Lets Travel toI S T A N B U L

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Istanbul, an iconic city and the most popular tourist destination in Turkey, has immense dignity and pride. The cultural infusion of various communities, mod-ern influences, traditional val-ues and its historical timeline makes it hard for me to ignore the bustling metropolis, hence I will visit whenever possible.

Most travel publications have detailed articles about things to do in Istanbul. They normally involve shopping in the histor-ical Grand Bazaar, visiting Ot-toman palaces, admiring the ar-chitecture of Hagia Sophia and delving into the depths of Islam, by visiting the Blue mosque.

Unfortunately though, not every-one likes touring historical sites and countless visitors, who have been to Istanbul, more than once, are often clueless about what to do next. So a passionate Istanbulite, decided to fill a gap in the market.

Things to do in Istan-bul : Suggestions by LocalsSinan Sökmen is the found-er and managing director of an alternative concept to touring Istanbul. He said…

Our tours are categorized accord-ing to interests and hobbies such as history, photography, food, art, or shopping. So we collabo-rate with connoisseurs of various fields and topics, to help visi-tors create a personal experience.

Since I am constantly seeking off-beat experiences in Turkey, he in-stantly had my attention and told me more about these locals and their

ideas of what to do on my next visit.

1 : One Day Street Art Tour

Some call it graffiti, but all over Is-tanbul, shop shutters, car parks, old factories or white washed walls are canvases for impressive art work and murals. The street art tour visits famous urban neighbour-hoods such as Sishane and Kara-koy, to see pieces that would gain much admiration in an art gallery.

Tour Curator is Erbil Sivaslio-glu, an active promoter for the yearly Istanbul Street Art Fes-tival. He has extensive knowl-edge of urban neighbourhoods and also the street-artists and their sources of inspiration. He urges everyone to look at Istan-bul from a different perspective.

2 : Ottoman Jewellery Workshop in the Grand Bazaar

Beautiful jewellery is for sale in the Grand Bazaar, but visitors can make it instead! Under the instruc-tion of a Usta (master), attendees are shown the ancient craft of Ottoman jewellery making and then they design and construct their own masterpiece. Classes last roughly 3 hours, with a max-imum attendance of 4 people.

Overseer of this unusual experi-ence is Banu Kent. Born in Ger-many, she now lives in Istanbul, after extensively traveling around the world. Her inspiration is the vibes of Istanbul that encourage creativity thinking. She learned the craft from an usta that has been making Ottoman jewellery for the last 25 years.

3 : Street Photography Walk

Improve your camera skills, ful-ly understand its functions, and capture unique photos of Istan-bul, by attending the photography tour around main avenues and back streets. After an introducto-ry briefing, the tour visits Taksim and Istiklal Avenue with its ma-jestic examples of architecture.

Didem Orhuner, a freelance pro-fessional photographer is the mas-termind of this tour. She started photography as a hobby, but pro-gressed to be published in var-ious magazines and showcased in exhibitions. Didem says, we also stop at tea and coffee shops, as well as antique stalls because daily life, both past and pres-ent, are ideal photo subjects!

4 : Istanbul Bicycle Tour

Some people might consider this a ludicrous and dangerous sug-gestion but on the Asian side of Istanbul, official biking routes in-clude photography stops and visits to scenic landscapes, piers, parks such as Fenerbahce, and local restaurants. Bahadir says anyone can come because all equipment is provided including bikes, helmets, audio guide and safety jackets.

Bahadir Efeoglu can be credit-ed with putting this tour togeth-er. Using a bike, he has travelled through numerous countries and around Turkey. He also co-founded Busiklet, the Bogaziçi University Bicycle Society.

8 Unusual and Cool Things to do in Istanbul

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5 : Mushroom Hunt and Picnic

You may think mushrooms don’t exist in a bustling metropolis, but 15 kilometres north of Istanbul is Belgrade forest, an adventurous playground for nature enthusiasts. This ideal destination is perfect for a mushroom scavenger hunt to spot specific varieties, taste them and enjoy a quiet picnic.

Curator of this tour is Jilber Ba-rutcuyan, who has an unusual di-ploma on mushroom studies form the Ministry of Health in Switzer-land. He describes himself as a diver, climber, cave explorer, wine specialist and mushroom expert!

6 : Flavours of the Old City

Visit a simit bakery to watch how they are made, savour a tradition-al Turkish breakfast, chat with the owner of the most renowned Turkish coffee shop in the city and watch how he prepares it. Next on the agenda is a Turkish wine tasting session in a cellar, and the chance to indulge in traditional baklava

Curator of the tour is Cemre Na-rin, who is food editor of Vogue in Turkey. She is also a cookbook

author whose inspiration and cre-ativity stems from the belief that through food and drink, visitors learn about the history, people, and culture that makes Istanbul, an ideal city-break destination.

7 : Rowing in Istanbul

The Golden Horn is an important region of Istanbul and it beck-ons expert and beginner rowers, to see its landmarks from water. Experienced and licensed rowing teachers provide all equipment in-cluding the kayak and the group sets off in the early morning, on a designated 8 kilometre course.

Curator of the tour is Sinan, the founder of Istanbul Tour Stu-dio. He speaks fluent English and Spanish, and describes him-self as well travelled and a histo-ry buff. He says novices should not be shy, because they receive a tutorial and everyone has the option to row solo or tandem.

8: Sailing in Istanbul

So if a kayak is too small, upsize to a larger sailing yacht. For a morning or afternoon, qualified sailors will show you the ropes,

and then drop anchor for a short time in various locations to view the city’s horizon from a different angle. A GoPro HD video camera is on board to capture every mo-ment, and included in the price is your own copy, to take back home.

The mastermind behind this tour is Özgür Inam, an instructor for the Royal Yachting Association and Sailor of the Turkish Nation-al Sailing Team. Fully qualified as an instructor, he encourages people who have never sailed to try this experience at least once.

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Istanbul is a city where two worlds collide. Straddling the mighty Bosphorus strait, the city has one foot in Asia and one foot in Eu-rope; East meets West, both phys-ically and figuratively, creating an intoxicating cocktail of culture which makes it one of the most en-thralling destinations on the plan-et. Istanbul is the capital of Turkey in all but name and evidence of its 3,000-year history can be seen at every turn: the city has played significant roles in the Byzantium, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. The labyrinth markets are almost stereotypically exotic and the street food will have your mouth watering weeks after your return. And this is just the start.

Must Go NowSpring is the perfect time to vis-it Istanbul for two reasons. First-ly, you’ll avoid the gloomy skies and bitter temperatures that typify the city’s winters and the seething tourist crowds that descend in the summer. Secondly, the city is at its most picturesque, with the trees

coming back into leaf and the on-set of the annual Tulip Festival, which sees the Istanbul’s parks and gardens explode into colour.

Must ArriveWith two international airports and two international train sta-tions, Istanbul is easy to reach. Unless you are already in Tur-key, the most efficient, cheapest and easiest way to travel is by plane. Over 100 airlines connect the city to the rest of the world; some of the more major carriers include Turkish Airlines, Emir-ates, Delta and British Airways.

Must ExploreIstanbul is vast and divided into several districts which spread out on each side of the Bosphorus. The Asian side forms the eastern half of the city and its traditional neighbourhoods, food markets and locally charged atmosphere make for a lovely s t r o l l ,

but almost all of the must-see at-tractions are located on the Euro-pean side. Sultanahmet, Istanbul’s Old City, is where you’ll do most of your sightseeing, and on the oth-er side of the Golden Horn (the es-tuary which divides the older and newer areas) you’ll find Beyoglu, famed for its buzzing nightlife and music scene. Istanbul is serviced by excellent public transport, in-cluding trams, a metro system and ferries across the river, meaning you can generally avoid taxis.

Must SeeYou could spend weeks exploring the sights of Istanbul but the most essential lay within easy reach of one another in Sultanahmet, the entirety of which has been desig-nated a World Heritage Site. Sul-tanahmet Square is a handy point of reference: formerly a gladia-torial arena (built in 200AD by the Romans and still sporting a couple of original obelisks) this long cobbled space is surrounded with fascinating historical trea-sures. On the eastern side is the

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Blue Mosque, arguably the finest – and certainly the most iconic – in a city packed to the rafters with them. To the north of the square is Hagia Sofia, a gargantuan display of astonishing architecture which for more than 1,000 years was the largest building in the world. To the northwest you’ll find the Basil-ica Cistern, an eerie underground reservoir, completed in 532AD, whose lofty ceiling is supported by more than 300 marble columns.

Must DoOne of the ultimate Istanbul ex-periences is to take a nighttime cruise on the Bosphorus. The floodlit mansions and palaces along the western bank look daz-zling, and there is something in-credibly satisfying about having two continents in your peripher-ies at the same time. If you want to combine this with traditional Turkish entertainment (read: bel-ly dancing) and a meal, Turna-tour Cruises put on a good show.

Must ShopThe Grand Bazaar has long been more tourist trap than authentic shopping experience, but no vis-it to Istanbul is complete with-out wandering through this cha-otic labyrinth of a marketplace - at least for the atmosphere if not for the overpriced souvenirs. A more sedate affair is the Spice Bazaar, which is true to its name, and where you’ll see actual locals buying the aromatic wares on of-fer. At the other end of the spec-trum, the district of Nisantasi is where you’ll find the designer la-bels, either in the numerous bou-tique shops or the enormous malls.

Must EatIstanbul’s nightlife is widely re-garded to be among the best in Eu-rope. The main clubbing district is in Beyoglu, which is located in the European side on the western bank of the Bosphorus and where you’ll find a deluge of swanky venues open until the small hours. If you’re just after a quiet beer or glass of wine, check out Akbiyik Street in Sultanahmet, which is lined with friendly bars and popu-lar with the backpacker crowd. For something more upmarket head to Ortakoy, a bohemian neighbour-hood with some great roof ter-race bars with views across the

Must SleepSultanahmet is an ideal place to base yourself; all the ma-jor sights are either in the area or within easy reach and when night falls it is by far the most atmospheric part of the city.

Budget: There is a variety of hos-tels in Sultanahmet, some from as little as £7 per night, though we’d recommend you shell out a little more than that if possible. Hippodrome Apartment (£16 per night) is within walking distance of its namesake and has com-fortable, air-conditioned rooms.

Midrange: Uyan Hotel (£61 per night) enjoys a fantastic location, just 50 metres from Sultanahmet Square, and has spacious and styl-ish rooms with modern amenities.

Top end: The 5-star Eresin Crowne Hotel is the finest in the area and located just yards from the major sights. The boutique rooms include satellite TVs, pri-vate bathrooms and Jacuzzis.

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ISTANBUL RESTAURANT TOURBreakfast

On a street lined with carpet shops near the Arasta Bazaar, Tamara Restaurant (breakfast for two $20), whose owners hail from Turkey’s eastern Lake Van area, serves up the region’s puffy breads, herb-fleck-ed otlu cheese, and addictive tahi-ni spread. Eggs baked with spicy soujuk sausage might seem like overkill, but order them anyway.

Mid-Morning FixIt would be a crime to miss the Süleymaniye Camii mosque, an Ottoman masterpiece; it would be sadder still not to visit the nearby Vefa Bozacisi (boza for two $4). Decked out in weathered marble, this vintage cubbyhole special-izes in boza—a cross between pudding and a beverage, which is made from fermented bulgur. Traditionally it’s consumed with leblebi, nutty roasted chickpeas.

LunchFamished after haggling for kilims at the Covered Bazaar? It’s worth tracking down Seyhmus (lunch for two $30), a macho ke-bab dive colonized by gaggles of mustached vendors. Order lah-macun—wafer-thin lamb-slath-ered pizza—with seyhmus ke-bap (an epic charcoal-grilled lamb patty) and a vegetable salad dressed with pomegranate mo-lasses. Washing your meal down with ayran, a tart yogurt drink, is a sure way to pass for a local.

Beer BreakUnwind with a frosty glass of Efes Pilsen on the rooftop ter-race of Seven Hills Hotel (drinks for two $10), which feels like it is suspended between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia against

the backdrop of the Marmara Sea.

DinnerThough certain Istanbullus swear that fish should be eaten at the wa-ter’s edge, the suave, smart-suited businessmen and bejeweled ma-trons who patronize Balikçi Saba-hattin (dinner for two $65) know better. A waiter appears as soon as you settle in your seat, carrying a tray of meze, small plates meant to be sampled with raki, Turkey’s signature anise liquor. Order plat-ters of smoky eggplant salad and buttery lakerda (cured bonito)—then choose grilled levrek (sea bass), moist and perfectly cooked.

BreakfastEven if contemporary Turkish art isn’t your cup of çay, visit Istanbul Modern (breakfast for two $45), a museum in a renovated warehouse, for its stylish café and waterfront terrace. With luck, giant cruise ships won’t obstruct the post-card-perfect view of the Old Town as you tuck into a breakfast of sim-it (sesame bread rings), creamy beyaz peynir (feta), crunchy cu-cumbers, and sour-cherry jam.

Ice CreamFarther along the Bosporus road, stop in the village of Ortaköy for a stroll through craft shops and the neo-Baroque mosque. At Mado (ice cream for two $2), sample the goat’s-milk ice cream, which is thickened with the powdered root of wild orchids. Splurge on a triple scoop of pistachio, pome-granate, and black mulberry.

LunchContinue on to Sabanci Univer-sity Sakip Sabanci Museum, a 1 9 t h - c e n - t u r y

mansion in Emirgan that houses an impressive collection of Otto-man paintings. Espousing a dif-ferent aesthetic, the museum’s Muzedechanga restaurant (lunch for two $98) is noted for its neo-60’s interior of unpolished oak and black-leather banquettes. Try the olive oil–braised celery root enlivened with tangerine, and rosy lamb chops, from the smart modern-Mediterranean menu.

DrinksTime your visit to Leb-i Derya (drinks for two $16) with the sunset—and the evening call to prayer. That’s when young locals file in for cocktails, like fresh-gin-ger–and–muddled-lime mojitos, and jockey for steel stools on the open-air terrace overlook-ing the city’s two coastlines and the Bosporus strait in between.

DinnerBeyoglu is known for its rau-cous drinking houses, or mey-hane, where meze are an excuse for rivers of raki. The insiders’ favorite is Kallavi (dinner for two $50), a brick-walled dining room illuminated by chandeliers that sets the scene for house spe-cials like ficin, a spiced meat pie. The best part? Watching beau monders stomp their heels to the Turkish band’s beat. Wait, is that your wife tossing banknotes at the dashing oud player?

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