It would be verging on hyperbole to say that Istanbul could be the world’s most exciting city. New York, Bangkok, London and a host of others would surely cry foul and dismiss such claims as errant nonsense. But Istanbul is one of the few cities that can look every other of the world’s great cities squarely in the eye and make a case for being its equal.
And, in some respects, it’s better. For one, no other city in the world has been important for so long. It was the capital of two empires, Christian and Muslim, and its Byzantine and Ottoman past is reflected throughout every grand avenue, every narrow alleyway, but mostly in its sublime location surrounded on all sides by water and its simply extraordinary monuments of its greatness.
In this sprawling, continent-spanning city you can tramp the streets where crusaders and janissaries once marched; admire mosques that are the most sublime architectural expressions of Islamic piety; peer into the sultan’s harem; and hunt for bargains in the Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar).
Side by side with Old İstanbul you’ll find hip bars and clubs, flashy executives, malls and haute cuisine. And then there is a rich arts culture – opera, music, cinema – which nods its head to the Ottoman and Byzantine ways while taking cues from Europe. All this history, hustle and bustle coexists around the spine of the Bosphorus, a constantly busy, heaving mass, dotted with ships and ferries, which provides the link between Europe and Asia.
It is, by virtue of its history, geography and population, the most western place in the east and the most eastern place in the west.
Whatever your interest – architecture, art, nightlife, cuisine, history, religion, shopping – İstanbul has more than enough of it, at prices which are among the lowest in Europe.
When To Go
The best times of year to visit Istanbul are from April to June and September to October, roughly the months of spring and autumn respectively. During these months, temperatures are in the consistently mild range of 16-25°C and the humidity is not too bad, plus the crowds aren’t as big a nuisance as in the summer months. The wintery months from November to February have the highest rainfall, and it’s when spirits are most likely to be dampened.
Getting There
Malev Airlines will fly Dublin-Budapest-Istanbul return for around €300.
You’ll need to buy a visa (€10) which you must do before queuing for immigration. Get that first (to the left of immigration) and then queue to get into the country!
One Day in Istanbul
The day starts early and evocatively in Turkey’s biggest city. At dawn, the amplified strains of the call to prayer issue from tapering minarets in every suburb. In historic Sultanahmet, where the Ottoman sultans sought to outdo each other with grandiose building programs, muezzins at each of the imperial mosque complexes give their vocal chords a vigorous morning workout, prompting the faithful to their prayers and hotel guests to their breakfast.
Morning
Turks take the first meal of the day seriously. Get into the local swing of things and load your breakfast plate with tangy sheep’s-milk cheese, plump olives, flavourful tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, home-made jam and freshly baked crusty white bread or simit (a sesame-encrusted bread ring).
Suitably fortified, join the morning commuter rush and head towards the bustling ferry docks at Eminönü. Three bodies of water met here: the Golden Horn, Bosphorus Strait and Sea of Marmara. Among the crowd, iPods and designer sunglasses vie with headscarves and prayer beads as the accessory of choice – showcasing the diversity of the 13-million strong local population. Ferries, fishing boats, private launches and container ships jostle for space in these crowded waterways, presided over by flocks of screeching seagulls that supply another of the city’s signature sounds.
To get your city bearings, climb aboard a Turyol tourist ferry (www.turyol.com) and take a 90-minute Bosphorus cruise. A fascinating historical narrative unfurls as you pass white marble palaces where the sultans and their harems lived, whimsical timber mansions that were the summer residences of the Ottoman nobility, and majestic stone fortresses that played important roles in the downfall of the mighty Byzantine Empire.
Returning to Eminönü it’s now time to hop from one continent to another. Fortunately, it only takes 30 minutes to cross from Europe to Asia and visit the ancient suburb of Kadıköy, known for its fresh produce market. Stalls scattered throughout a warren of streets opposite the ferry dock display everything from glistening fresh fish to artfully constructed pyramids of spices. Bars of olive-oil soap share counter space with piles of lokum (Turkish Delight) and slabs of amber-hued honeycomb, and the pungent aroma of farmhouse cheese competes with that of mint and oregano. In the midst of all this is one of Turkey’s most acclaimed eateries, Çiya Sofrasi (Güneşlibahçe Sokak 43). A casual place specialising in the food of southeastern Anatolia, it’s an ideal lunch destination.
Afternoon
After catching a ferry back to Eminönü, it’s time to explore the cobbled streets of the Old City. Opposite the ferry docks is the famous Spice Bazaar – walk straight through and then up to the magnificent Süleymaniye Mosque, which crowns the third of the city’s seven hills. Commissioned by Süleyman the Magnificent and built between 1550 and 1557, it is widely considered to be the most architecturally significant Ottoman building in Istanbul.
A short walk south around the walls of Istanbul University will bring you to another important complex commissioned by an Ottoman sultan – the Kapalı Çarşı (Covered Market), more commonly known as the Grand Bazaar. This labyrinthine and chaotic shopping mall dates back to the days of Mehmet the Conqueror and is home to more than 2000 stores, meaning that you’ll need at least two hours to explore it. For a coffee or tea break, head to Etham Tezçakar Kahveci in Halicilar Çarşı Sokak, where many of the bazaar’s most tempting stores are located.
Evening
At night, make your way to Beyoğlu, the heart of the modern city. Kick off with a cocktail at a glamorous rooftop bar – Mikla, X Bar and Leb-i Derya are three of the best – and then make your way to the streets around Sofyali and Nevizade Sokaks for dinner. Tempting options include Antiochia (www.antiochiaconcept.com; Minare Sokak 21) and Zübeyir Ocakbaşı (www.zubeyirocakbasi.com; Bekar Sokak 28). You’ll be able to enjoy excellent mezes (appetisers) and kebaps at both.
After your meal, kick onto one of the fashionable superclubs on the Bosphorus or wind down over a glass of tea and some apple-scented tobacco at one of the nargileh (waterpipe) cafés at Tophane, opposite the tram stop of the same name. This is where locals come to indulge in the particularly Turkish art of keyif (quiet relaxation) – something you’re bound to appreciate after a marvellous but hectic day’s exploration.
What to See
Aya Sofya
Aya Sofya (known as Haghia Sofia in Greek and also called the Church of the Divine Wisdom) was regarded as the greatest church in Christendom up until the fall of Constantinople, when it was put back into service as a mosque. The edifice is crammed with fine mosaics and topped by a magnificent dome.
Aya Sofya was not named after a saint; its name means holy wisdom. It is called Sancta Sophia in Latin. Emperor Justinian (r. 527-65) had the church built as yet another effort to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire. It was completed in 537.
Examining the interior of the church is more a metaphysical than a physical experience. Visitors entering through the main entrance, via the low original steps, experience both a gradual sense of being drawn upwards and a sense of gloomy darkness being dispelled by the inner light of 30 million gold mosaic tiles.
The dome is supported by 40 massive ribs constructed of special hollow bricks made in Rhodes from a unique light, porous clay, resting on huge pillars concealed in the interior walls. It was through the Imperial Door that Mehmet the Conqueror came in 1453 to take possession for Islam of the greatest religious edifice in the world. Before he entered, historians tell us, he sprinkled earth on his head in a gesture of humility. Aya Sofya remained a mosque until 1935, when Atatürk proclaimed it a museum. It must be seen to be believed.
Blue Mosque (Mosque of Sultan Ahmet)
‘Blue’ because of its stunning interior decorated with İznik tiles, this mosque is one of the city’s largest and busiest. Sultan Ahmet set out to build a mosque that would rival and even surpass the achievment of Justinian. He came close to his goal.
The Blue Mosque is a triumph of harmony, proportion and elegance. Its architect, Mehmet Aÿa, achieves the sort of visual experience on the exterior that Aya Sofya has on the interior.
In order to experience the Blue Mosque properly and appreciate its architectural mastery, approach the mosque from its front. The layout of the Blue Mosque is classic Ottoman design. Walk towards the mosque through the gate in the peripheral wall. Note the small dome atop the gate: this is the motif Mehmet Ağa uses to lift your eyes to heaven.
As you walk through the gate, your eyes follow a flight of stairs up to another gate topped by another dome; through this gate is yet another dome, that of the ablutions fountain in the centre of the mosque courtyard. As you ascend the stairs, semidomes come into view: first the one over the mosque’s main door, then the one above it, and another, and another.
Finally the main dome crowns the whole, and your attention is drawn to the sides, where forests of smaller domes reinforce the effect, completed by the minarets, which lift your eyes heavenward.
Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar)
Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar) has been a shopper’s Mecca since just after the mid-15th century, when the smallish warehouse was turned into a teeming bazaar by a constant stream of traders, selling everything from carpets to cummin. These days it’s the most fantastic, monstrous, labyrinthine and totally manic shopping bazaar you could hope to experience.
Tourist shops selling glittery geegaws line the main streets, but delve into the back streets and you’ll still find Istanbullus buying a few metres of cloth, a gold bangle for a daughter’s birthday, a beautifully crafted gold-plated ‘eye’ to ward off evil or an antique carpet.
The confusing labyrinth of streets was originally named after the goods sold there (Mirror-makers St, Pearl Merchants St, Fez Makers St and so on), and although that’s not necessarily the case today, it is still possible to buy precious gems, old coins and intricately crafted jewellery in Jewellers St.
The Grand Bazaar is also renowned for offering basement-bargain deals on fur and leather goods, kilim products and a range of handcrafted goodies. Just remember to keep your wits about you.
Topkapı Palace
It’s so huge, Topkapı Palace will take more than half a day to explore. If you start early you can avoid the worst of the crowds. The must-see parts are the Imperial Council Chamber, the Imperial Treasury, the Sacred Safekeeping Rooms, Baghdad Kiosk, the Tower of Justice and the Harem. It’ll keep you busy.
Mehmet the Conqueror built the first Topkapı Palace shortly after the Conquest in 1453, and lived here until his death in 1481. Sultan after sultan played out the drama of the Ottoman sovereign here until the 19th century. Mahmut II was the last emperor to occupy the palace. After him, the sultans preferred to live in grand and ostentatious European-style palaces such as Dolmabahçe, Çırağan and Yıldız, which they built on the shores of the Bosphorus.
Topkapı grew and changed with the centuries, but its basic four-courtyard plan remained the same. Hit the Topkapı early and get in to tour the Harem first, before it becomes impossible.
Buy your tickets to the Palace and the Treasury at the main ticket office just outside the gate to the second court. Tickets to the Harem are available at the ticket box outside the Harem itself. Guides to the palace congregate next to the main ticket office.
Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıçı)
Basilica Cistern, with its 336 columns and a high, vaulted ceiling, is an incredible Byzantine relic that was primarily used to store the city’s water. It was also used in From Russia With Love, although the days when tours were conducted on a flatbed boat are gone – a slightly disappointing walkway has been erected throughout.
Built in AD 532, it is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul. It was constructed by Justinian, who was incapable of thinking in small terms. Columns, capitals and plinths from ruined buildings were used in its construction. Two columns in the northwestern corner are supported by two blocks carved into Medusa heads.
Çemberlitaş Hamamı
The strange building with a row of streetfront shops is Çemberlitaş Hamamı, one of the city’s oldest hamams, located just off Divan Yolu near the Kapalı Çarşı. This is perhaps the best place for your first Turkish bath experience, and thoroughly reputable.
It’s a double hamam (twin baths for men and women) designed by Sinan for Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Sultan Selim II, in 1584. You can choose between the ‘attendant scrub and massage’ or the ‘no thanks, I’ll do it myself’ options. It’s well worth it after a day of haggling and bargain hunting.
Night Cruise on the Bosphorus Regular ferries cross the headlands, like the Staten Island Ferry in NY. Waiters on board serve tea and orange juice.
Princes’ Islands (Büyükada & Heybeliada) The Princes’ Islands, in the Sea of Marmara between 15km and 30km southeast of the city, have always been a favourite retreat from the mainland. Four of the nine islands are easily accessible by ferry from İstanbul and, in the summer public holidays, see a steady stream of visitors that threaten to destroy the peace and tranquillity. On the largest island, Büyükada, the local population of 6500 swells each summer to over 40,000. That said, it’s usually easy enough to escape the crowds. Apart from the odd police or utility vehicle, no cars are allowed on the islands, so transport is either by foot, phaeton (horse-drawn carriage), bike or donkey. The proximity to İstanbul of these romantic retreats make them an easy day-trip, but if you do wish to overnight you’ll find accommodation both over-priced and, especially on summer weekends, hard to come by.
The islands are easy to reach, but get to the ferry at least an hour before departure in summer, especially on Sundays as the queues can be massive. The Turkish Maritime Lines ferry from Sirkeci pier, Adalar İskelesi, runs to Büyükada, Heybeliada and Burgazada (Mon– Sat 12 daily, Sun 15 daily; 2–3 daily during winter; 1hr 30min–2hr; 4YTL return). There is also a more expensive but much quicker sea bus (deniz otobüs) service from Kabataş (near Beşiktaş) to Büyükada, Heybeliada and Burgazada (12 daily, much less frequently in winter; 25–45min; 12YTL).
Eating
Istanbul is a food-lover’s paradise. Affordable fast-food joints, cafes and restaurants are everywhere, but the real plus is the national cuisine. It’s rustic, honest and totally delicious. Hors d’oeuvres (meze) are simple, kebabs austere, salads unstructured and seafood unsauced. But the flavours are divine and your tastebuds will know hitherto unknown pleasures…if you eat right.
RULE NO. 1. Get out of the tourist centre. There are no good restaurants in Sultanahmet and only a few decent cheap eateries. Cross the Galata Bridge and join the locals eating in Beyoğlu, Tesvikiye and Besiktas. Absolutely nothing beats the enjoyment of spending an evening in a meyhane (wine shop or tavern) in Beyoğlu or dining at one of the swish spots downnear the Bosphorus in Besiktas.
If you’re only in town for a short time, be sure to get to one of the meyhanes on Nevizade Sokak in Beyoğlu. This is the most famous and atmospheric eating district in Istanbul. On any night of the week the taverns are packed with chattering locals sampling the dizzying array of meze and fresh fried fish on offer, washing it down with raki wine. Vendors wander about selling fresh almonds while musicians entertain diners with fasil music – a tip of anything less than €10 per seated group is considered niggardly.
Sultanahmet
Balıkçı Sabahattin Cankurtan- Fish restaurant by Cankurtan station, five minutes’ walk but a world away from the tourist joints up the hill. It’s not cheap (it’s the in-place for moneyed locals) but about as atmospheric as you can get, with vine-shaded tables set out in a narrow alley in summer, and a wood-floored dining room in an old wooden house in winter. Starters begin at 5YTL, mains around 30YTL, with every kind of locally caught fish on the menu.
Rumeli Café Divan Yolu Cad, Ticarethane Sok 8. Friendly, cosmopolitan atmosphere in nicely restored bare-brick and wood surroundings – there are also a few candlelit tables on the street and a funky roof terrace. Jointly run by the twin sisters from the Nomade hotel opposite and a couple of laid-back Kurds, it’s not cheap (a rocket, goat’s cheese, walnut, tomato and dried fruit salad is 11YTL) but is excellent quality. The tatli kaçamaklar (nearest translation “sweet, illicit flirt”) is a deliciously rich chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice-cream, and a nut-topped sauce.
Beyoğlu
Hacı Abdullah İstiklâl Cad, Sakızağacı Cad 17 tel 0212/293 8561. One of the best traditional restaurants in town sports a high-ceilinged atrium salon at the back. Main courses from 9YTL – try the hunkarbeğendilikebap (beef stew on a bed of aubergine and cheese puree) and the ayvatatlı (stewed quince with clotted cream). Strictly no alcohol served.
İmroz Nevizade Sok 24. This Greek-owned İstanbul institution has been dishing up reasonably priced fish dishes (mains 12YTL) since 1942. Spread over three floors, it is perhaps the liveliest of the fish restaurants in the Balık Pazarı area.
Eminönü
Zinhan Kebap House At Storks Ragıpgümüşpala Caddesi 2-5, Eminönü Zinhan’s regal position next to the Galata Bridge means that every İstanbullu knows it. Here you’ll enjoy an excellent meal on one of the most impressive roof terraces in the city – the views from here are simply sensational. You’ll sit on comfortable chairs at huge well-spaced tables to enjoy tasty mezes and sophisticated kebab dishes. Also on offer are international dishes and a well-priced wine list.
Best of all is the fact that there are lots of tables in prime positions, meaning that you won’t have to book weeks ahead as is often the case at places such as Hamdi.
Pandeli Mısır Çarşısı 51, Hamıdıye Cad tel 0212/527 3909. Go through the main entrance of the spice bazaar on the shore side and turn back towards the doorway; on your right is a staircase leading up to the restaurant. Over seventy years old, decorated throughout with blue and white tiling and run by Greek and Turkish owners, it is known particularly for its sea bass. İstanbulites are divided as to the quality of the food, but everyone is unanimous about the truculence of the ageing waiters. Main courses from 16YTL. Lunch only noon–3.30pm, closed Sun.
Where to Stay
It’s essential to have a look at a room before you check in, as prices are not always a reliable indication of quality. By law, room rates should be displayed in the foyer and, because of the fluctuating Turkish exchange rate, most establishments quote prices in euros or US dollars (though paying in Turkish lira is equally acceptable). Advertised prices can be unrealistically high, having been fixed in a busy season or for the benefit of tour companies, and those hotels that ask €70–100 per night may bargain. Many hotels offer discounts for cash or booking through their website, though note that even moderately pricey establishments may not always accept credit cards; Websitewww.istanbulbudgethotels.com is worth checking before you leave home.
Sultanahmet
There are literally dozens of cheap hotels in Sultanahmet all vying for the tourist lira. It’s handy for the major sights, but you have to put up with a lot of noise and hawkers.
Arena Hotel (Şehit Mehmet Paşa Yokuşu, Üçler Hamam Sok 13–15 Tel 0212/458 0364, www.arenahotel.com) Extremely well run hotel, converted from an Ottoman mansion, formerly the family house of the owner. Spacious rooms with repro antique furnishings, air conditioning, cable TV and safe box. The large bathrooms are immaculate, some with tubs. A nice touch – white bathrobe, slippers and flowers laid out on the bed. Communal hamam downstairs and a fifteen-percent discount for cash. €63-93
Kybele Hotel (Yerebatan Cad 35 Tel 0212/511 7766, www.kybelehotel.com) Atmospheric, unusual, late nineteenth-century rendered brick building, colourfully painted. Inside are over 3000 multi-hued antique-style light fittings and some great original Bakelite radios. The spacious rooms sport marbled wallpaper and old wood flooring. Breakfast is served in a courtyard full of candelabras, cushions, empty bottles and other knick-knacks. Friendly staff. Recommended. €63-93
Nomade Hotel (Ticarethane Sok 15 Tel 0212/511 1296, www.hotelnomade.com) Described as “ethnic trendy” by the French designer responsible for its chic interior, this hotel has white-floored rooms finished in bold colours, with rich coordinating fabrics and blonde-wood modernist furniture. The charming and sophisticated twin sisters who run it ensure excellent service. There’s a great roof terrace, too. Recommended. €63-93
Anemon Galata (Cnr galata meydani & büyükhendek caddesi, tel 212 293 2343; www.anemonhotels.com) In the shadow of the Galata Tower, Anemon Galata is a magnificent historic building converted into a lovely, intimate hotel. Elegance, charm and one of the best views in the city make Anemon Galata a top choice. And everyone agrees, so book well ahead!
Although once the glittering pinnacle of European lifestyle and ideas, Galata had gone downhill by the 1980s and was home to the city’s largest municipal brothel. Today gentrification is well underway; Anemon Galata opened its doors in 2001 as one of the frontrunners. The glittering marble-floored lobby is an impressive introduction. The rooms are individually decorated and impeccably tasteful in elegant Ottoman style. Most feature ornate painted ceilings and king-size beds. Some rooms have small wrought-iron balconies overlooking Galata Sq; others overlook the Golden Horn. But it’s worth staying here for the restaurant alone, which boasts one of the best views in the city: almost the entire length of the Golden Horn, a worm’s eye view of the Galata Tower and the Bosphorus.
