification of Galata. Still today in some areas of the city, for example Sultanahmet and others, you can see part of the fortification walls.

In this area you will find the famous Pera Palas Hotel constructed in 1892 for the passengers of the Orient Express train. It is the most famous hotel in Istanbul, especially because of Agatha Christie and her books. She came several times to Istanbul and stayed in this hotel in 1924 and 1933. It is said that she wrote Murder on the Orient Express in room 411. The hotel has a romantic atmosphere, that was maintained during the most recent refurbishment of the hotel. Today you can stay in the room 411 like her and you will see several things that she used during the time she stayed there. If you are a guest of the hotel in room 411 they will take you up once in the historic elevator. If you want to stay in a hotel with the charm of old times and a lot of history, this is the place. Lots of famous people stayed heir like Jackie Onassis and Greta Garbo.

There is a very nice Hammam in the area, Galatasaray Hammam, which is one of the most beautiful of Istanbul. It has been restored very well and has not lost its charm. It has beautiful fountains and marble.

Yapi Kredi Vedat ‎Nedim Tor Muzesi in Istiklal Caddesi contains a vast collection of coins, medals, embroideries, fabrics, “tombak” -gilded metalware, prayer beads, clocks and shadow puppets.

It is interesting to visit the Pera Museum.

Walk along Fransiz Sokagi (French Road). This little road has been very well restored and has a very nice French flavour‎, with restaurants with good bars and art galleries. The cabling and the old gas lamps create a special atmosphere.

‎The Koc Museum was founded by Rahmi Koc in 1994 to house his collection of cars and other vehicles. Only 2 years later he ran out of space, so he bought some destroyed docks on the Golden Horn and renovated them. In this way he had a lot of space to put all of his collection. The showpiece of the collection is the luxurious train carriage used by Sultan Abdulaziz in 1867 to travel to the famous Universal Exposition in Paris. This was the first trip an Ottoman Sultan made to Western Europe. You can also see in the museum, planes, a U-boat and a helicopter. If you like cars and other vehicles, it is a very interesting museum to visit. The address is Piri Pasa, Haskoy Cad 5, Beyoglu.

Near Istiklal Caddessi you can visit the church of San Antonio of Padova, a neogothic sanctuary constructed in 1912. It is the largest Catholic church in Istanbul. You can also visit the church of Santa Maria Dapreris. In this area there are interesting music shops to visit if you are interested. In Galip Dede Caddesi, a small street with several shops specialised in musical instruments, you can find the local Oud, a hand-made local violin. At Barok Musik the owner sells and give lessons of all kind of traditional and old-fashioned Turkish instruments.

You can take the Túnel, an underground funicular which is 573 m long, that goes up from the Galata bridge to Beyoglu. It was constructed in 1875 by the French and is the second oldest metropolitan underground railway in the world after the London Underground.

You can visit Church of Christ ‎(Anglican) constructed by and with British money and malt stone. It was consecrated in 1868 as a memorial of the Crimea war.

The Royal Swedish Consulate is a beautiful palace constructed in 1757 and ‎reconstructed in 1870 after a big fire.

For Lokum, halva, baklava and Marzipan go to Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir, one of the shops that invented the Turkish delight long time ago. This is the Beyoglu shop, I mention later his other shop.

If you are interested in antiques, then go to the area of Cukur Cuma near Taksim square. In the area there are interesting 19^th century buildings. Visit Anadol Antik, which is full of treasures of the Ottoman era and other interesting things.

For local fashion of Turkish designers walk around Tesvikiye, where there are nice cafés and restaurants ‎to have a drink or a nice meal after you have finished shopping.

Balik Pazarvery is a fresh fish, fruit and vegetable market during the day. You can eat some fish right there if you want to! In the evening restaurants and taverns open where you can eat good fresh fish at reasonable prices.

Cicek Pasaji is an ex-flower market, ‎in a beautiful Victorian shopping arcade, built in 1876, on Istiklal Caddesi. It is a nice place full of taverns.

To see the Whirling Der‎vish ceremony visit the recently restored and traditional Galata Dervish Lodge, near the Tunel. The sema or dance of the Dervishes is a true Turkish tradition, a meditative journey for truth and perfection. The tradition has survived until today despite the banning and the closing down of their lodges in 1923 due to the laws of the secular republic. The Sufis were able to preserve their practice, saying that it was a cultural organization, which is lucky for us so that we can still enjoy this dance today. There are several places where you can see these white robed performers. You will be fascinated to see them whirling around and around for a long time.

Night life in this area:

Babylon ‎is a good choice for live music at night;
Indigo Music hall (very modern, electronic music);
Galata tower (traditional show, belly dancing and dinner with a fantastic view);
Nardis is good for jazz, they have a light menu of salads and starters;
360 has lounge music during dinner and dancing after midnight. The view is fantastic; and
Kervansaray is traditional Turkish, with a live orchestra, fasil singers, belly dancing. It is open since 1949.

Bosphorus

The Bosphorus district is one of the most beautiful in Istanbul, with a lot of history.

It is one of the straits in the world where more ships transit every day. At 32 km long, it is the only way to navigate between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It connects the Marmara Sea with the Black Sea and separates Europe from Asia. It is a very strategic place and always has been. Along its banks there are lots of historical buildings that are very well preserved. If you go on a boat trip you see many beautiful houses, forts, the lighthouse.

In the section of the Bosphorus shore betwen Kabatas and Ortakoy you can see ‎some of the best examples of late Ottoman architecture from the 18^th and 19^th centuries. The most spectacular is the Dolmabahce‎ Palace built on the water front. It cost the Sultanate a lot of money and is a must to visit.

The Dolmabahce Palace

The neo-baroque palace was constructed by Abdul Mecit in the middle of the 19^th century. His father had already abandoned the Topkapi palace and moved to various Bosphorus residences that no longer exist. At that time the buildings were constructed in wood and burned easily.

The Dolmabahce Palace was designed to show off the power and wealth of the Ottoman Empire to the world. It was a real extravaganza and nearly emptied the Imperial treasury. The exorbitant cost contributed to the bankruptcy of the Empire in 1875.

The last Sultan Mehmet VI was deposed in 1922 and left Istanbul during the night with his family on a train. In that moment the reign of a dynasty that has lasted and ruled for more than 5 centuries finished.

In 1923, after the creation of the Republic, the Palace was used by Mustafa Ataturk ‎as the official Presidential Residence. He lived there until he died in 1938.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was the founder of the Turkish Republic and its first president. He is the most venerated Turkish leader. He liberated the country from occupying forces after war world I. He abolished the Sultanate and the Caliphate. He moved the Capital to Ankara and he replaced the Islamic Holy law, known as sharia, with civil law. He also gave women the vote and dropped the Ottoman script for the Latin alphabet. He proclaimed himself The Father ‎of the Turks.

It is possible to visit the Palace only on a guided tour. There are two parts to the tour: one is the public areas (Selamlik) and the other is the visit to the harem, less spectacular than the Topkapi one. ‎The public areas are full of marble. Note the incredible chandelier that is said to be the largest in the world. If you don’t have too much time, visit the public areas and visit the harem in the Topkapi. ‎You should also visit the Dolmabahce Mosque, that was constructed for the Sultans in 1851.

Yildiz Park was the sultans hunting retreat. Visit the historic pavilions. The Chalet pavilion is an attractive construction build by Abdul Hamid II in 1882 for his various guests, and where he moved to live until he was deposed in 1909. He lived a solitary life as a carpenter. Also have a look to the Malta Pavilion, a lodge used to rest and relax during the hunting expeditions.

In front of the park you can see the luxury hotels on the Bosphorus: Ciragan Palace Kempinski and the Four Seasons, both hotels have been built on the grounds of former Bosphorus Palaces. In the Kempinski you can sleep in one of them, which has been very well restored. If you don’t stay there it is worth to go there to have a drink, lunch or they have very good buffet dinners on the terrace on the Bosphorus during the summer.

Food and Eating

The Ottoman Empire lasted for more than six hundred years, one of the longest in history and had a significant influence on this city, particularly in the arts and in the food, which is a mixture of old traditional Anatolian cooking and sumptuous Ottoman recipes, once cooked for the Sultans in the Topkapi Palace. The food has also been influenced by the neighbouring countries in the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Arab countries. It is very varied: you can eat anything from a simple and tasty kebab to very elaborate dishes. The delicious mezze, grilled fish and meat, soups and stews. And lovely desserts. I enjoy them all every time I go! During your visit to the Topkapi Palace I am sure you will notice how big were the kitchens. The food was very important and renowned during the times of the Sultans. During the period of Suleiman the Magnificent (the Sultan of the Arts and the culture) the legend says that there were more than 150 recipes for cooking aubergines (eggplant). Today the restaurants serve a version of the old Ottoman recipes, which you can enjoy in different restaurants around the city. Local people still today eat these traditional recipes every day. There are several very nice little restaurants around the Grand Bazaar.

During my stay in the city I often go to an Ottoman restaurant and have a very nice lunch, the food is full of vegetables, such as courgettes and aubergines, with minced lamb or chicken. Usually my good friend Ibrahim invites me: very famous Turkish hospitality. The Asitane restaurant, just next to the Kariye Museum, reproduces the food from the Palace’s kitchen.

The temple of Ottoman Cuisine is Haci Abdullah Lokantasi in Beyoglu. During the Ottoman Empire there was not a culture of eating out. You could only find street vendors and street kitchens. The wealthy people would eat at home. The Ottoman cuisine takes a lot of time to be prepared. If the Sultan had guests, the head chef of the Palace would prepare for the guests to eat and the guests would be entertained in the Palace. ‎Sultan Abdulhamid II broke this tradition and in 1888 asked his head chef to open a restaurant ‎in Karakoy Quai, a place where he could send his guests to eat if he didn’t want to entertain them in the Dolmabahce Palace. Haci Abdullah continued his career in the restaurant. Later on his successor moved to Beyoglu, taking the staff with him. The successors to the Sultans’ cooks don’t follow the tradition of inheritance within the family as in other businesses, instead the head chef will pass the business to his best employee when he is too old to keep on working. This is the best way to preserve the culinary tradition. Today you can eat very good Ottoman dishes that are freshly prepared by 66 year’ old Abdullah Korun and served by very attentive waiters. By the way no alcohol is served in the restaurant. The 3 rooms in the restaurant are decorated in Ottoman style.

The traditional food you have to look for and try if you are interested in the local flavours are: lamb with smoked aubergine puree (hunkar Begendi); chicken stewed with apricots, almonds and grapes (mah-mudiyye)‎; stuffed melon (kavun dolma); and duck stewed in a clay casserole, with a nice pastry crust (zirba yahnisi). Very nice are the Turkish shish kebab (marinated chunks of lamb or chicken grilled or kofte and the very tasty grilled meat balls. For an excellent kebab with a view try the terrace at Hamdi et Lokantasi in Eminonu.

Istanbul is a city on the sea and has a very strong Greek influence thus the locals eat a lot of fish, that is mostly imported. It is cooked in a very simple way, mostly grilled.‎

The Turks love desserts. You must try some of their sweets before you go back home, such as the famous Baklava, which is a sticky layered filo pastry with a lot of pistachios and honey or try a similar version, the Kadayif. My favourites are Sutlac milk-based rice pudding and Keskul almond pudding.

Try also the various flavours of Turkish delight when you go to the Egyptian Bazaar or the Grand Bazaar. It is a nice present to take for your family and friends and can be presented in innumerable ways, in beautiful traditional boxes, in glass jars, in simple carton boxes, etc. In the shops they generally offer you to try some, which is a good thing to be sure that you like what you are buying, so as not to arrive home and find out that you don’t. My favorite is with pistachio. The real name for Turkish Delight is Lokum. They are made with starch, water, sugar and rose water.‎ Many years ago a British tourist forgot the name of the sweet that he had bought in Turkey and he called them Turkish Delight and the name stuck.

The origin of this sweet is lost in time. It came from somewhere in Orient. But in the form we know them today it was started in Istanbul by Haci Bekir, who moved from ‎the Black Sea area to Istanbul and opened a sweet shop in Eminonu in 1777 and sold his excellent Lokum there. We don’t know how a sample of his delicious sweet arrived in the Sultan’s Palace that was near his shop, but when it did the Sultan adored his sweets and he was nominated head Confisseur of the Sultan’s Court. His son took over the business and then the son of the son until today. The shop is still run by a descendent of Haci Bekir. It is a very interesting place to visit and see the interesting old-style shop and buy some Lokum of course. The shop is full of pictures. The address is Hamidiye Cad 31, Eminonu.

In general the food in Turkey is very good and you can eat well nearly everywhere, but in the summer when it is very hot, double check where you eat. ‎I advise you not to drink the tap water. Even the Turks don’t drink it. I have to say I never had a problem in Turkey with the food and as I told you before I have been going there for 15 years, more than once a year. I always recommend that at the first breakfast you have in any country you should eat the local yoghurt that will prepare your stomach. That is what Livingston, the famous British Explorer, used to do in his travels.

When the spring arrives in Istanbul, around the month of May, this is the time to enjoy the outdoor terraces of hotels and restaurants, that will all be open to let locals and tourists enjoy the beautiful views around the city whilst they have dinner, lunch or just drinks. Try a restaurant with terrace called 360, which is trendy for cocktails, dinner and late dancing with DJ (Misir Apartmani, Istiklal Caddesi 163, tel 02122511042).

A different restaurant to have dinner at is the Kizkulesi, Maiden’s Tower (or Leander Tower), which is on an island in the Bosphorus. The restaurant dates back to the 18^th century. It was here that James Bond was able to prevent a nuclear attack in the film The World is Not Enough, filmed in 1999. A more recent James Bond movie was filmed in Istanbul, with a motorbike chase across the rooves of the Grand Bazaar. In the restaurant Turkish food is served and there is also a show in the evening. Of course, you have to take a boat to go there, which is arranged by the restaurant.

If you wish to have a coffee, opt for a strong Turkish coffee at Leb-i-derya, where you will also have one of the best views of Istanbul.‎ Or you can try one of the traditional Turkish drinks like the Ayran (‎ a yoghurt drink), or Sahlep (a hot winter drink made from ground orchid root ), or Boza (a fermented wheat that was popular with the Ottomans)‎.

Restaurants

A selection on interesting restaurants:

Sarnic is a very romantic restaurant, located in an ex Byzantine Cistern. Food is French -Turkish. (Sogukcesme Sok, tel 02125124291, best to make a reservation, expensive).
Orient Express. Neogothic Style restaurant from the nineteenth century, it has very good traditional Turkish food. (Sirkeci station, tel 02125222280, expensive).
Buhara 93. Traditional Turkish speciality ‎roasted lamb and Gozleme. It has a big garden where dances are perfomed (Nakil Bent Sok 15/A ,tel 02125181511).
Rami is a restaurant in an Ottoman house, where they serve traditional food. (Utangac Sok 6, tel 02125176593)
Amedros, café and restaurant at night of international and Turkish food (Hoca Rustem Sok 7, tel 02125228356)
Kumkapi is one of the best fish restaurants in Istanbul. It opened in 1927. It is very good for special occasions (Balikci Sebahattin Hasankuyu Sok I, tel 02124581824, expensive).
Seasons Restaurant is very good for European contemporary food and some fusion. Four Seasons hotel. (Tevfikhane Sok 1, tel 02126388200).
Rumeni café, is a very nice restaurant in an old printing shop that proposes Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. It has a lot of vegetarian dishes (Ticarethane ‎Sok 8, tel 02125120008).
Yesil Ev. The outdoor garden in summer of this beautifully restored Ottoman Mansion‎, converted into a hotel, is lovely. If you decide to eat there, try sarma, my husbanito’s favorite. It is minced meat and rice wrapped in vine leaves or guvec and baked in a clay pot.
If you want to enjoy a dinner with the view of the Blue Mosque, Restaurant Rami is a romantic restaurant dedicated to the Turkish Painter Rami Uluer. You can try the speciality of Lamb with puree of aubergine (hunkar begendy) or a type of lamb kebab baked in wax paper (kagit Kebab).

Around Istanbul it is safe to eat. You can stop and have a freshly squeezed orange or pomegranate (when in season) juice. You can also have a chicken or meat Gyros sandwich. They are made with tomato, lettuce and served with french fries. I often sit in a little bar near the Grand Bazaar at the end of the afternoon ‎and have a nice sandwich, before I go back to the hotel. Sometimes it is my dinner.

Hammams

Turkish baths are not as diffuse as they were in the past. In any case it is one of the experiences to enjoy in Istanbul. There are several historical baths around the city where you are scrubbed on old steamed marble platforms. The Turks inherited the bath culture from the Romans (famous for their baths), from the Byzantines (the thermae) and from the Arabs. Until the arrival of private bathrooms and plumbing in homes, people used to go to the baths. They would meet there ‎and spend a day bathing, eating, talking, eventually also dancing. It was a social gathering. The most notable hammams in Istanbul were constructed ‎by the architect Mimar Sinan. The typical construction consisted of a central round heated marble platform underneath a domed roof with glass windows, allowing the light to illuminate the inside. Some well-known hammams are:

Haseki Hurram, between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque;
Cember‎litas Hammam was built by Sinan in 1584. The domed building is not to be missed. It is one of the best and cleanest in the city. Husbanito has been there a few times and recommends it.
Suleymaniye Hammam is more tranquil than the others and men and women are not separated. Washing attendants are all male. This Hammam in the beginning was part of the mosque complex. It has been very well restored
Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Bath, built in 1556 (expensive)
Ccankurtaran Mahallesi, Ayasofya Meydani Number 2, Fatih, tel +902125173535 . They have several packages: traditional full cleansing (Pir-i-pack) – this package includes the services of the traditional Turkish Bath; Keyf -I Hamam (pleasures of the hammam). This package combines the services of the traditional Turkish Bath with an aromatherapy massage.

Most of the hammams are divided by gender. They will provide you with wooden or plastic clogs and they will give you a towel to wrap around you. The Hammam is an experience you can’t miss. Choose one of the hammams. You will need at least 2 hours to enjoy the experience.

Remember that most of them are divided by sections for men and woman. I recommend taking flip flops or the hotel slippers with you so as to avoid using the ones they give you. The only time in my life I got fungus on my feet was in a hammam using their plastic shoes. They will also provide you with the towel to wrap around you. The experience that I had was hilarious. The attendants were 5 old ladies, who were only dressed with the lower part of their underwear. Imagine the situation, they were in their 60’s, their breasts arrived at their stomachs and during the peeling they were interfering with their work. ‎ They looked like warriors of other time.

Don’t go just after you have been to the hairdresser. With the humidity your hair will be a disaster when you finish the treatment. Beware of what happened to friends of mine. When the ladies that made our treatment finished the scrub with the soapy water, they put it on the hair of 2 of my friends that had been protecting their hair throughout the treatment. We really laughed to see their faces. There were five of us, but the women did this only to only 2 of us!

We all came out with the skin of a baby, very soft. Have some time to relax on the circular marble platform of the Hammam. If you want you can book a massage in a common area. You have to pay extra for it when you buy the entrance ticket. There you can also have something to drink when you go out and you can buy nice towels and soaps. The peeling and the use of the Hammam costs around 30 dollars, depending on the Hammam.

The first time I went with husbanito to Istanbul, we visited Cember‎litas, one of the oldest Hammams of the city, near the Grand Bazaar, and we went in, separately. At that time this Hammam had not been restored yet. It was very dark and old. I got in and I disliked it, so I left and decided to go to the Grand Bazaar shopping, telling husbanito that I would meet him later outside. When he finished the treatment he was so enthusiastic with the peeling that I wanted to have one to, so I asked him to take me to the Kempinski hotel, one of the best hotels in Istanbul, to have a peeling in their Hammam, where we could have it together. He offered to share one with me, which was not such a good idea for him: 2 peelings in one day. His skin was red like a macaque monkey’s bottom afterwards. Poor love!

Luxury Hotels

There are many in Istanbul in different parts of the city, here is a selection:

Ciragan Palace (Kempiski Besitkas), on the Bosphorus
Four Seasons Hotel on the Bosphorus
Four Seasons Hotel, Sultanahmet, constructed in a former Ottoman prison
Eresin Crown Sultanahmet, is constructed where the Byzantine Imperial Palace used to be, has its own museum.
Ceylan Intercontinental, ‎Taksim Square
Hyatt Regency, Taksim Square
Conrad Istanbul Besiktas
Marmara Pera
Bosphorus Palace (Asian‎ side)
Ritz Carlton Sisli
‎Charm hotels
Anemon Galata, Beyoglu
Antik Hotel
Barcelo Sarah, Beyazit (very near the gran Bazaar , close to the shopping!‎)
Vardar Palace Hotel, Taksim
Eklektik Guesthouse, Galata restructured Ottoman house
Bebek Hotel, Bosphorus (locals love to come to this hotel)
Naz Wooden House Inn, Sultanahmet (Bed and Breakfast)
Apricot Hotel, Sultanahmet, Ottoman restructured Old house .
Buyuk, a lot of atmosphere, it appeared in the film the Turkish wife
Galata Residence Hotel, Karakoy
Sultanahmet Palace Hotel, Sultanahmet, see my comments at the beginning

Asian Istanbul

Asian Istanbul is mainly residential. In the area of Uskudar ‎you can visit the museum of Florence Nightingale in Selimiye. In commemoration of this ‎courageous woman that during 1854 gathered 38 women and opened a hospital in Istanbul to cure and assist thousands of Turkish and allied soldiers injured during the war of Crimea. She established the basis of the modern nursing.

You can see several Mosques designed by Mimar Sinan:

Semsi Pasa Camii, the legend says that the birds don’t stand on this Mosque for respect to its beauty;
Yeni Valide Camii, constructed in 1710 for the mother of Ahmet III;
Iskele Camii, Soliman I constructed for this mosque for his favourite daughter Mihrimah; and
The Atik Valide Camii Mosque Complex was constructed for Nur Banu, the Jewish wife of Selim II (she was born in Venice).

The cemetery of Karaca Ahmet is a Muslim cemetery, which is the biggest in Turkey, built in the XIV century. You can see the thumb of the great Turkish warrior Karaca Ahmet. You can walk between the old grave stones and old trees.

‎Haydarpasa station was constructed by the German Architect Otto Ritter and Helmuth Cuno.

Ciya Kadikoy – try their excellent Kebabs. You can eat on tables on the terrace or on the street.

Other districts

The Old walls of Constantinople start in Ayvansaray on the Golden Horn and run 6.5 km or 4 miles to Yedikule on the Sea of Marmara. They were built during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II‎ in the 5th century and what remains today is a very impressive sight. Very well restored and very impressive are also the ruins of the Palace of the Sovereign and also the Castle at Yedikule

Visit the Kariye Museum, which is the jewel in Istanbul Byzantine crown. The Church of St Saviour in Chora was restored and reopened as a museum in 1958. The oldest part of this building dates back to 1120 (central dome area). In 1511 the church was converted in a mosque.

If you want to see the most fashionable area in Istanbul then go to Nisantasi, where you will find nice and expensive cafés and restaurants.

The Imperial Mosques. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Golden Era of the Ottoman Empire, the Imperial Mosques west of the Grand Bazaar in the neighbourhoods of Beyazit, Suleymaniye and Fatih areas were constructed. They are very interesting, but not much visited by the tourists. Their madrassas, hammams, tombs (turbes), caravanserais and imarets (kitchens) show us the high life during the Ottoman Empire.

Mehmet the Conqueror took the city in 1453 from the Roman Byzantines and constructed in Beyazit his first Palace near to the Theodosious ancient Forum, which was considered at that time the center of the City. In Beyazit you can find the old book bazaar (if you are interested in books).

Bosphorus Villages. If you have time you can visit the five fishing villages along the Bosphorus. Despite recent developments the area has maintained the sense of tranquility and serenity that they had in the past.

In spring, summer and autumn ‎it is very nice to visit the islands in the Bosphorus: Kurucesme, Arnavutkoy, Berek, Rumeli Hisari and Emirgan. You can appreciate the very nice architecture of the wooden Ottoman wood houses. To visit the Bosphorus Islands you need to hire a boat, either small water taxis, wooden sailing boats ‎or more luxurious vessels, depending on your budget. Alternatively, you can just take the local ferries, which is the cheapest way of getting there. Check on the Internet what is more convenient for you.

There are also the Princes Islands – Kinaliada, Burgazada, Heybeliada, Buyucada. Catch a Ferry from Kabatas, which departs every 90 minutes‎. These islands are among the favorite retreats of the people who live in Istanbul. You can have a swim in the Marmara sea or can visit the Islands by horse and carriage.

Guides

I want to thank the Istanbul Step by Step guide (Insight guides) very much for their help. This guide goes with me to Istanbul for some years, giving me good advice and information on the city. It was a very useful ‎present I received from Maats Pipeline Equipment when we went to Istanbul for the IPLOCA Oil and Gas Convention.

I also thank the guide “111 places in Istanbul that you must not miss” by Marcus X Schmid. I received this ‎book as a present from my very good British friend Justin.

Finally, thank you to Top Ten Istanbul (Geo Mondadori) ‎I always consult this guide when I go to Istanbul. It is small and easy to use.