A Taste of Istanbul

On our first morning, we were awakened by the call to prayer being broadcast from the many mosques throughout the city. They weren't quite in sync and the echo effect only added to the experience.
At Ayasofya, we saw tea sellers in their colorful costumes. We chose not to have tea since they just rinse and reuse the cups but they made an interesting picture.

As well as seeing the major sights, we spent time time wandering through residential neighbourhoods and commercial sections with narrow streets lined with small shops. This is where we bought some of our souvenirs like tea and dried fruit since we were away from the tourist areas and prices were cheap.

Istanbul straddles 2 continents - most of the sights for tourists are on the European side but a walk across the bridge over the Bosphorus will take you into Asia and the more business type districts.

Quick Tips:

The Sultanahmet area contains many of the major tourist sights. Be prepared for crowds and bring comfortable walking shoes.

Best Way To Get Around:

It is a city best explored on foot. The Sultanahmet area is easy to access since it is on a major tram route.

This budget hotel is in a great location in the Sultanahmet district and has a number of ammenities that make it a good place to stay. The Blue Mosque and Ay. Sofia is about a 5 min. walk, the Hippodrome is across the street and the Grand Bazaar is about a 15 min. walk away. There are quite a number of restaurants within a few block walk and the area was safe at night. A tram stops less than a block from the entrance to the hotel. There is a roof top bar and breakfast area. You can sit inside or out - outside is best because you have a view of the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome. The rooms are on the small side but have a private bathroom (shower only - no tub). There are no TVs in the room but there is a lounge near reception on the main floor with a TV and a small lending library. Next door is a Carpet and Kilim Museum which is actually a store but decorated like a Turkish home and the salespeople weren't pushy. Although older, the hotel rooms were clean and with such a good location, I'd recommend this as a budget hotel. Staff were very friendly and helpful and the bus to the airport stops at the hotel. FAX 212 512 56 44

The rooms are old but clean with a double bed and (small) private bathroom. There is an old fashioned elevator (don't worry, it works fine) and a TV and sitting area in the lounge. Breakfast is included in the price and is served on the rooftop balcony which provides great views of the Sultanahmet district.

Breakfast is substantial - hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, freshly baked bread and jams, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, coffee, tea or hot chocolate. There is a full bar upstairs and the street level restaurant is moderately priced and offers a wide selection of Turkish dishes. Staff are friendly and you can get bus pick-up to the airport from the hotel.

This restaurant is owned by the Hotel Cevri Kalfa next door, but it has its own entrance off the street. It features up to 30 different Turkish dishes that are displayed behind glass counters. Some of the dishes include meatballs, stuffed peppers or tomatoes, eggplant, lamb, fresh fish and many types of stews and rice casseroles as well as vegetarian dishes. As you make your choice(s), the chef fills your plate and you are charged accordingly. You can eat on the main floor or 1 floor up (recommended) where you will have a better view of the Blue Mosque.

The name means 'heaven' and features food from the Anatolian region of Turkey. It is colourfully decorated with lots of carpets, brass and art work. There are a few couches but most people sit on rugs or pillows on the floor as they eat their meals at low tables and a band plays Turkish music. Their speciality is a large, thin pancake that is filled with mashed potatoes and/or cheese or other ingredients. They are cooked on braziers in the middle of the restaurant by women in traditional dress. For a beverage, try ayran - a salty, thin yogurt drink that definitely takes some getting used to but is very good for your digestion.

I found this place sort of dreary, but it's always packed (especially with tour groups). The novelty is that this is the place where the fellow from the movie 'Midnight Express' scored his drugs and was subsequently imprisoned. The food was fine - typical cafeteria style Turkish cuisine and prices are reasonable. I had a vegetarian cheese, spinach & tomato dish that was mostly spinach. I preferred the presentation and quality of other restaurants but they did have good pudding. I tried the nut pudding. It had an applesauce like base with chestnuts, grains, figs, apricots and raisins - different but very good. The location is excellent as it is right in the Sultanahmet area with lots of tourist attractions nearby - the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Undergound Cistern are only a few blocks (or less) away.

This is sometimes called the Spice Bazaar, because Egyptians dominated Istanbul's spice trade in olden days. It is much smaller than the Covered Bazaar and not as touristy. Many spices (incl. henna) are displayed bulk style in large tubs and the colours and intermingled smells add to the shopping experience. There are many food related stores here - buy some Turkish halvah or wonderful dried figs or apricots. There is an outdoor area that features gardening equipment, plants and more food stalls (try a kebab). Merchandise is cheaper and the sales pitch much more low key than the Grand Bazaar - probably because most of the shoppers are local. A good place to buy souvenirs.

As you leave the Istanbul harbour, there are great views of Topkapi, the old fortifications around Istanbul, the numerous mosques throughout the city and Dolmabahce Palace. You'll make a quick stop at the little town of Kanlica where vendors come on to sell their famous rich & creamy yogurt. They'll sweeten it with powdered sugar if you want, and it comes in individual-sized containers (they'll provide you with a plastic spoon). At Anadolu Kavagi, you stop for a few hours and there are lots of restaurants and cafes in which to enjoy a meal. If you don't want to hike up to the fortress, get a taxi to take you to the top to enjoy the view. Our boat trip lasted 6 hours. There are also shorter trips that stay closer to Istanbul.

Topkapi Palace was built in the 15th century and was a major center of the Ottoman Empire. It's now a museum with displays that cover centuries of Ottoman history. My most vivid memories of Topkapi were of the Treasury where the wealth of the Sultans combines to dazzle and amaze.

The Treasury was crowded when we were there and it's no wonder, considering the items on display. Some were gifts, some were spoils of war and some were purchases made throughout the centuries but all were MAGNIFICENT!

There was so much gold and ornate detail and many of the jewels were so large that it was hard to believe they were real, but real they were and everything was behind glass cases to ensure security.

After viewing golden thrones, chairs and cradles, pearl encrusted Koran covers, daggers and swords covered in gems and enough jewellery to buy and sell a number of small countries, we wiped the drool from our chin and continued to explore the Palace.

Inside The Chambers of the Sacred Relics are treasures that Muslims consider more precious than jewels. It is here that items pertaining to the prophet Mohammud are on display, including several hairs from his beard and soil from his grave.

We wanted to visit the Harem but you have to pay a separate fee to join a tour which only runs certain times of the day. Unfortunately, we'd missed the last tour so I'd recommend booking this in advance if it's something you want to see.

Topkapi is open from 9:30 to 5:00 daily, except Tuesday. Admission was 500,000 Turkish lira.

After our visit to the Place, we wandered through nearby Gulhane Park where a fair was taking place. Turkish music was playing over loudspeakers and there were stalls selling kabobs, candy and drinks (non alcoholic, of course). It was a busy place with lots of Turkish families enjoying the park.

This place isn't called Grand for nothing. It has approximately 4,000 shops and is the largest covered shopping complex in the world. It's divided into sections - gold stores in one area, carpet stores in another, leather, clothing, silver jewellery, etc. Prices aren't cheap but they have an outstanding selection of items to choose from. Even if you have no intention of buying anything, the Bazaar is one of Istanbul's "must see"s.

Other than Kusadasi, the salespeople here were some of the most persistent we met but most were fine with a firm "no thanks".

The architecture of the Bazaar is really interesting - the outside reminded me of a mosque, without the minarets. Inside, some of the sections in the middle were built in the 15th century and the colors and designs on the walls and ceilings were breathtaking.

As well as stores, there are a number of restaurants and small stands where you can get a snack or a cup of tea (chai) and if you're lucky enough to find an empty table, you can rest up for your visit to the next section of shops.

It's easy to get lost in the Bazaar and we never managed to go out the same door we'd gone in but that just helped us to explore the areas around the Bazaar.

As well as the shops inside, enterprising vendors set up stalls or tables outside and sell everything from leather to housewares. Although prices were cheaper than inside, we still found it more expensive than the Spice Bazaar or other, less touristed areas of Istanbul.

Within easy walking distance of the Bazaar, you'll find Istanbul University and Beyazit Camii, the oldest standing mosque in Istanbul.

The Grand Bazaar is about 15 minutes on foot from many of the major sights like the Blue Mosque and Ayasofya. A tram line runs nearby so it's easy to get to and from most points in Istanbul.

Its Turkish name is Sultan Ahmet Camii, meaning the mosque of Sultan Ahmet. He commissioned its construction and wanted 6 minarets, the same number as at Mecca. This created an uproar from religious leaders so the Sultan sent money to Mecca to have a seventh minaret built there and everyone was happy.

As with a visit to any mosque, you must remove your shoes (they'll give you a plastic bag to put them in)and shorts and short skirts are frowned upon. For those who come to pray, there are areas outside where you wash your feet before entering the mosque.

The inside is a large, open area and you realize just how huge this place is. There are no statues since the Muslim faith forbids worship of images. The walls and ceilings are covered with blue tiles and the floors are covered with rich carpets. Numerous stained glass windows let in light and are supplemented with large circular light fixtures that are suspended from the ceiling. Metal rods run along the ceiling to protect the structure in the event of an earthquake but they are placed so that they almost blend into the overall design.

Sitting on our hotel balcony one Friday afternoon, we were amazed to see armored vans and police in riot gear drive into the area near the mosque. Nothing came of it and we were told later it had just been a precautionary measure since Friday can be a volatile day at the mosques. Supposedly, there had been skirmishes with police in the past but we didn't see or hear of any problems during our stay in Istanbul.

Cost to visit the mosque was 500,000 Turkish lira and it is closed during prayer times.