Majestic Istanbul Turkey | Where East Meets West

Welcome to Istanbul Turkey - IST Airport is HUGE!

Since we began planning our world travels, Istanbul has been near the top of the list. The fact that it is the only city in the world on TWO continents, is extremely fascinating to us. In addition, the food looked so good. It would be our first time visiting a primarily Muslim country, also very interesting to us. 

So there was no doubt, Istanbul was happening. After spending the summer (a full 3 months) in Krakow, Poland; we needed to get out of Schengen and ultimately our travel plans were taking us to Southeast Asia for the winter months (and then some). We arrived in Istanbul in late August and it was definitely still summer. We were very happy we booked accommodations with air-conditioning. Daytime highs were in the upper 80's, but the nights cooled down to the mid-60's. We stayed in Istanbul for approximately 2 months so we got to experience a little season change while there. 

Classic Trolley Car - Istiklal Street

Getting around:

We arrived in Istanbul from Krakow in late August in the evening. Istanbul's main international airport (IST) is a newer airport and is it huge. IST is a major hub in this part of the world, as it connects Europe and Asia. They are quickly expanding the airport, it is one of the busiest and largest in the world. The airport sits a bit outside of the city, so the best option is to just use the available public transport train to get into Istanbul. The airport is 21km from the city to be exact. There is great signage leading you to the train that takes you into the city. 

If you'll be in Istanbul for a bit, your best bet is to buy an Istanbulkart transit card. We were able to do that at the airport metro station, and used our credit card (actually Google Pay). The Istanbulkart is 130 TL and it comes loaded with some money, I believe 30 TL. We took advantage and loaded an additional 500 TL onto the card since we knew we were going to be using transit a lot over the next two months. We shared a card and it worked out great. Needless to say we did end up reloading it a few times.

Istanbul Metro Station - Green Line

As I mentioned, public transit in Istanbul is amazing. Buses, Metro lines, tram lines, cables cars and ferries. Not only is this system extensive and efficient, it's affordable too! In total, for 2 people over the course of 2 months, we only spent $59 on transportation! That includes our trip too and from the airport along with numerous metro, bus, ferry, tram and cable car rides! It's an incredible system and has been the most affordable system that we've experienced in our travels.

Where we stayed:

We stayed in the Sisli neighborhood on the European side, between two main metro stops (Sisli & Osmanbey). Osmanbey was our nearest stop and we were only one metro stop away from Taksim Square. We loved our apartment! Our apartment was 2 blocks in from the busy main street, so it was quiet, but we had easy access to Istanbul's amazing and affordable public transit network. The apartment was extremely well-equipped and basically new. The building itself was either new or completely redone recently. Our apartment had everything we could ever need and our location was awesome. We were close to a major mall and all of the city's major grocery stores. We also loved a nearby neighborhood called Bomonti. We went there often, it had a great vibe, awesome local restaurants and a coffee shop we loved called Montag.

Istanbul - Sisli Neighborhood - Halaskargazi Carddesi

As we dug in more, we realized how awesome our neighborhood was. We were close enough to access all of the touristy spots, but far enough away that we had access to the local restaurants and shops where we paid local prices for all of our meals and experiences. Another one of our favorite neighborhoods was Cihangir.

We love SLOW TRAVEL, because it allows us to truly get a feel for what it's like to LIVE in each place. It's okay, actually better to stay a bit outside of the tourist area. We save a little on accommodations and typically end up getting a nicer and larger apartment. We have to the time to just "get lost" and discover hidden gems. We're free to not have an agenda every day, so we can just leisurely uncover a city at our own pace.

Exploring the City:

We loved taking the train down to the Bosphorus, either the north of south side of the water. The south side is near the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. From the Spice Bazaar you can walk across the Galata Bridge, do this during sunset for some amazing views. The bridge is neat because you can walk across the top level or the bottom level. The bottom level is full of restaurants. Fisherman line the top level. This city has so much character.

These Views Never Get Old!

The Beautiful Bosphorus - Galata Tower

Galata Tower at Dusk

Although we are not the least bit religious, we respect everyone's decision to whatever religion they follow. This was our first time in a primarily Muslim country. Istanbul has around 3,000 mosques and Turkey has nearly 90,000! Hearing the call to prayer was a new experience for us. We visited as many "free" mosques as possible, we did not visit Hagia Sofia. But we really tried to at least step into every mosque we could, even making trips to certain areas just to visit mosques. They are all beautiful in their own way. Some are HUGE, some are tiny. There is even a mosque in The Grand Bazaar.

Suleymaniye Camii - The Level of Detail is Just Crazy!

Suleymaniye Camii

Nusretiye Camii - Each Mosque is Unique and so Beautiful!

Getting to the Asian side of Istanbul is extremely easy thanks to the amazing transit system. We loved taking the ferries back and forth between continents. Amazingly, the ferry ride is under $1 USD each way. The ferries are large, nice and smooth. There are many stations on either continent and they do show up on Google Maps. When you time things right and you find the perfect day, you will get the most beautiful sunset cruise on the water for under $1 USD. 

Beautiful Sunset on the way back to the European Side from Kadikoy

Grand Bazaar:

You can't visit Istanbul and not visit the Grand Bazaar. We had no intentions of doing any shopping while there, but we really wanted to see it. It is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world! It has over 4000 shops and has 61 covered streets. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions with over 91 million visitors yearly!

The Grand Bazaar

Cisterns:

Istanbul is home to roughly 200 cisterns from the Byzantine era! Most of them were built prior to the 7th century. It's so amazing to be able to explore such historic places and see them with our own eyes. We had so many "pinch me" moments in Istanbul. We experienced a similar feeling in Rome. Just being surrounded by so much history. When you take a step back it is surreal. 

Although we didn't visit the most popular cistern in, Basilica Cistern, we did make it to 3 others that we loved. Gulhane Park Cistern is in Gulhane Park near Topkapi Palace. The park itself is stunning, I'm not sure why so few people were in the park, it's near very popular tourist hotspots. We really enjoyed our time strolling through the park and the shade of the many wonderful trees. 

Gulhane Cistern - Located in Gulhane Park

Gulhane Park Cistern was discovered in the year 1913! It was actually discovered by chance. It was built in 532 and commissioned by Emperor Justinian. It's free to enter and we basically had it to ourselves on the day we visited. 

There is a hidden cistern inside of a store called Nakkas Oriental Rugs & Textiles. This one is also free, albeit a little tough to find. This cistern was built between 527 and 565 during the reign of Emporer Justinian. 

Nakkas Cistern - Located under Nakkas Oriental Rugs & Textiles

And finally Theodosius Cistern, the one we did pay to visit. It was build between the year 428 and 443 during the reign of Theodosius II It was roughly $18 per person to visit but we felt it was worth the price because of the beauty and the great light show display. 

Theodosius Cistern

The Food & Cafes, OMG the Food 🤤:

Our experience with the food in Istanbul is quite simple, IT IS INCREDIBLE! We would go back just for the food. We have many other reasons that we will return, but quite simply, we love Istanbul's food scene! Going in to a new city we always do our research, but we manage our expectations because food and flavors are very subjective. But I can honestly say that Istanbul has some of the best quality, and most affordable food we've encountered yet. Overall, I'd say it's a very healthy diet too. A lot of grilled chicken, lamb and beef, not many fried options. As you walk around your nose can pick up the grilled foods. A lot of delicious vegetables too. Plus, the fresh-squeezed pomegranate & orange juice. Of course, you have the Turkish Delights, they are so sweet and yummy. We visited during fig season, we are huge fig fans, so that was a treat in itself.

Turkish Breakfast at Kovan Firin - The Egg Dish is Menemen

Simit, Menemen, Turkish Breakfasts, Pilav, Doner Kebab, Durum, Tantuni, Borek, Lahmacun, Baklava, Kunefe, San Sebastian Cheesecake, Turkish Delights, Ayran....and the list goes on. Don't forget to visit a Lokantasi, a local cafeteria style restaurant. EAT IT ALL, trust us. 

Of course while there, we had to have a Turkish Breakfast. We feel like we found the perfect place for this experience. Hadika Kavalti Evi was near our airbnb and looked delicious. Disclaimer, we went there to check it out and had a simple Menemen breakfast a week or two prior to embarking on the feast that is a Turkish Breakfast. Going in we knew it was going to be a "one meal day" because a Turkish Breakfast for 2 is an absolute feast. We loved this restaurant. The service and hospitality was excellent. The prices were fair and the food was delicious. The restaurant was adorable too, it sits on a hill with a pretty overlook. 

Turkish Breakfast at Hadika Kavalti Evi 

One day while exploring we were in search of a quick lunch. We jumped on Google Maps and found a restaurant called Cihangir Tostcusu, a small family-owned toast shop. It had a lot of great reviews so we gave it a try. From the time we entered we were treated like a king and queen. Another patron actually gave up his table for us and went to a smaller table. There are actually only a handful of small tables in front of the shop, so that was extremely nice of him. The family running the shop was so nice to us. They made delicious sandwiches and fresh squeezed juices. We enjoyed it so much that we went back 2 more times. 

Cihangir Tostcusu - Toast Sandwich with Eggs, Meat & Veggies
and Fresh-Squeezed Juice (Pomegranate, Orange, Carrot and Apple)

Istanbul has way too many delicious foods, but one of our highlights was Kunefe. Kunefe is a delicious pastry dessert made with cheese and baklava. It's topped with chopped pistachios and whipped cream. It is best served fresh and warm. I melt for the savory combination of salty and sweet. 

Kunefe at Asi Kunefeleri Eminonu 🤤

Borek and Pilav were also way up there on our list of favorite foods in Istanbul. Borek is flaky pastry filled with meat or cheese or spinach (to name a few fillings). Pilav is rice mixed with chickpeas and topped with delicious chicken breast. The meal looks plain, but the flavor is so good and it's not dry at all. Pilav quickly became our favorite quick and affordable go-to meal when we weren't sure what to get or where to go. Paired up with Ayran and it was a hearty and delicious meal!

Pilav, Ayran & Cucumber/Tomato Salad

Turkish Delights are a huge thing in Istanbul. The main store with multiple locations is called Hafiz Mustafa 1864. This chain has stores in Turkey, Dubai and London. The stores are absolutely gorgeous and the sweet treats are decadent. Upon entering you are treated like a king and offered samples. The staff is very friendly. Overall, I'd say that prices at Hafiz Mustafa 1864 are going to be on the high side compared to other places, but if you are looking for the experience and don't mind paying a little more, this is the place! 

Turkish Delights from Hafiz Mustafa 1864

We found a more local store that we visited a few times called Sultan Saray. When we entered, one of the employees recognized us from the gym. As it happened, he was a member at that gym as well. Yet another advantage of slow travel. They treated us so well, offered us a lot of samples and we returned to that store multiple times. There are MANY more shops that sell Turkish Delights, but these are the two we frequented to calm our sweet tooth. 

Turkish Delights from Sultan Saray

Don't forget the coffee.....Cafe Culture:

The locals are tea drinkers, day and night. Our Turkish Breakfast included bottomless tea. They take their tea seriously. We definitely enjoyed tea while we were there. But, deep down, we are coffee people. I mentioned Montag above, which was one of our favorite coffee shops, they roast their own beans and that always makes for an excellent cup of coffee. Another great coffee shop we stumbled upon was Probador Colectiva in the Beyoglu neighborhood and we knew we found a gem right away. It's a Micro Roastery & Coffee Boutique. This place is more like a coffee science lab. Each cup of coffee is loving made, the beans are carefully made. Definitely try this place if you are a coffee lover. 

Probador Colectiva - Micro Roastery & Coffee Boutique - Pour Overs

We met a fellow traveler at a great coffee shop with amazing views. Istanbul has no shortage of amazing cafes, but this one topped our list. Mim Kahve in Eminonu has some of the best views in the city, bar none. I can't recommend this place enough. Great coffee, friendly staff, great prices, amazing views and delicious San Sebastian Cheesecake! Speaking of San Sebastian Cheesecake, definitely go to Sirin Firin Bakery for that. They have a couple locations. One more roastery that I need to mention that stands out in my mind is Kahverengi Roastery Nisantasi. The flat white I had there was excellent. Honorable mention... Tchibo Nisantasi, we didn't realize until after the fact, but Tchibo is a chain. This particular location has a great second floor seating area with windows to the street. It makes for a great area to get some work done and watch life pass you by below. The coffee at Tchibo is solid and the feel of this location is great, not to mention great prices. Istanbul is definitely a tea (chai) culture, but they know their way around an espresso machine, no doubt. 

Kahverengi Roastery Nisantasi - Flat Whites

Sirin Firin Bakery - San Sebastian Cheesecake & Chai

Turkish Bath:

While in Istanbul we wanted to experience a Turkish Bath. We chose Cagaloglu Hamami, it dates back to 1741! This hammam has great reviews and is absolutely gorgeous. The experience was like nothing we've ever done. If was a mix between a massage, a scrub and stretching. The service was about $75 USD per person. Because of the current inflation and quickly fluctuating Turkish Lira, they set their prices in Euros. You will see this in a few popular places in Istanbul (Galata Tower, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, etc). We just chose the classic hammam experience. You can add on all sorts of different oils, but we didn't feel the need. We made the reservations online and were required to pay a 50% deposit, the rest was due upon arrival. Also, we tipped our hammam attendant, we each tipped 200 tl, which is about $6 USD.

Cagaloglu Hamami - 300 Year Old Turkish Bath

The facility is beautiful. We entered and were separated, men and women have different bathing areas. We were given changing rooms with keys where we left our belongings during the service. We changed into the provided towel wraps and sandals, then we were lead back to the bathing area, but first we spent about 15 minutes in a natural sauna with a beautiful dome. Everything is marble inside the bathing area. Once your muscles are warmed up, your attendant leads you over to the marble slab and the "Turkish Bath" begins. As stated, this consists of a mix of scrubbing, stretching, beating, etc. It can be a bit on the rough side, but not uncomfortable. You can always tell your attendant to ease up. I found it invigorating. You are finished off with a hair wash and full drenching. You are wrapped in towels, then lead back to a lounging room to dry off and just relax. After 10-15 minutes there the attendant retrieved me to go to the room and change. Once I changed back into my street clothes there was Tea, Turkish Delights, and Sherbet (a natural homemade drink made of plums, cherries and spices). My wife met up with me and we sipped a few teas before leaving the hammam. Overall it was an amazing experience and we highly recommend doing it!

Cagaloglu Hamami - Changing Room Key

Visiting the Princes' Islands:

We decided a day trip outside of the city was in order. An escape from the big city was on our agenda. We decided to visit the largest island, of the Princes' Islands. Buyukada, which means "big island" in Turkish is in fact the biggest island. We picked this island because a beautiful Greek Orthodox Monastery called Aya Yorgi sits at the top and the views from up there looked amazing.

Getting to Buyukada was extremely easy and affordable. Although, this ferry trip was not part of the public transit system, it was still simple enough to navigate. We took the bus to the Eminonu stop, then walked down to the ferry area. We found the proper booth and paid 80 TL per person (about $2.50 USD) for the 1.5 hour ferry ride. This cost was each way, we had to buy our tickets from the Buyukada booth prior to coming back. This was cash only, so make sure you have cash. We took the first ferry over, so it was about 9:30am and we ended up taking a ferry back in the early evening which allowed us to see a beautiful sunset.

Eminonu Ferry Terminal

The ride over was smooth and relaxing. Once you start heading away from the city, you realize how huge Istanbul is. It seems to go on and on forever. The Asian side seems to be much bigger than the European side. 

Once we were dropped off on at Buyukada we began our journey up to Aya Yorgi through the national park area. There was no fee to enter. It's a steady incline so bring lots of water, wear sunscreen, and bring an umbrella for some shade. Buyukada is a popular place to rent bicycles and leisurely ride around the city, but our goal was to see the Monastery and take in the beautiful views. As we climbed higher the views got better. Once at the top we visited the Monastery, which was beautiful. No photos were allowed inside. It is must-visit while there nonetheless. We took in the views and ate the snacks we packed before heading back down to the city. 

Views from Buyukada - Princes' Islands

Of course, the walk back down was easier. We modified our route for different views. We found a coffee shop to get an afternoon pick-me-up, then decided to wander a bit more. There were plenty of cute restaurants there so we had an early dinner before grabbing the ferry back to Istanbul. The whole vibe of Buyukada was definitely much more laid back than Istanbul. It's a wonderful day-trip and escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. $5 round trip for an experience like this is very hard to beat.  

Views from the top of Buyukada - Istanbul is HUGE!

Shopping:

We travel light and actually "use up" our clothing, especially shirts. It was time to do bit of shopping while in Istanbul. There is no shortage available shops and stores. We went to LC Waikiki to buy our shirts. Roughly $5 to $6 USD each for excellent quality shirts. Again, this is a heavy wear item, so we don't go crazy spending on designer clothes for our travels. 

Another item we bought that came out of left field was luggage. Going into this full-time travel thing, we were pretty stubborn on being "backpackers". We didn't want to lug around huge bags full of excess clothing that we never used. However, we found out quickly that our backpacks were hovering way too close to the more strict luggage weight limit in Europe & Asia. Being limited to 7kg or 8kg is really tough, 1 laptop alone eats up half of that weight. We decided to get carry-on sized roller bags so that we would have the option of checking them in, but also be able to carry them on. Since we travel slow, we only take about 5 flights per year, so even if we had to pay extra for checked bags it wouldn't be the end of us financially. Furthermore, most of these flights are international and if we take major carriers the first checked bag is free.

We saw luggage stores everywhere as we strolled around. We looked at a few, but didn't love what we saw. Great prices, but we questioned the quality. I hopped on Google Maps and found a luggage store near Taksim Square with excellent reviews. As soon as we entered we knew we found our spot. He was extremely friendly and apparently a family member owns the company that manufactures the luggage. The bags we bought are hard-sided shell type bags. He showed us how strong and flexible the material is and let us know about their guarantee. We are really happy with them and they are holding up really well. We are glad we decided to go this route, it adds a lot of comfort to our travel and alleviates a ton of stress worrying that our bags are overweight. We spent $55 USD on two bags and two bag straps that go around them to help protect the zipper from blowing out if tons of weight gets put on top of them in the belly of the plane.

Our New Roller Bags!

Flea Market:

I know I can't be the only one, I love strolling around flea markets, especially while I'm visiting a foreign city. I have to hold myself back from buying things, especially some cool old antique things that are very unique or specific to an area. 

The flea market we visited was in the Bomonti neighborhood and is called Ferikoy Antika Pazari. It's only open on Sundays. The same location has a fruit & vegetable market that is only open on Fridays. The location is great because it is underground and fully covered. There are so many unique treasures there just waiting to be discovered. Even some custom made stuff. There was a gentleman there making hand-carved combs and another gentleman selling lamps that he made out of old phones, car headlights, helmets, etc. They were the coolest and definitely hard to leave behind. 

Flea Market Finds - The Coolest Lamps!

We came into Istanbul the same way we come into every new city, high hopes but managed expectations. We do a lot of research and water a lot of travel videos on YouTube. Guess what? Istanbul stole our hearts! We loved the people, food, history, culture and sights. Sunsets on the Bosphorus are gorgeous! Deep down we knew we were going to love it, we love a city on the water and this is one of the MANY reasons Istanbul is so special. We will definitely come back to Istanbul and we absolutely cannot wait to explore more of Turkey! Thank you for your wonderful hospitality Istanbul! I truly could go on and on about our time in this amazing city. If you ever have the chance to visit, do it!

The Views from Suleymaniye Camii are Stunning!