Istanbul has become my favorite city in the world, okay yeah I said it. It's really high up with Tokyo and Barcelona as being the most bizarre yet magnificent cities I had the chance in visiting thus far. Here are my top ten favorite things I did here that I highly recommend, besides eating baklava. I have listed the things to do in chronological order in terms of geography, it is basically a route you can do in just one day starting from the Blue Mosque and ending with a cold beer.
1. Listen to the call to prayer outside the Blue Mosque
You will be seeing many Mosques around the city and you should at least see one during your visit. You have to keep an eye on the prayer times as they are held a few times and you can't enter the mosques during these times. The hours are usually as follows: two hours before dawn, at dawn (before the sun appears), midday, afternoon, sunset, and when the last light of day has disappeared. I recommend visiting the Blue Mosque and listen to prayer-time just outside. Either way you will for sure listen to prayer time all around the city as it's played in loud speakers across the city.
2. Walk around the Oldest Hotel in Istanbul
There is what's left of what used to be a Hotel and it is said that it's about 2,000 years old. Even though it's not in use now there are many craftsman that have taken over the rooms and have their own workshop there. You can walk around the old, and a bit scary hallways. At the very end you can find a hidden coffee shop with an incredible view. A scene from the movie Skyfall was filmed here. Don't know the name of it but here is the location that was registered from my pictures (41°00'44.8"N 28°58'05.8"E) sorry guys, you can ask locals the exact entrance, since my memory is a bit foggy for this one.
3. Go shopping at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar
Ready to shop? Sixty-one covered streets is what makes up the Grand Bazaar so it's obvious to say it is one of the biggest markets in the world. You can pay a visit everyday of the week except Sundays. You can find here a variety of Turkish gems like hand-crafted jewelry, Turkish carpets, antiques, textiles, and even custom made services like gold chains, pieces with rose-cut diamonds, pearls, jewelry made of golden coins, and belt buckles. If you get tired of exploring the market you can even find small restaurants where you can have a Turkish tea and take a break. After visiting the Grand Bazaar it's time to head to the Spice Bazaar, the heart of Turkish spices. The most typical spices you should look out for are: Sumac, Pul Biber, Nar Ekşisi, Çörek otu, and Saffron. Apart from spices you can also find here rosebud, fruit tea, Turkish delight, dried fruits, honey and nut soaked baklava, olive oil soaps, Turkish coffee, and much more.
4. Eat a Fish Sandwiches
Fresh picked fish directly from the Bosporus. This a great quick lunch to enjoy while taking in the amazing view. Right next to the Galata bridge on the south side you can see many boats stationed with tents and a seating area. The one I went to is called Eminönü Balikçilari. The sandwich is called Balik Ekmek and costs only 15TL. I recommend coming here around sunset as the views are incredible.
5. Cross the Galata Bridge
The Galata Bridge was my favorite part of Istanbul. Crossing it was so surreal, you walk across it as you see a line of fisherman catching fish from the Bosporus. You are right in between the crossing of to main districts (Beyoğlu and Eminönü). Having a full 360 degree view of the city here and enjoy its true colors is a must. It is truly amazing, it was here when I felt I was living in a fantasy world.
6. Sail along the Bosporus
The Bosporus is the border line between Asia an Europe, connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Bosphorus is a very busy waterway with many ships and oil tankers going through it, as well as local fishing and ferries go to the Asian side back and forth. Be part of the traffic going through it and experience being in two continents at once. You can take tours right next to the Galata Bridge or there are even public transportation boats that you can jump on and also enjoy (south-east from the Galata Bridge).
7. Get inspired at Istanbul Modern
I had one rainy, snowy, and windy day in Istanbul so it gave me a chance to visit Istanbul Modern. This museum is located in the Beyoğlu district of the city and it is Istanbul's museum of contemporary art. The art here mainly focuses on Turkish artists but they also do temporary exhibitions. My favorite collection was on the top floor of a Turkish photographer named Yıldız Moran (1932-1995), Turkey’s first academically trained woman photographer. For more information of current exhibitions visit their website here.
8. Drink a Turkish Tea and Turkish Coffee
A Turkish Tea is great to have anytime of day as well as a Turkish coffee. My favorite though was the Turkish coffee (I am addicted to coffee) so if you are like me I'm pretty sure you will like it too. This coffee is prepared using very finely grounded coffee beans into a fine powder. It is then served with hot water and the powder is left inside (unfiltered). It is served in a small mug and usually is given with a small glass of water, since it's unfiltered the water helps you drink rinse your mouth from the coffee powder once you finish your coffee.
9. Experience the Oldest Hookah Lounge
We were recommended by a few locals to visit this place and it was clear to see it is extremely local despite of it's touristic location (we were the only non-Turkish). Enjoy a hookah sesh here at Erenler Hookah which is proclaimed to be the oldest hookah lounge in the city. The entrance is a bit hidden but the place itself is quite large as it has small private rooms and large common areas but outside and inside. The service is great (constantly changing the carbon), it is cheap, and their Turkish Tea is delish.
10. Enjoy a drink at a rooftop
Oh the views...after exploring the city make sure you make time to relax and take it all in. Istanbul is an amazing city and you defiantly take it on a date on one of the many beautiful rooftops it provides. There is nothing better than taking the time to just realize where you are and just admire its beauty with some good company and a cold beer.
