Two days in Istanbul, Turkey

I visited Istanbul over a weeked, and I will start off by saying that two days is not enough for this huge historic city! Istanbul is a big, populous city, home to a rich cutlure and heritage that is a blend of two continents - influenced by both Asian and European traditions, being one of the few parts of the world where you can visit two continents within one city! A major tourist attraction, the city of Istanbul invites people from all across the world not only to experience the ancient cultures and heritage that they have so purely retained, but also, more importantly, because of the food! Istanbul is a haven for food geeks. Be it experimental or authentic or fusion, Istanbul has it all. From local Turkish kebabs, to more classical European grills and roasts, to the raw and fried blends of Asian cuisine - the great city of Istanbul offers a sensory experience that matches nothing else, when it comes to fulfilling your gastronomical needs. And this was one of the major reasons I travelled to the city of Istanbul when given the opportunity, even if it was for just two days!

TRAVELLING FROM MILAN TO ISTANBUL

I took a Turkish Airlines flight on a Saturday morning from Milan Malpensa airport. I landed at Hava-ist International Airport, and bought the ticket for the airport shuttle bus called Havaist (name derived from the airport itself) that travels to the city from the airport. The bus ticket can be purchased from a desk near the exit gate of the airport itself, or directly from the bus driver onboard. There are various buses travelling to all the major places in the city, so you can reach just about anywhere from the airport directly, in about a hour and a half to two hours. 

DAY ONE

So I had decided to stay at Occidental Pera Hotel which is located approximately ten to fifteen minutes from Taksim Square, which is one of the main central attractions of the city of Istanbul, next to the water body of Bosphorous Strait that divides the European and Asian parts of Turkey. Luckily, I got a really nice deal for the accommodation at this hotel and I chose it for its perfect location. My experience at Occidental was really nice - the rooms were big and clean, and the stuff was really helpful.

After checking in, I freshened up and left to visit Taksim Square. It was bustling with tourists and locals alike! But even when it was so crowded, you could still see and appreciate the traces of the rich, historic culture, influences of the empires gone by. There are a lot of hotels right next to the Square and also closer to the Bosphorous Strait, which are slightly more expensive but so worth it - the quality is top-notch and the views are incredible. Known for the large Republic Monument in the centre of the square, the Taksim Plaza now houses big cinemas, shops and brands, and restaurants in old architectural buildings, revived and renovated to suit our modern times.

I roamed around the Square, which is located on the European side of Istanbul. The streets that stream out of the square are filled with more shops and restaurants, ranging from local antique and textile shops to international brands and restaurant chains. I tried the renowned donor kebabs from one of the many local restaurant takeaways in the streets, and it was really just finger licking good! Another thing I found fascinating was that the public transportation in between the square area is through vintage trams, much like the old wooden trams that still roam around the central Duomo plaza of Milan.

I sat down to grab a bite on one of the long line of restaurants on the shore of the Bosphorous Strait, serving seafood and local mezze food and platters, and offering great views of the sea, the land on the opposite side, and the architectural marvels that were the long, sleek bridges crossing from one side to the other. After finishing my food I walked about three kilometres to the Galata Tower, a famous historic tower that has been restored and transformed into a tourist viewpoint as well as a fancy restaurant on the top. The ticket to go up costed 35 Turkish Liras, but the view was really good! 

I decided to visit the very famous Grand Bazaar and Spice Market, and took a taxi from below the Galata Tower. Metro is available but I was low on cash, and a friend of mine who had travelled to Istanbul a few times informed me that cards do not work in the ticket vending machines of Istanbul metro stations. Taxis are not very expensive in Istanbul, but there are some points to keep in mind: Uber does not work there, but we can use the Uber mobile application to book the local yellow (standard) and blue (premium) taxis. The taxi fare will depend on traffic, and during peak times the traffic does get too much! Also, ensure that you open maps and navigation on your phone while travelling by taxi, and direct your driver according to that way- the taxi drivers will notoriously try to take you through a bigger route to increase your fare if you do not take notice.

The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest bazaars in the city. It is the most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. Since it came first on my way, I started roaming around there. The fragrance was heavenly! You can keep naming products and they were there, on offer. The Spice Market offers numberless spices, Turkish delights, caviar, dried nuts, jewellery, drapery and more. It is extremely hard to keep your money to yourself - everything looks really tempting!

Walking around, I decided to walk towards the Grand Bazaar as well, which is around 650 metres from the Spice Market. With the time I had, I knew I could not cover the entire markets but I wanted to get an essence of both before leaving. To give you an idea about how grand the Grand Bazaar is really, I took a quote out of the Wikipedia page on the same market- 

"The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m², attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily".

It was huge! It was like an endless mirage of shops selling literally everything available on our planet. Ceramics and traditional Turkish elements, like lamps, ornaments, rugs, teas, spices and sweets, jewellery, etcetera would be my recommendation. I have no more words to describe this experience, except that I felt like I had fallen in a vividly colorful, loud and fragrant playground filled with people, much like my own Alice in Wonderland fantasy.

I was extremely tired from all the roaming around, so I decided to take a taxi to Kumpaki - an Armenian neighbourhood, having a very famous seafood/fish street. The weather was pleasant, so I welcomed the outdoor seating in one of the restaurants. There were live local performances going on, the relaxation could be felt in the environment, and overall it had been a very nice, tiring day.

DAY TWO

On the second day, I decided to go to the Asian side of the city of Istanbul. A Turkish friend of mine had suggested some restaurants, and told me in confidence that being an Asian myself, I would like the taste and flavours of the Asian side better. I travelled to the area of Emirgan-Korusu, on the coast line of the Bosphorous Strait, and booked a ferry ride to Kanlica on the other side. The ferry ride is like a sea taxi, and cost me 5 Turkish Liras. (Side note: Ferry ride is the most preferable option to travel from Europe to Asia. Metro is available but since cards do not work on the vending machines, I could not use that option. And cabs take more time and money due to the traffic situation. Also with the boat, I could enjoy unparalled views and the very pleasant sun that shone through cold, salty breeze. )

From Kanlica port, I booked a cab to the restaurant I had to go to - Lacivert. It is located right below the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü, which is a strikingly beautiful and impossibly sleek, suspension bridge spanning the Bosphorus strait, connecting Europe to Asia. The restaurant was extremely fancy, and the food and flavours were really good. My friend was right! I did like the Asian restaurants better!

After eating and relaxing for some time, I went back to Kanlica and took a ferry back to Emirgan-Korusu. I roamed aorund the port for a while (the sea coast looked beautiful), and then decided to go towards Bebek. Another area on the coastline, I had been advised to see the coast and the shore as it is really good, and also visit the restaurant Nusr-Et, headed by the famous guy from the Salt Bae meme! The coastline was definitely worth visiting, and as for the restaurant, I saw it from outside as I was too full from my heavy brunch - I promised myself next time, though.

After digesting my meal through the mindless walking around, I booked a cab to visit the Blue Mosque. The ride took time, but the sight of the Mosque took my breath away! It really does look like a painting, especially at that moment, as the sky behind was clear blue at that point of time. The famous place of worship, actually called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is known as the 'Blue Mosque' because of its interiors, that see a lot of use of blue tiles. It is a big tourist attraction, but still functions as a real place of worship, so visitors are not allowed in during time of prayers. The inside was really breath-taking. It is so old, built in the 1600's, and you just end up marvelling at the fact that even if restoration had taken place, the original structure and form did still stand! 

After exiting the Blue Mosque, I visited the Hagia Sophia museum for some more information on the culture, history and background of the Turkish civilization as well as these beautifully carved architecture that has survived the tests of time. On exiting the museum, I went back to my hotel to pick up my luggage (I had it stored at the reception after check out) and went to another one of the line of restaurants near the coastline of the Bosphorous Strait, next to the Taksim Square. I tried a Baklava style fish, which was quite nice! I had to take the Havaist shuttle bus back to the Havaist airport from Taksim Square after this, so I walked back towards the plaza, picking up a box of pistachio baklava from a local sweet shop on my way. 

I really recommend visiting Istanbul, and I suggest you to be more sensible than me and plan at least a three day visit. I was unable to see the Asian side of the city, as well as Masko Mobilya, which is further ahead towards the European side, and is the largest furniture market/city in the world! There is the famous Mall of Istanbul as well nearby Masko Mobilya, that is a good recommendation for anyone wanting to see modern architecture and interested in shopping from international brands. It is so huge that it has its own indoor amusement park inside as well! Istanbul was a beautiful experience for me and I hope to visit the city again, very soon.