We will arrive in Istanbul after a brief stopover in Ankara. Istanbul is the only city in the world that embraces two continents, one arm reaches out to Asia and the other to Europe. It is a city where east meets west, where traditional thought meets progressive vision, and those contrasts are both visible and impressive if you get away from the typical tourist attractions.
The Bosphorus is a straight that forms part of the boundrey between Europe and Asia. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea with the sea of Marmara (which is connected by the Dardanelles to the Aegean and thereby to the Mediterranean).
It is Istanbul’s variety that is so fascinating . The museums, castles, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and the sights of naturel beauty seem inexhaustible. If you are on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset contemplating the red evening light reflected in the windows on the opposite shore you understand, suddenly why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site. At times such as these, you feel that Istanbul is truly one of the most glorious cities in the world.
In addition to its unique historical and cultural background and innumerable attractions, the modern hotels, exclusive restaurants, night clubs and shops make Istanbul a great place to visit. We will be awed by the cities wealth of architecture as we see the amazing buildings in Sultanahmet – Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque, the Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern.
Though many modern Turks might have embraced designer boutiques and shopping malls, the bazaar is still the place for many locals, and most visitors, to search out (and haggle over) traditional goods like ceramics, handicrafts, soaps, sweets and, of course, carpets. Istanbul has two of the most famous bazaars in the world: one dedicated to food and spices and edible souvenirs, especially lokum (Turkish delight); the other dedicated to just about every other consumer item you can think of.
Istanbul has plenty of restaurants serving high quality international cuisine, but it would be rude, when in Turkey, not to try some local dishes, and the city has places offering some of the best in the country, from tasty meze (small plates, like Spanish tapas) to melt-in-the-mouth lokum (Turkish Delight). Meyhanes, traditional restaurants, are the places to head – order a few hot and cold meze and some fresh fish, and wash it all down with some rakı (aniseed-flavoured alcoholic drink). Sultanahmet’s Old Town has a few places worth seeking out, as does the Bazaar District to the west, but the main action takes place across the Golden Horn in Beyoğlu, where good weather sees tables lining the streets and diners enjoying al fresco eating.
Istanbul is also know fir it’s Turkish Bath which we will explore in our next issue.