Firstly, if you travel to Istanbul, you must see the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, and of course the Grand Bazaar. I’ve covered these sights in previous stories, so if you haven’t read them, you can find them by following this link.
If you are lucky enough to have more than a couple of days in Istanbul, then here is a collection of some of the other things to do based on the experiences we enjoyed.
Shop and Dine in Vibrant Karakoy District
Karakoy is a grid of colourful little streets and lanes. It is a great area to explore the cafes, restaurants, bars and boutique stores where you can find art, jewellery, and books amongst other items. The area also has some trendy hotels and we stayed in this area during two of our Istanbul stays.
We indulged in some shopping and bought a unique Selda Okutan bracelet for hubby whilst exploring the area (July 2015, this shop has since relocated). For a break, we had an iced coffee in OPS cafe, and there were plenty of other cafes I would have loved to have stopped in.
One night of our stay, we went to dinner at Karakoy Lokantasi, dining on smoked anchovies, hummus, roast eggplant, fried calamari and grilled octopus. This restaurant is beautifully decorated with gorgeous tiles and traditional colours.
Karakoy district is on the top of our list of things to do when we return to Istanbul.
See the Views from the Galata Tower
The Galata Tower is perfectly positioned on the high point of the Galata district. As we approached, we had some fantastic views of it looming up between the buildings of the surrounding narrow laneways. The area is mostly pedestrian (no car traffic), and filled with funky bars and shops. We spotted some colourful street art in the area.
We paid 25 Turkish Lira each back in 2015. The elevator goes up to level 7, then it’s two flights of stairs to reach the lookout level. When we visited, the tower was crowded at the top, we could barely get past people to enjoy the view! We had chosen our timing based on when the sun would be shining on the Bosphorus River in the late afternoon. And so had everyone else.
Crowds aside, the view was magical. The sun makes the Bosphorus sparkle, ferries and boats are coming and going. You can see the minarets of a number of mosques across the city, including the Blue Mosque. The jumble of buildings is like a movie scene. We have climbed the tower each time we have visited Istanbul so we can enjoy the amazing views.
I usually buy a cheap souvenir in each country we visit to add to a growing collection I kept at work. In the gift shop I found the perfect little miniature tower for the equivalent of about $2 Australian.
Have a Traditional Tea and Snacks
Whilst you are in Turkey, you definitely have to have a Turkish coffee or a tea. We stopped for a Turkish tea on our very first day in Istanbul at a little shop called Hafiz Mustafa near the Spice Bazaar. The tea went down nicely with the three types of Turkish baklava we also ordered.
Visit the Buyuk Mecidiye Mosque on the Bosporus
We are quite happy to use the local public transport in most places we visit. So we caught a tram and a bus to Buyuk Mecidiye Mosque. This Mosque is often seen in photos of Istanbul, and is located in a very scenic position on the Bosphorus River.
Tram number T1, followed by bus number 25E (an easy swap over) took us straight there in less than 30 minutes and along an interesting road running parallel to the river.
We visited in the morning. There were a number of shops and market stalls in the surrounding pedestrian laneways that were not yet open, so you may want to visit in the afternoon or evening to make the most of the trip. Seeing the Mosque on the water’s edge, next to the ‘15 July Martyrs’ Bridge is something quite special.
Walk the Istiklal Caddesi Shopping Avenue
İstiklal Caddesi (which means Independence Avenue) is an amazingly long pedestrian street lined with mostly shops and cafes. It is 1.4 kms in length according to the guide books. There is a little historic red tram that runs from end to end.
İstiklal Caddesi, and the tram, run from close to the Galata Tower to a large area called Taksim Square. We walked the entire length starting from the Tower and did some clothes shopping on the way. We couldn’t resist catching the tram back the other way once we reached the square.
Make sure you explore some of the side streets. They are filled with even more places to eat and drink, and we found these places to be more appealing than ones directly on the mall. We had a beer and some chips whilst sitting next to a window with a view into one of these cute little side streets.
See Something Different in a Gallery or Museum
Istanbul has many galleries and museums. During one of our visits there was an Andy Warhol exhibition at the Pera Museum which we decided to see. We were also able to see some other art from Turkish artists as part of the ticket price.
It’s a great idea to pre-plan visits to iconic museums and galleries you plan to visit. We also like to have one or two indoor options in case we get unlucky with the weather whilst travelling.
Have Dinner at Cecconi’s
Istanbul has a diverse dining scene. If you fancy some Italian as a change from all the delicious Turkish cuisine you’ve been having, consider Cecconi’s. The setting is magical! We entered into a courtyard garden setting with trees laden with fairy lights, and glass lanterns hanging from an overhead pergola. A mix of marble and dark wooden tables and chairs are positioned under the trees. The adjoining restaurant opens fully into the garden, so we were able to sit inside and still feel like we had the best of both inside and outside. The restaurant is an attractive blend of dark wood and marble, and feels both elegant and relaxing.
Each course was a delight. We had the most delicious deep fried olives and a plate of carpaccio with an Aperol Spritz to start our dinner. The pasta dishes we selected, veal agnolotti and penne bolognese, were also outstanding and went well with the Italian Rose wine we had chosen. We finished with pistachio ice cream filled profiteroles, smothered in melted rich dark chocolate (July 2015).
There’s Plenty More…
Istanbul is full of interesting things to do and places to explore. These were some of the highlights from our trips in 2014 and 2015. There will be new things to explore, and the traditional sights will continue to be amazing. We would certainly go back.
2 comments
Loved it.
Thank you Gillian!