Its vibrant historic and cultural mosaics, which embody the best of both the Eastern and the Western, have made Istanbul an essential place on the must-visit lists.
Our gallery displays the hottest spots and things-to-do for travelers aiming to experience an alternative taste to the classic tourist attractions in Istanbul.
Aside from the popular spots such as the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, and the Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul offers a unique and exotic flavor, by blending the city's vast historical and cultural heritage with a modern and hip touch.
Here is out list for those interested in experiencing an alternative side of the city's life:
Have a Turkish Breakfast:
Breakfast in Turkey is an essential part of a typical day and the culture. It is not simply having some bacon or sausage with eggs and toast, cereal, or a quick coffee. Breakfast in Turkey is like a feast, a king of breakfasts. What is for Turkish breakfast? Well, simply put, a lot.
Typically, you will be served a few types of cheese, jams, börek (type of pastry), olives, yogurt, honey, eggs (boiled or scrambled with sujuk), a fresh salad of cucumbers and tomatoes, and of course the non-negotiable freshly brewed Turkish tea.
If you manage to eat all that is served, you might be full for the rest of the day. Many small restaurants around the city offer all-day breakfast.
Take a walk around Cihangir:
Cihangir, located in Beyoğlu district, is one of the must-go areas in Istanbul, for café and restaurant lovers. Although known for its posh atmosphere, its bohemian flavor has overcome this, making it an artsy and vintage district mixed with aristocratic chic.
Galata district:
Galata district is, perhaps, one of the most colorful parts of the city. Galata, located in Beyoğlu, between Karaköy district and the famous İstiklal Avenue, traditionally housed minorities such as Jews, Greeks, and the Armenians, and merchants during the Ottoman times.
But today it has become a hot spot of the bohemian artists and café lovers. Its eclectic history and atmosphere makes a walk around here feel like a walk through history.
Galata district offers a wide range of vintage art shops, music stores, and handmade crafts. Those who are into jazz will find unique cafes and bars with live music in the district.
Galata district is also the home for the Galata Tower, claimed to be built during the reign of Byzantian Emperor, Justinianos in 507 CE. Galata tower was used for different reasons at different times, ranging from being a prison to a watch tower for fires. But now it is open as a tourist attraction where you can take great panaromic photos on its balcony and have a meal in the restaurant on its 7th floor.
Balat:
Balat, located in Fatih district on the European side, is one of the historic residential neighborhoods in the old Istanbul, which has become popular in recent years for those that want to avoid the typical Istanbul scenery and take some great photos of old historic buildings, painted in different colors.
BALAT - It is a perfect spot, right above the Golden horn, for those that want to escape the 'chaotic harmony' of Istanbul's modern life and taste the local flavors at the traditional eateries and coffeehouses in a historical setting of many synagogues and churches.
Sahaflar Çarşısı in Beyazıt:
The old-book bazaar is named after its function, since 'Sahaflar', means the pages or bookseller in Ottoman Turkish and çarşısı means market.
It is located by the historical Beyazıt Mosque and the Beyazıt gate of the Grand Bazaar and houses small shops that carry a vast range of old and new books covering various topics in multiple languages. Sahaflar Çarşısı is unique for its collection of shops that offer beautiful Ottoman calligraphy, manuscripts, Arabic, Persian and Ottoman inscriptions, and other examples of the Ottoman arts.
The charming market is not only a center for old book sellers, but also it is a place where the like-minded intelligentsia and the booklovers use for gathering and sipping their tea.
Take a Bosporus tour by Boğaz Hattı:
If you are traveling to Istanbul, most likely you will be tempted to purchase a Bosporus tour from many tour guides attempting to sell you tickets for boats that take you from Eminönü docks and give you a tour of Bosporus. However, an alternative, and a cheaper, way to take the Bosporus tour is to get on the ferry at Eminönü from the Boğaz Hattı dock (dock No 3) as it stops at a number of stops along the way and finishes at Anadolu Kavağı where you can have a seafood lunch in one of the traditional seafood restaurants.
BEBEK - The ferry is a great way to see the beautiful and historic mansions alongside the water while taking a sip of your fresh orange juice, tea and other drinks. At Kanlıca stop, on the Anatolian side, occasionally, they bring aboard fresh yoghurt from Kanlica, a district historically known for its yoghurt served with powder sugar or honey.
BEBEK - The ferry stops at districts such as Besiktaş, which houses Çırağan Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace, and many lovely cafe and restaurants; Anadoluhisari, a small historic neighborhood that houses a fortress built by the Ottomans; Kanlica, another small neighborhood famous with its traditional yoghurt. Some of the ferry schedules also stop at Kuzguncuk, a historic neighborhood with streets lined with many Ottoman wooden houses, and small coffee and teahouses.
Göksu, ANADOLUHISARI - Bebek, a ferry stop on the European side, is another trendy neighborhood located on the European side of the Bosporus. It was known as a hot spot for the summer houses of the Ottoman aristocrats and also remains one of the posh residential areas with unique Ottoman architecture today. If you want to go for a rather quiet walk along the strait, Bebek will be your spot, especially during a nice summer afternoon, which you can end your walk at a waterfront café
KANLICA - The ferry is a great way to see the beautiful and historic mansions alongside the water while taking a sip of your fresh orange juice, tea and other drinks. At Kanlıca stop, on the Anatolian side, occasionally, they bring aboard fresh yoghurt from Kanlica, a district historically known for its yoghurt served with powder sugar or honey.
KADIKÖY -
Kadıköy's Moda district:
Moda, a quiet neighborhood just south of restless Asian side hub Kadıköy, is one of the few places in Istanbul where you can enjoy a quiet afternoon. Located on a peninsula between lower Bosporus, Marmara Sea and Kalamış Cove, Moda's coastline offers some of the best angles to enjoy Istanbul's landscape, while the tip and western coast of the peninsula overlooking historic peninsula on the European side has the greatest view of sunset in the city. The neighborhood is famous for its open teahouses, waffle and ice cream shops, as well as some of Istanbul's best "meyhanes", traditional mezze restaurants serving Mediterranean cuisine. If the weather is nice, you can also simply hang out on the seaside, where you can often find an amateur band jamming.
KADIKÖY - Streets between central Kadıköy and Moda emerged as an alternative center for Istanbul's entertainment life during 1990s, when Taksim -- known by many as Istanbul's heart for entertainment-- started suffering systemic failures due to overcrowding and banality as described by many at the scene. The boom was specifically realized in Kadıköy's places playing rock and alternative music genres, which the district has been famous for since 1950's. In this sense, Kadife Street, dubbed as Bars Street of Kadıköy, and Moda Street are hotspots in the area. You will also find numerous cafés in the form of artist workshops in the district.
KADIKÖY - Most famous landmark in the district is Süreyya Opera House, which replaced Istanbul's main opera scene Atatürk Cultural Center in 2007. The building was originally established in 1927 as the first musical theatre on the Anatolian part of Istanbul, but due to lack of appropriate facilities and equipment, operas were never staged in the center until it underwent a functional restoration. Other landmarks of the neighborhood are the movie theater Rexx and Barış Manço Museum. A one-way nostalgic tram ring line that serves between Kadıköy and Moda is another must-see in the district.
