Istanbul, Turkiye
UNESCO world heritage site
UNESCO world heritage site
*All work including photos ,video and writing on this page is my own, except the link to the Lonely Planet Tourism video, freely available on Youtube.
Istanbul, formerly called Constantinople is a unique city. It is a city that sits on two continents, divided by the Bosphorus. You can therefore just drive across the bridge from Europe to Asia, whilst still remaining in Istanbul! This gateway between Europe and Asia means that Istanbul has lots of history to read up on, the Ottoman Empire, the Greeks, Persians and others have all left their mark here. Today however Istanbul is welcoming to travellers from all over the world, whether Christian or Muslim or of no faith, you will find a warm welcome here in this bustling but cosmopolitan city, where, despite being in a predominantly Muslim country, you will find the people very tolerant of other people, alcohol is freely available for example. It is common for Turkish people to go out for a meal together, some will drink alcohol, others won't, people generally respect your views to live your life however you chose to and will still be friends with you, just how it should be!
Where to stay
Where to stay
There are two main areas to stay in Istanbul.
1) The Old city/Town - This is where all the tourist attractions are. We chose to stay here so we could walk everywhere.
2) Taksim Square area - This is more of the business district and shopping area. The better hotels are situated here. That was our dilemma, you can't stay in a top hotel in the Old Town, if you want a more luxurious hotel you do need to be further out. You can take a taxi or tram easily into the Old Town.
1) The Old city/Town - This is where all the tourist attractions are. We chose to stay here so we could walk everywhere.
2) Taksim Square area - This is more of the business district and shopping area. The better hotels are situated here. That was our dilemma, you can't stay in a top hotel in the Old Town, if you want a more luxurious hotel you do need to be further out. You can take a taxi or tram easily into the Old Town.
I would recommend these places as my top places to visit:
1) The Blue Mosque
This is pictured to the right and one of the most famous attractions in Istanbul. It is still used as a Mosque, but visitors of all faiths are warmly welcome to visit it. It is stunning. Just opposite this Mosque is the other famous attraction in Istanbul, attraction number two on my list below. 2) Hagia Sofia Museum The beautiful Hagia Sofia is very interesting as it was once a Church, but now a mosque and inside you can see that very clearly from the design and the internal decoration. It is so beautiful and certainly worth a visit. I would advise you to visit the Topkapi palace next to it as well, which we thoroughly enjoyed and you can get tickets to both places from the ticket area infront of the Mosque. |
3) Sultanahmet District
This is the part of the Old Town where these two mosques can be found. This is the real historic Istanbul. You can smell the kebabs, taste the fresh fish and stroll around the side streets and parks and enjoy all this city has to offer and get a real feel of being in another world. You can't miss the sound of the call to prayer, which just enhances the whole experience of Istanbul. 4) A boat trip along the Bosphorus This is a must in Istanbul, no trip here would be complete without a boat trip. There are many companies offering excursions here. I would advise you to be careful and stick to well know companies such as the ones recommended by your hotel concierge. 5) Miniaturk model Village This is a huge model village of all the best Turkish historical sites. It is well worth a visit if you get the time. |
Turkish Food
I just love Turkish food. Turkey is the home of the Kebab, the most famous being the Doner Kebab, now popular all over the UK as a takeaway food item. There are plenty of other types of kebabs available in Istanbul too. The main starter is a Meze of dips, which are always delicious. The main bread speciality here is the Simit, which is topped with sesame seeds. A speciality is Manti, which is a sort of dumpling, like ravioli, with a yoghurt and garlic sauce. Yoghurt features a lot in Turkish cooking and is even used as a drink. Turkish Tea and coffee are also popular drinks, much stronger than ones in Europe, but delicious. Fish is very popular and there are fisherman everywhere catching your evening meal for you. To finish off the evening meal there is the world famous Baklava, a filo pastry dessert with pistachio nuts and a very sweet syrup. I love it! The other favourite and very famous sweet is Turkish delight. There are so many varieties here to chose from. The type we get in Europe does not in anyway compare to the real fresh sweets here.
Popular restaurants here:
- Three Partners Cafe and restaurant, Seafood
- Istanbul Kebab cafe and Restaurant
-Ocak, Turkish Anatolian
-Resto Ethnica, Mediterranean
- Eagles Istanbul, Steakhouse
- Siva Oyster Lobster Fish Restaurant, Seafood
- Istanbul Anatolian Cuisine, Anatolia region
- Ikonium Etiler, Turkish
- Galata Lily Cafe Restaurant, International
-Zeferan Restaurant, International
-Bitlisli, BBQ
Popular restaurants here:
- Three Partners Cafe and restaurant, Seafood
- Istanbul Kebab cafe and Restaurant
-Ocak, Turkish Anatolian
-Resto Ethnica, Mediterranean
- Eagles Istanbul, Steakhouse
- Siva Oyster Lobster Fish Restaurant, Seafood
- Istanbul Anatolian Cuisine, Anatolia region
- Ikonium Etiler, Turkish
- Galata Lily Cafe Restaurant, International
-Zeferan Restaurant, International
-Bitlisli, BBQ
Crime and safety
Istanbul is as safe as most major cities, similar to London and New York. There are the usual pickpockets in the tourist areas, as with most cities. The main scam to look out for is when people offer you tea then expect you to buy things from them or pay for the drinks they gave you, just be sensible and you will be fine. I didn't feel unsafe at anytime. There have been some terrorist attacks in the past, but this can happen anywhere nowadays so I wouldn't worry about that.
Istanbul is as safe as most major cities, similar to London and New York. There are the usual pickpockets in the tourist areas, as with most cities. The main scam to look out for is when people offer you tea then expect you to buy things from them or pay for the drinks they gave you, just be sensible and you will be fine. I didn't feel unsafe at anytime. There have been some terrorist attacks in the past, but this can happen anywhere nowadays so I wouldn't worry about that.
Istanbul is a great city to explore, but after all that walking I would recommend a week in a Turkish Beach Resort. You can fly to popular areas from Istanbul such as Izmir, Dalaman, Bodrum, Antalya. For more information on Turkey visit this website. Turkey