You’ve trekked the byways of Europe, camped out in hostels from Barcelona to Bruges. You’ve made your way east to Budapest, and now you’re Hungary for something a little…different. Lucky for you, there’s a feast of Turkey waiting, just a short plane ride (or long train trip) away. Straddling two continents, Turkey has long served as Europe’s portal to the East. Three percent of the country, including most of Istanbul, sits in Europe; the rest spreads out into Asia. Culturally and politically, Turkey sits squarely between East and West. The population is overwhelmingly Muslim, but thestate is avowedly secular and dedicated to the values of multi-party democracy. Ancient and modern also coexist here with ease. The modern Republic of Turkey is only 90 years old, but it rests on a rich heritage built by Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. This is the country that inspired the legends of the Trojan Horse and Santa Claus, and it’s home to the world’s oldest temple and Europe’s fastest-growing economy.
No grand tour of Europe can be complete without a visit to Istanbul, home to some of the greatest buildings and monuments on earth—and with apopulation of more than 10 million, this metropolis dwarfs most European cities. For no extra charge, we even throw a bit of Asia into the mix.
greatest hits
• MOSQUERCIZE. Istanbul’s mosques are truly incredible sights—and most are free.
• PALACE LIFE. Experience the life of an Ottoman sultan at Topkapı Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace.
• RUBBER DUCKY, YOU’RE THE ONE. Nothing makes bath time as fun as having it in an authentic Turkish hamam.
student life
While the younger generation in Turkey isn’t as hopping as in, say, the Netherlands, you’ll be able to find students near the larger city areas. In Istanbul, there is a growing young population, especially in the Beyoğlu area. Beşiktas is also a good option because of its proximity to and popularity with nearby university students. These areas are also where most of Istanbul’s worthwhile nightlife is found. Outside of Istanbul, you’ll be hard-pressed to find groups of students in European Turkey, besides those on field trips to Troy.
Byzantium. Constantinople. Istanbul. Welcome to the most envied spot on this planet for over two millennia, a place that has been lusted after, besieged, conquered, and glorified by everyone from Ottoman sultans to German chancellors. The haunting calls to prayer, the sweet smoke of nargile pipes, the glow of lamps and dark, seductive eyes, the blue of the Evil Eye, and the sea that sparkles all around—it’s impossible not to feel a bit more sphinxy and a touch more sensual just by breathing the air of this ancient city of cities. And what a city! Centuries and religions play political bumper cars in the countless church-turned-mosque-turned-museums, with Mothers and Childs and names of the prophets benevolently glittering side by side in some of the most gorgeous spaces constructed by man. From multiple-orgasmic rounds of kebabs to kilograms of cherries, anyone can dine like a king on gloriously good, awesomely affordable Turkish food (a bountiful repertoire that encompasses Anatolian, Mediterranean, and traditional Ottoman cuisine). Here, the burning needs of shopaholics, walkaholics, and those with chronic and severe museum guilt shall all be met. Istanbul is the sexy child of so many marriages: between East and West; between the thrumming, pounding heart of a modern metropolis and the most ancient of fortresses; between the obscene opulence of Rococo palaces and the pure, simple pleasure of a hot glass of çay. Fortunately, you won’t feel torn in two in any sense, except in choosing which part of this bounteous babe to ravish first. Let’s start with a question on a scale as grand as Istanbul deserves: which continent first?
ORIENTATION
Istanbul would be nothing without its waters. Acting as barriers, shipping lanes, and passages, they’ve come to define the city. The Bosphorus links the Sea of Marmara in the south to the Black Sea in the north, marking the border between Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, the Golden Horn (Haliç) divides the European side into north and south. Istanbul is a single city, but its components are vibrant and distinct. European Istanbul, which features most of the historic and cultural sights, is the better-looking half (sorry, Asia!), although that also means it’s crammed with tourists(and those trying to make money off them). Walk around Sultanahmet for the most famous sights, but cross over to Beyoğlu to find the soul of modern Istanbul. Heading north on the European side, you’ll find bustling Beşiktaş and opulent Ortaköy, where Istanbul’s glitterati spend and party. On the Asian side, the mostly residential Üsküdar is bordered in the south by Kadiköy, the unofficial center of this half, while farther south, the quiet and comfortable life of Moda might tempt you to move there. With all these neighborhoods stretched between two continents, you’ll have a lot to take in. Thankfully, between the city’s buses, trains, and trams, you’ll never find yourself far from Istanbul’s cheap, convenient public transportation network, and the city’s ferry service is the cheapest intercontinental cruise you’ll ever take.
Sultanahmet and Environs
Home to the Hagia Sophia and the other crown jewels of historical Istanbul (fondly known to Let’s Go as the Blue, the Hippo, and the Fish Tank), Sultanahmet is the first stop for anyone who wants to explore the city of cities they’ve read and dreamed about. Sultanahmet proper is the area teeming with tourists (and aggressively flirtatious tourist-trappers) around the Blue Mosque, where many budget accommodations and historical sights can be found. To the north, along the coast, are the Sirkeci and Eminönü neighborhoods, known for the Spice Bazaar, transportation hubs, bustling market streets, and finger-licking fast food on every corner. The Galata Bridge above Eminönü connects the historic peninsula to Karaköy across the Golden Horn. You’ll find ferry terminals and tram stops on both sides of the bridge. The eastern tip of the peninsula is occupied by the sprawling Topkapı Palace and the peaceful Gülhane Park. To the west of Sultanahmet are Çemberlitaş and Beyazıt Square, the home of some university buildings, tea houses, and a gradual gradient of totally touristy to gone-native restaurants. The tram conveniently connects all of these neighborhoods, though the area is also nice and rigorous to walk. Shopaholics, sparkle-eyed ravens, and hardcore hoarders and hagglers can spend hours in the Grand Bazaar, a maze-like warren above Beyazıt. Below Beyazıt is the Kumkapı neighborhood, renowned (or infamous) for its overpriced fish restaurants. Come to Sultanahmet for the fabled sights and the full (full, we emphasize) tourist experience, but look elsewhere for a more authentic (and cheaper) vision of the city.
Western Fatih
You will hear two different Fatihs talked about in Istanbul. The municipality of Fatih covers the entire historical peninsula and includes Sultanahmet, Beyazıt, and all the nearby neighborhoods. Fatih proper (Western Fatih), on the other hand, is a small neighborhood around Fatih Mosque where government officials dwell and fun goes to die. It’s more conservative than other neighborhoods, in the sense that there are more headscarves and mosques here than anywhere else and almost no establishments that serve alcohol, but there are also a surprising number of slick businessmen (which means Wi-Fi cafes!). Some of the best local restaurants in Istanbul can be hunted down in this quiet, residential district. One of the liveliest roads here is Fevzi Paşa Caddesi, which runs northwest from Fatih İtfaiye Park and features stores selling the most operatic wedding dresses you’ll ever see, along with those long, thin, pretty trench coats that modern Muslim women seem to like wearing around town. If you follow the Valens Aqueduct from its southern end and turn right near the intersection with Atatürk Boulevard, you’ll find the Siirt Bazaar, with its pretty, peaceful pedestrian Kadınlar Pazarı—something like Istanbul’s “Little Kurdistan,” where migrants from southeast Turkey sell the specialties and recipes they’ve brought with them. You’ll have the best lamb of your life here. Atpazarı Meydanı, a cute cluster of cafes and nargile joints, lies a few blocks east of the mosque and above the Siirt Bazzar. To the north of the Fatih Mosque is Çarşamba, which makes Fatih look like a hippie commune. Locals advise dressing a touch more conservatively in Fatih (read: no short shorts for women).
It’s said that Fener and Balat—two districts that sit on each other’s laps via an organic spread of tiny, maze-like streets—was where the Ottomans herded all the city’s Greek, Jewish, and Armenian minorities, ingenuously counterbalancing every church with a mosque and synagogue. Nowadays, it’s mostly a dilapidated residential district that appears to be slowly falling apart, but endearingly so. The buildings are run-down (some built on top of the crumbling walls of Constantinople, “just waiting for the next earthquake,” says a local), but they’re also well-used and well-worn by giggly children, by laundry hanging on lines stretching across the street, by bearded men sitting on the curb to talk and drink tea for hours, and certainly not by tourists. Unlike in flashy Sultanahmet, each house here looks like a home, and the locals are overwhelmingly kindhearted.
Since the street plan is maddening, bring a good map, use landmarks, and ask old men what you’re looking for (unless it’s something like “wisdom” or “true love”—and even then they could probably give some advice). Public transportation sticks mainly to the periphery, so get ready for a rigorous walk. Rely on the main roads when going inland (highlighted in yellow on maps), and stick to the coast if covering long distances on foot. Vodina Caddesi runs parallel to the shore between Fener and Balat and is packed with local stores. The hilltop neighborhood of Edirnekapı is a 15min. walk inland, close to the city walls, and home to the mosaic-filled Chora Church. Go further up the Golden Horn to Eyüp to find Eyüp Sultan Mosque, the Pierre Loti Café, and the Istanbul Dolphinarium.
Asian Istanbul
The Asian side of Istanbul tends to be confusing for travelers, since it isn’t laid out like most European cities. However, make your way through this part of town to discover a lively, alternative art scene and an abundance of cafes and restaurants, all free from the mobs of tourists that you’ll find across the Bosphorus. Window-shoppers might never leave Bağdat Caddesi, İstiklal Cad.’s fancier sibling in Bostancı, where high-end luxury stores compete with sexy cars for the greatest glitz. There are a few streets in the main, historic neighborhood of Kadıköy to keep in mind. Inland from the ferry terminal (where you’ll also find the bus and local minibus terminals) runs Söğütlüçeşme Caddesi, which intersects with Kadıköy’s important pedestrian street, Bahariye Caddesi. This intersection is home to a well-known statue of a bull, an excellent landmark and meeting point. Parallel to Bahariye Cad. is the neighborhood’s “bar street,” Kadife Sokak, and tucked away nearby is the “handicrafts street,” Ali Suah Sokak, distinguishable by the colored tiling on the ground. Güneşlibahçe Sokak, which intersects with Söğütlüçeşme Cad.near the ferry terminal, is known for Kadıköy Market and streets full of restaurants and live music.
Moda is easily navigated on foot, but if you want you can take the nostalgic, shoe box of a tram that follows a circular route around Kadıköy into suburbia. Üsküdar, home to over 180 mosques, is a rather sleepy, historic neighborhood some kilometers north of Kadıköy; visit the Mihrimah Sultan, Şemsi Pasha, and Çinili mosques for a sampling of the best. For easy travel between Kadıköy and Üsküdar, take public bus #12 or #12A. Farther into Asia, the suburbs have their own charms and personalities.
Beşiktaş and Ortaköy
Beşiktaş is a busy but peaceful residential village a few kilometers up from Kabataş. Home to many young professionals, university students, families, and soccer fanatics (Beşiktaş J.K. is a major Turkish team, part of the first established sports club in Turkey), it’s well connected to both Taksim to the west and the Bosphorus to the east. Though it’s surrounded by extremely upscale, dainty districts like Nişantaşı and Ortaköy, the heart of Beşiktaş is still thoroughly middle class, with a great fish market, and, for whatever reason, a lot of kahvaltı (breakfast) cafes—Beşiktaş is so full of breakfast. A small pedestrian and market center is the most popular hub, with a central eagle statue as an excellent orientation point. The streets branching out from this center hold lots of cheap food, bakeries, local clothing stores, and cafes. To reach the statue, head inland from the ferry terminal or the bus station onto Ortabahçe Caddesi and take the second right.
As you walk or bus it up the Bosphorus coast, you’ll notice things getting prettier and pricier as you go—the next big village after Beşiktaş is Ortaköy, about a 15min. walk north. Ortaköy is the start of the district known as Istanbul’s leading site of conspicuous consumption. The city’s famous clubs are mostly concentrated on Muallim Naci Caddesi, which runs from Ortaköy to Kuruçeşme. Muallim Naci is part of the main road (at some points Dolmabahçe and Çirağan) that runs along the beautiful Bosphorus shoreline, connecting Kabataş with these neighborhoods. Although you can take one of the many buses, the frequently bad traffic means that you’re better off walking and basking in the opulence of your surroundings. We recommend a day spent walking up and down the 7-mile shoreline between the excellent Sakıp Sabancı Museum, way up in Emirgan (above both the Bosphorus and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges), and Beşiktaş, or bus-hopping to catch the prettiest waterside villages and their countless ice cream shops. Rumeli, Arnavutköy, and Bebek (which appropriately means “Baby” in Turkish—the town of Bebek really is an adorable little thing) all offer similarly gorgeous cafes and boutique stores next to areas of the Bosphorus that are so blue and sparkly that anyone can just cannonball off the waterside walkway into the sea and swim (there are also convenient ladders on the sides of the sidewalk). You’ll see some of the most stunning, well-dressed girls here, as well as some of the most undressed men and teenage boys.
Beyoğlu
If Fener/Balat is the childhood friend, Asian Istanbul the sweetheart next door, Çanakkale the summer fling, Ortaköy the one out of your league, and Sultanahmet the one you’re supposed to marry, Beyoğlu is the Istanbul you want to drunkenly hook up with (and then maybe get a lazy brunch together in the morning). The beating, pounding heart of modern Istanbul, this district is brimming with galleries, stores, cafes, restaurants, bars, and clubs. Many of these establishments are located off İstiklal Caddesi, a throbbing promenade that connects the transportation hub of Taksim Square in the north with Tünel Square in the south. You’ll find brand names, consulates, heeled hotties, and a constant flow of people on and around İstiklal. Halfway into İstiklal, you won’t miss the ornate gates and columns of Istanbul’s most prestigious high school, the Galatasaray Lisesi, and two landmark streets that spread like arms out from that point, Yeni Çarşı Caddesi and Meşrutiyet Caddesi. A bit below Tünel is the Galata Tower, the most recognizable point on Istanbul’s European skyline. The blocks around it house little designer shops, cafes, and a revitalized creative scene. For a calmer, residential feel, head to Cihangir, a drastically gentrified “bohemian” neighborhood that is popular with expats and located south of Taksim Sq., bordered by Sıraselviler Caddesi to the west. The Sultanahmet tram doesn’t run to İstiklal; to get there, either get off at Karaköy and take the funicular to Tünel, or go to Kabataş and take the funicular to Taksim.
SIGHTS
Historic, beautiful, scenic, artsy, quirky: Istanbul has many personalities. Each sight has a history (often a very long one), and as a rule of thumb, the older the building, the more likely it’s had at least one makeover. You’ll see many mosques where Muslims covered or destroyed Christian symbols to make way for their own faith. Even contemporary spaces like the Istanbul Modern Art Museum have used the old (in this case, an abandoned warehouse) to create something new (a showcase for the country’s contemporary art scene). Sometimes, however, renovation wasn’t enough. The sprawling home of the sultans, Topkapı Palace, was abandoned for the more ornate and European-style Dolmabahçe. Go beyond art and architecture, too: you’ll find culture and history everywhere. Rememberto step back and take in the big picture. Revel in the sensation of crossing between continents like it’s no big deal, float into the sky on the Turk Balon for an aerial view, or make your way up Çamlıca Hill for a 360-degree panorama. Whether you have your nose pressed against the glass or your neck craned back to take in the magnificence of the Blue Mosque, Istanbul has an incredible number of things to see.
Sultanahmet and Environs
HAGIA SOPHIA
MUSEUM
Ayasofya Meydanı
0212 522 1750
The Hagia Sophia (or the more beautiful way of saying it, Aya Sofya) is Istanbul in one building. Built by a physicist and a mathematician in the 6th century CE under the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, the Sophia served as a Christian church until the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The Ottomans employed the great architect Mimar Sinan to mosquify it, adding minarets and plastering over much of the Christian art. In the 1930s, religious bumper cars came out again when Atatürk ordered that the Hagia Sophia be turned into a secular museum and opened to all (paying) visitors. Religions and centuries overlap here: Archangel Gabriel watches over the shimmering Mary, baby Jesus, and the mihrab, the niche in the wall that points towards Mecca. If you come in the morning, the early light of day will spill in like heaven from the apse windows and climb its way up to engulf the dome in blinding white.
Sultanahmet. Walk down Caferiye Sok. away from Hotel Sultanahmet; it’s the orange-colored building with minarets on the left. Arrive early on weekday mornings for the shortest lines. 25 TL. Audio tour 15 TL. 
Open in summer Tu-Su 9am-7pm; in winter 9am-5pm. Last entry 1hr. before close. Last entry to upper gallery 15min. before close.
BLUE MOSQUE (SULTANAHMET MOSQUE)
MOSQUE
Sultanahmet Camii
0212 458 4983
While people say the Hagia Sophia is less remarkable on the outside than on the inside, the Blue Mosque is often said to be the reverse. Perhaps this is true, but only because the mosque’s silvery-blue exterior, shooting minarets, and soaring domes are hard to match. When the Blue Mosque was built in the early 17th century, its six impressive minarets were said to have caused an uproar, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca was the only place of worship with the same number. In an elaborate bit of damage control, the sultan sent his architect to Mecca to build a seventh minaret for their mosque. Intricately decorated with the blue Iznik porcelain tiles responsible for the mosque’s name, this mosque feels a bit like being inside a colossal blue china teapot, but filled with light and grace rather than hot water. Part of the effect is due to the enormous dome, supported by four “elephant feet,” huge pillars 5m in diameter. Unfortunately, the very sacred, old solemnity of this space is broken by the herds of tourists snapping away. Because the Blue Mosque is still in active religious use, tourists have to enter through a separate entrance, keep to a crowded designated area, and remain outside during prayer times. This means no silence at all, of course, and the whole place smells like feet (imagine hundreds of travelers entering the mosque barefoot in summer). If you’re not a practicing Muslim but a lover of beauty and sacred space, come early or late for more serenity.
Sultanahmet. Walk down Atmeydani Cad., away from the park. The mosque is the big gray building with 6 minarets on the left. Mosque etiquette applies; head coverings, skirts, and scarves distributed at the entrance. Free. Open to non-worshipping visitors M-Th 8:30am-12:15pm, 2-4:45pm, and 5:45-6:30pm; F after 2:30pm; Sa-Su 8:30am-12:15pm, 2-4:45pm, and 5:45-6:30pm.
TOPKAPI PALACE
PALACE
Topkapı Sarayı
0212 512 0480
Puppy-guarding its perch on the tip of the European peninsula, Topkapı served as the official residence for Ottoman sultans (and all their women—except the daughters who were locked up on tiny nothing-islands to preserve their flowers) for almost 400 years. The views are luxurious, the buildings overwhelmingly crafted, and the treasures outrageous. Once you get through the sweaty trial that is the ticket office, you’re mostly left unsupervised in a huge, crowded, sprawling park and on your own to explore with very few signs or directions. You’ll need to spend at least a few hours exploring to do justice to this giant of a palace complex.
Sultanahmet or Gülhane. Enter the grounds down the hill from behind Hagia Sophia. 25 TL. Entrance to the Harem 15 TL (separate ticket office inside). Audio tour 15 TL. Under 12 free. Open Apr 15-Oct 1 9am-7pm; Oct 1-Apr 15 9am-5pm. Last entry 1hr. before close. Hagia Irene only open to groups of 30+ by request.
BASILICA CISTERN
CISTERN
Yerebatan Cad. Alemdar Mah. 1/3
0212 522 1259
Built more than 1400 years ago under the direction of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian—the same guy responsible for the Hagia Sophia—this underground cistern once stored water for the whole city. Don’t read “cistern” and think “ugh, moldy water tank.” This is a dark, haunting, almost occult architectural marvel, so strong and beautiful that it was called the “underground palace. “Today, this subterranean sight full of murky water, dripping, eerie music, sensual lighting, and fish as big as your thigh makes for an otherworldly respite from the baking heat and sun. Walk to the back, where two Medusa heads (nobody knows where they came from or why they’re there) form the bases of two columns. Supposedly brought here from pagan Roman temples, they’re positioned upside down and sideways, presumably to break their killer, petrifying glare.
Sultanahmet. The entrance is across the street from Hagia Sophia, near the Million Stone. 10 TL. Audio tour 5 TL. Open daily 9am-6:30pm.
ISTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUMS
MUSEUM
Cankurtaran Mh., Alemdar Cad
0212 520 7741
Brace yourself to be dumped on by history. The exhaustive (and exhausting, by the end) collections in Istanbul’s Archaeology Museums display millennia of artistic and cultural achievement, from how to embalm a body with Egyptian household products to how to close the Golden Horn with a chain (à la Game of Thrones). For a refreshing change of color from ivory and gray, head to the Tiled Kiosk Museum across the courtyard from the Archaeology Museum, which is slathered inside and out with blue Ottoman and Seljuk ceramic tiles. By this point, you might want to do as the kitties do and just press your entire body against the cold tiled wall—an appropriately ancient way to cool off.
Sultanahmet. From the metro, follow the signs down the tram line, downhill past the Hagia Sophia. It’s in the first courtyard of Topkapı Palace. From Topkapı’s main entrance behind Hagia Sophia, turn left and go downhill. 10 TL, under 12 free. Audio tour 10 TL. Open Tu-Su 9am-7pm. Ticket office open Tu-Su 9am-6pm. Last entry 1hr. before close.
Most of Istanbul’s budget accommodations are concentrated in Sultanahmet, but Beyoğlu is becoming more and more popular with travelers looking for cheap rooms. Accommodations on the Asian side and in the more conservative districts like Fatih and Fener are sparser, less conveniently located, and generally lacking in English fluency. Beşiktaş is home to mostly upscale hotels. Avoid staying in hotels in the Aksaray area, a seedy district, or Tarlabaşı, the run-down neighborhood close to Taksim.
CHEERS HOSTEL
HOSTEL $
Zeynep Sultan Camii Sok. 21
0212 526 0200
Ah, Cheers. Cheers gets it—what makes a traveler’s day and what makes life good. Created right next to the Hagia Sophia by a group of friends and brothers after seeing “so many bad hostels” in Sultanahmet, Cheers gives you rooms that feel more like living in a spacious loft with friendly strangers than in a cold, bare hostel. The sofa-filled attic terrace is blessedly quiet during the day and lively and inebriated at night, while the hearty breakfast is a joy. Through it all, the staff will treat you like an old friend.
Sultanahmet. Follow the tram tracks down toward the Hagia Sophia, and take the 1st left after Donyang Hotel. The hostel is on the right, where the road bends. 10-bed mixed gender dor €16; 8-bed mixed dorm €17; 6-bed female only dorm €20; 4-bed dorm €20; singles €50-60; doubles €60-70; superior rooms (fancier and for 3-5 people) €80. Cash only. Reception 24hr.
HUSH HOSTEL LOUNGE
HOSTEL $
Iskele Sok. 46, Kadıköy
0216 450 4363
HUSH Lounge’s sleek, minimalist style—Spartan furniture, cool lounges, alternative music in the lobby, indie art punching up bare walls—creates generous amounts of open living space unheard of in other hostels of this variety. In additions to its kitchen, TV room, and terrace, the staff claims this is the only hostel in town with a garden—and a lovely garden it is. The young backpackers, students, artists, and adventurous tourists who tend to frequent HUSH all create an unusually friendly community of foreigners. Sitting on a quiet, pretty, pastel-colored street, removed from nightlife and on top of a big hill, HUSH Lounge is not meant for those looking for an easy, drunken stumble into bed. Otherwise, it’s a pretty sunshiny place to stay.
From the Kadıköy ferry terminal, cross the street and head north. Turn right onto Iskele Sok. and continue up the hill. HUSH is on the right. Dorms €13; singles €31-45; doubles €35-55. Rates vary according to A/C and ensuite bathroom availability. Bring your Let’s Go book for a 10% discount. Reception 24hr.
GÜLHANE PARK
PARK
Gülhane Parkı
Because Istanbul has everything, of course it has a response to the Hyde Parks of the world. Formerly a royal Ottoman hunting park (imagine exotic captured beasts released as play things for sultans and princes, trapped within the high walls of the park), Gülhane Park is now a beautiful green park with pathways that wind through the many trees and wide swaths of seasonal flowers. Elegant, white-bodied trees gracefully arch and bend to the sky, while old couples hold hands and young couples hold waists. The north end of the park borders the Bosphorus, and the outdoor cafes that line it enjoy spectacular night views of glittery Istanbul on the water. Come here for some green amid the gold, silver, ruby, and diamond that deck out the rest of the city.
The park’s walls separate it from the Topkapı Palace grounds, and the park itself has 3 gates: 1 near Sultanahmet, on the tram line past the Hagia Sophia toward Sirkeci, where you can also enter Topkapı Palace and the Istanbul Archaeology Museum; 1 right in front of the Sirkeci tram stop; and the last 1 on the avenue lying on the coastline in the north, close to Eminönü. Free entry. Open daily 7am-11pm.
SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Süleymaniye Camii
0212 251 8819
With the highest dome in the city, this mosque represents Ottoman architecture at its innovative best. Much credit to the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who designed the building’s air flow so that the soot from the oil lamps used for heating collected in one small room, rather than making everything sad and dirty. The Süleymaniye Mosque complex is the second largest in Istanbul (after the Fatih Mosque) and looks shower fresh from a recent renovation—though the 19th- and 20th-century repainting makes everything look almost cartoonish, with contours and lines too clear to seem real. More than for its interior, Let’s Go commends the mosque for excellence in public restroom quality: free, made of marble, and actually equipped with the main amenities, they’re a beacon of hope in the middle of an old city. Come to the complex to use the facilities, to get away from the crowds of tourists, and to enjoy reasonably priced food and nargile at the restaurants and cafes along the western wall. When you’re done resting, relieving yourself, and religion-gazing, pay your respects at the Tomb of Mimar Sinan, located just across the street named after him.
Beyazit. Walk north to the gate of Istanbul University, turn right, and follow its walls all the way up. Alternatively, Eminönü. Exit the Spice Bazaar on Sabuncuhanı Sok., turn left onto Vasit Çinar Cad., and continue up the hill. Mosque open daily 9am-7pm, closed during prayer times.
Western Fatih
FATIH MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Fatih Camii
0212 518 2919
A few years after the Ottomans conquered Constantinople (“pulling down” Eastern Rome and “digesting” the base of the Christian world, according to one passionate pamphlet), Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror demolished the Church of the Holy Apostles (an important Byzantine basilica) and built the Fatih Mosque in its place. Of course, in this city of shifts and tremors, what you’ll see today is a very different mosque—the original 15th-century structure was destroyed by an earthquake in 1766 and was completely rebuilt by Sultan Mustafa III. Newly restored, as of 2013, this is another spectacular mosque, with cool gray marble and pistachio-green touches (refreshing in a cucumber-like way). The tomb of the Conqueror—whose bio states that he was poisoned by a Jewish doctor in the service of the Venetian kingdom—lies just outside the mosque. Though the sacredness with which Muslim visitors regard his body’s resting place is a bit less impressive for non-believers (the unintentionally funny plaque inside describes him as “strong, with a ruddy complexion and a lamb-like nose,” among other gems), the tomb is still an ornate affair worth seeing, especially compared to the bareness of his wife’s tomb nearby.
Take the bus to Fatih. The mosque is behind the tall walls near the bus stop. Mosque etiquette applies. Free. Open daily dawn to dusk, closed for prayer times. Tomb open daily 8:30am-5pm.
LIBRARY, MUSEUM
Macar Kardeşler Cad No. 1
0212 631 3607
“Treasure at every corner” is usually an exaggeration or a tourist trap, but that’s actually what you’ll find around the corner of the Fatih Mosque. The modest Millet Manuscript Library houses a beloved collection of rare books, scrolls, and calligraphy gathered by Ali Emîrî Efendi (1857-1924), a late-Ottoman government employee who “never married, never had his photograph taken, and never set foot in Beyoğlu” but instead spent his life saving rare books from destruction when he wasn’t reading and writing with his cats. You’ll find incredibly fine, gold-inlaid manuscripts written by sultans and cartographers in an elegant medresse (Arabic school) building, with heavy iron doors and a security guard who enters with you. All this will make you feel like a very important scholar being granted a private look into a treasure vault, so don’t wear your “I LOVE OREOS” T-shirt here. And instead of pressing your sweaty nose against the glass to make out all the intricate details, go to the library across the hall to browse the entire collection digitally.
From Fatih bus stop, head south down Fevzi Paşa Cad. and turn right onto Feyzullah Efendi Sok. The museum is on the left after you enter the complex. No photography allowed. You will need to leave your passport and bag at the entry office and fill out a form stating (any) university affiliation. Free. Open M-F 8:30am-4pm.
Fener and Balat
EYÜP SULTAN MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Eyüp Sultan Camii
Despite its status as the fourth most sacred Muslim site in the world, you’ll see almost no tourists at the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. Little boys in curious white costumes run wild in the courtyard (apparently unaware that it’s all part of a circumcision ritual), people get married, and worshipers in headscarves pray reverently in front of Eyüp Sultan’s tomb. Even if you’re not particularly interested in foreskin theft, marriage, or pilgrimage, this outlying mosque is worth visiting, if only to see how a real mosque is done when there are no lines and loud tourists in the way. Eyüp Sultan—Muhammad’s right hand man, and the standard-bearer of Islam until he died in 674 CE during the first Muslim siege of Constantinople—is venerated in a fantastically ornamented tomb (exterior tiling currently under renovation) that is even more beautiful on the inside. Visitors to the mosque are welcome to enter during prayer but may be subject to a friendly slap to the rump if they offend the kindly old Muslim women around them (i.e., by wearing revealing clothes, leaving hair uncovered, keeping shoes on, or snapping photos during the service). After seeing the mosque and tomb, go for a hike up the hill, through the mountainous cemetery, all the way to the scenic Pierre Loti Café.
Bus or ferry to Eyüp. Cross the road and head inland, toward the visible minaret of Eyüp Mosque. You’ll have to pass through a long bazaar street and continue past a fountain. Standard mosque etiquette applies. Free. Mosque open daily 5am-11pm. Tomb open daily 9:30am-4:30pm.
CHORA CHURCH
CHURCH, MUSEUM
Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii Sok. 26
0212 631 9241
Chora Church requires some serious ceiling-gazing, cramp-in-the-neck-calming skills—you’ll find some of the most beautiful surviving Byzantine art on the domes above your head. The church dates to the fourth century, when Constantinople was so small that this building stood outside the city walls (Chora means “countryside” in Old Greek). Notice how the mosaics on your left as you enter are sooo much more sumptuous and sparkly than the ones on your right? The story goes that the 14th-century Byzantine statesman, Theodore Metochites, dumped so much money into the first mosaics at the expense of the poor that he was exiled for two years and forced to finish the left side with less “artistic liberty.” When your neck starts screaming, finish with the sweeping view of Istanbul from the back of the museum.
Bus to Edirnekapı. As you get off the bus, turn left, then take the nearest right turn and walk 3 blocks. Just before you reach the city walls, turn right and walk 2 blocks down the slope until you see the museum. 15 TL, under 12 free. Open in summer M-Tu 9am-6pm, Th-Su 9am-6pm. Last entrance 6pm, church closes at 7pm. Open in winter daily 9am-5pm.
Beyoğlu
ISTANBUL MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
MUSEUM
Meclis-i Mebusan Cad. Liman İşletmeleri Sahası Antrepo 4.
0212 334 7300
Though almost every corner in Beyoğlu has its own gallery, Istanbul Modern is the place to get a taste (or a filling meal for the soul) of the city’s contemporary scene. The upper floor houses a permanent collection called “Past and Future,” a chronological record of Turkish contemporary art, from its Western-educated beginnings to the colorful flowering of its own national and individual aesthetic. Don’t miss Alaettin Aksoy’s Gardens of My Childhood (2002, oil on canvas), a gorgeous, “puckish” painting trembling with glowing fragments, leaves, and spots of light (as if there were a million fairies mooning you from all over the surface). Between the first and lower levels is the “Stairway to Hell” staircase, and nearby is the “False Ceiling” installation next to the library (a canopy of books suspended from wires above, forming an artificial ceiling that envelopes you with that wonderful “book smell” when you walk through it). The lower level hosts temporary exhibits by local and international artists, as well as photography and architecture projects, all curated with minimalist cool. Mini dissertations, piece descriptions, and artist biographies accompany each work, making this huge space a joy to both look at and learn from.
From Tophane, walk toward Kabataş. After passing the Nusretiye Mosque, turn right and follow the red, square signs. 15 TL; groups (10+) 12 TL; students and over 65 8 TL; under 12, museum members, and handicapped visitors free. Th free for Turkish residents. Open Tu-W 10am-6pm, Th 10am-8pm, F-Su 10am-6pm. Check the website for film screenings and special events.
Beşiktaş and Ortaköy
SAKIP SABANCI MUSEUM
MUSEUM
Sakıp Sabancı Cad. 42, Emirgan
0212 277 2200
Inside a gorgeous white villa, on top of a beautifully landscaped hill, in the middle of a peaceful, pond-filled park, on the edge of the ocean, high up the Bosphorus coast— lies Sakıp Sabancı Museum, one of the most masterfully curated, intellectually presented, forcefully air conditioned museums we’ve ever visited. Hosting highly Istanbul-appropriate exhibits like “The 1001 Faces of Orientalism” as well as “Turkish Painting, from the Ottoman Reformation to the Republic,” this university institution runs a sleek operation, with excellent descriptions and thoughtful insights in perfect English, as well as gorgeous paintings and artifacts from the Louvre to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. For brains and beauty, come to Sakıp Sabancı.
Take a bus going along the Bosphorus (22, 25E, and 22RE work), and get off at Çınaraltı. The museum is directly to the left. 15 TL, students and teachers 8 TL, under 14 and over 60 and W free. Open W 10am-8pm, Th-Su 10am-6pm. Last tickets sold 45min. before close. Museum closed during 1st days of Ramadan.
MUSEUM
Dolmabahçe Sarayı
0212 236 9000
Leading the old, broke, “sick man of Europe” in the latter half of the 1800s, Sultan Abdülmecid I tried to save face and commissioned the building of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856 to replace Topkapı (“Eh, we’ve gotten tired of that one”) as the sultan’s official residence. Borrowing money from the English and scrounging under the couch, they managed to built it using 35 tonnes of gold. Fittingly, this palace is an exercise in architectural vomit and decorative overkill (think uber-Rococo, crystal handrails, polar bear pelts from Russia on the floor, ivory tusks from Africa, man-sized Japanese vases, silver platters on which you could serve elephant ham—that sort of thing). It has 285 rooms, 68 toilets, 44 halls, and six hamams. Be aware that this is a very popular, crowded, slow-moving attraction—come early on a weekday morning, or learn to love baking in the sun and marinating in other people’s odors.
Kabataş. The palace is a short walk northeast, parallel to the shore past the Dolmabahçe Mosque. From Beşiktaş, walk 7min. toward Kabataş down Dolmabahçe Cad. 45min. guided tours in Turkish or English start about every 15min. Separate tour for the Harem 25min. No photos. Selamlıik and Harem 40 TL; Selamlık only 30 TL; Harem only 20 TL. Students with ISIC card 5 TL. Under 6 free. Tours mandatory, no individual visits. Museum card does not apply. May also visit Great Palace Collections Museum and Yildiz Şale with palace ticket. Open Tu-W 9am-4pm, F-Su 9am-4pm. Office may close earlier if they reach their daily quota of visitors.
Asian Istanbul
ISTANBUL TOY MUSEUM
MUSEUM
Dr. Zeki Zeren Sok. 17, Göztepe
0216 359 4550
It’s no Hagia Sophia, but Istanbul’s Toy Museum is unlike (read: freakier, more hysterically racist, and sentimental) any other museum you’ll visit in the city. This four-story villa houses a collection of antique toys, mostly from the US and Europe, grouped by themes like “The Wild Wild West,” “Nazi Germany,” “The Space Era,” and “The Most Terrifying Miniature Babies You’ll Ever See” (okay, that last one is a Let’s Go grouping). The freaky: shudder at nightmare-inducing German toys from 1900 involving butchers, nurses, and dentists with syringes and pliers as big as their toy patients. The politically incorrect: gotta love 1950s Native American dolls from the US that look like something straight out of the most racist Disney movie of all time. The sad: the first territory Hitler claimed wasn’t the battlefield but rather the hearts of German children who once played with manly, heroic soldier figurines—toys whose places the children would naively take in WWII. You might leave the museum with a lot of sloshy feelings.
Take the Haydarpaşa-Gebze suburban train from Haydarpaşa Train Station to Göztepe (10min.). After you leave the station, cross and walk down the street on the right side of the train tracks. After the street turns right, take the nearest left turn and continue straight. There are giant giraffe statues in front of the museum. 10 TL, students 7 TL. Open Tu-F 9:30am-6pm, Sa-Su 9:30am-7pm.
FOOD
Contrary to popular belief, food in Istanbul isn’t just kebabs and meatballs. Start your day with a generous Turkish breakfast (usually bread, cheese, olives, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers) or, even better, with kaymak (cream) and honey. If you don’t have time to sit down for breakfast, grab a street-side simit (Turkish bagel with sesame). For lunch, pop into a lokanta to choose from the prepared dishes waiting for workers on their lunch breaks, or go to a restaurant and order a thin pide, the so-called “Turkish pizza.” To combat your afternoon slump, find a patisserie and have some baklava or any one of the many similar, syrup-soaked pastries the Turks love so much. For dinner, try a fish restaurant or order some mezze (vegetable or seafood appetizers) to share between friends. When late-night fast-food cravings kick in, look for joints that sell dürüms (kebab wraps), tantuni (diced meat), or, if you’re feeling adventurous, kokoreç (chopped lamb intestines). Oh, and let’s not forget about çay (black tea), without which no Turkish meal would be complete. It’s amazing that all these things are just the basics.
Sultanahmet and Environs
Eating in Sultanahmet is a tricky thing. Our default stance? Don’t pay for anything within two miles of the Hagia Sophia—if you stay too close to the tourist spots, you’ll end up paying twice the price of your dorm room. Then again, no elephant wants to stray too far from the herd (or the hostel) for food. Luckily, there are a few local favorites mixed in with the touristy places, gems in the rough which we’ve listed below.
MEŞHUR FILIBE KÖFTECISI
KÖFTE $
Ankara Cad. 112, Sirkeci
0212 519 3976
It’s about the size of a dry cleaners in Brooklyn, or whatever the Istanbul equivalent is. No decor to speak of—this is just a small nook on a busy street, with three tables, one waiter, one usta (master chef), one cashier. But in this shoebox of an eatery appear the most mouthwatering köfte (meatballs), possibly in all the city. Enter and you have no real choices: it’s either köfte by itself (served with a half loaf of soft white bread, a grilled green pepper, and a small cucumber-tomato salad on the side) or with a larger salad. Sit on the minuscule ground floor next to the tiny grill to hear the sizzle and pop of your meatballs being attentively, lovingly, and masterfully cooked. In 10min., six perfect buttons—small, perfectly plump, round—of köfte arrive on your plate, as neighbors and locals poke their heads in to say hello. If you want to eat love on a plate, this is the place.
Take the tram or follow the tramline to Sirkeci. Take a left (away from the sea) onto Ankara Cad., and walk uphill for a bit until you see Meşhur Filibe Köftecisi’s gray sign on the left. Köfte 9 TL. Salad 5 TL. Open M-Sa 11am-5pm.
HOCAPAŞA PIDECISI
PIDE $
Hocapaşa Sok. 19, Sirkeci
0212 512 0990
Unlike its neighbors in the restaurantville that is Hocapaşa Cad., Hocapaşa Pidecisi doesn’t have to shove its menu (or its waiter’s macho cologne) in your face. The sight of cracklingly fresh pide (Turkish boat-shaped pizza) going in and out of the oven in the wall—with the waiter literally running the thing straight to your plate so it arrives popping, crispy, greasy, and hot enough to hurt your mouth—is attraction enough. It lacks the swag and suaveness of Sultanahmet’s oily-smooth restaurants, but you’ll eat a decidedly more authentic, less expensive meal while sitting in your plastic garden chair and watching real people (like bakers carrying loaves and kids learning how to bike) go by.
Sirkeci. Go south (up the slope and away from the sea) on Ankara Cad., turn left onto Hocapaşa Sok., and the restaurant is on the left. Free Wi-Fi. Pide 8-14 TL. Open daily 8am-11:30pm.
GAZIANTEP BURÇ OCAKBAŞI
KEBAB, DOLMA $
Parçacılar Sok. 12, Grand Bazaar
0212 527 1516
In the hassle and harassment of the Grand Bazaar (honestly, this isn’t a harem!), sometimes you need the strength of a stuffed pepper. Gaziantep—a small city in southeast Turkey, one of its great food capitals, and the place after which this restaurant is named—has authentic food that is rich, heartwarming stuff, and the perfect balm for burn-out. Though the generous kebabs will make merry in your mouth, we’re personally in love with the biber dolma, dried peppers rehydrated, stuffed with seasoned rice and herbs, covered and cooked in red-orange olive oil, and served with a wallop of yogurt. And though this little-known, family-run place is warm with the heat of cooking and the bodies of the bazaar, its inconspicuous location will keep you hidden from the salesmen.
Enter the bazaar from the south side, either through the western Beyazıt Gate or the eastern Nuruosmaniye Gate. Walk along Kalpakçılarbaşı Cad. (jewelry street), then turn onto Sipahi Cad. and walk straight north as it turns into Yağlıkçılar Cad. Pay attention to the signs above your head, and turn immediately right onto the narrow street of Parçacılar Sok., the one right before the bigger Perdahçilar Cad. The entrance to the street has a sign that reads “KUMAŞÇI ATILLA.” The restaurant is on the right. Kebabs 10-17 TL. Biber dolma 10 TL. Lamahcun 3 TL. Open M-Sa 7am-5pm.
AYNEN DÜRÜM
DÜRÜM $
Muhafazacılar Sok. 29, Grand Bazaar
0212 527 4728
It’s hot, it’s busy, it’s carnal. This metal counter, hot enough to fry eggs on, sits in front of a tiny dürüm kebab spit just outside the Grand Bazaar and only seats 10 at a time. Like a meaty Last Supper, the diners sit facing and staring each other down while eating, except here, they’re stuffing their faces with lamb, chicken, or beef wraps instead of Jesus flesh. While the crowd presses impatiently, waiting to steal a seat at the bar, the counter doubles as a self-serve greens buffet, with chokingly hot pickled peppers, red flakes, sour pickles, grilled green peppers, lemon juice, and cilantro spread out, fair game for everyone to dump onto the individual plastic sheets set in front of them. Efficient, no-nonsense, brilliant street food of the highest order—you’ll feel the madness rise up in you as you devour your soft, spongey, meaty wrap.
Çemberlitaş. Walk north up Vezirhan Cad., then cut to the right and cross the area in front of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque (Tavuk Pazarı Sok.). Walk north up Nuruosmaniye Cad., pass the Nuruosmaniye Gate into the Grand Bazaar on the left, and take a left at the intersection with Kılıçcılar Sok. Aynen is on the right. Chicken, beef, and lamb dürüm (wrapped kebab) 8 TL. Ayran 1.5 TL. Coke 2 TL. Open daily 11:30am-6:30pm, but the meat only gets going around 1pm.
Western Fatih
You’ll find some of the best food in Istanbul hidden in the conservative corners of Western Fatih. Sultanahmet may have the sights but it’s a black hole of eats and has nothing on the local, traditional, and migrant specialties you can find in this residential district. After you’ve satisfied your eyes and heart with sightseeing, head west to satisfy your stomach.
SUR OCAKBAŞI
TRADITIONAL $$
İtfaiye Cad. 27/1
0212 533 8088
We swear to Zeus, God, Allah—whatever deities hold sway over today’s Istanbul: if you have one meal in Fatih, it should be this one. A Kurdish kebab restaurant that covers an entire block and sells out seats like Beyoncé, it does meat right. Anthony Bourdain apparently visited this place in 2009, and the food gave him an alleged orgasm. You’ll be making sex faces, too, if you try the sur kebab plate: a bed of rich, red, slightly spicy, paella-like seasoned rice and chunks of juicy, fatty, grilled lamb, chicken, and beef, plus mini-lahmacuns (crispy, thin-crust Turkish pizzas covered in seasoned meat), plus roasted peppers, tomatoes, and onions on top (1 portion 22 TL). Feeling overwhelmed? Wrap it all up in a pocket of the accompanying bread, and you’ll have sensations in your mouth you’ve never had before. We recommend going all out here: wash it down with the clean, milky homemade ayran, and do not miss out on their special dessert, özel sur tatlısı (a corny, sweet yellow bread, soft as pudding, filled with ice cream and sprinkled with cinnamon and dried cranberries; 8 TL). You won’t find it anywhere else in the world, as the owner’s grandmother invented it. Just trust us on this one.
From the Fatih Mosque, walk southeast until you reach the aqueduct. Walk along it, then turn left into Siirt Bazaar (1 street west of Atatürk Bulvari) and go straight. The restaurant is on the left. Pide 12 TL. Kebabs 12-22 TL. Open M-F 8am-2am, Sa-Su 11:30am-2am. Meat ready 1hr. after restaurant opens. This place is always booked, every night, so come early in the day or call ahead to reserve.
PIDE $
Büyük Karaman Cad. 57
0212 523 9795
Snap, crackle, pide. This pideçisi (the Turkish version of a pizzeria) gets so popular at lunchtime, you’ll probably end up sharing a table with the locals and waiting half an hour for your food. That said, the satisfying crack of bread breaking, the astonishing size of the thing (eating the pide is like fitting a miniature kayak down your throat), and the perfect cheesy, meaty, greasiness of it all makes it worth the agonizing wait. All of the variations on the menu are delicious and involve combinations of cheese, meat, and egg. Plunge the pile of butter your pide arrives with straight into the thick of it all or rub it along the crust—your arteries won’t thank you, but your soul will.
From the Fatih bus stop, walk down Fevzi Paşa Cad. as it turns into Macar Kardeşler Cad. Turn left onto Dülgeroğlu Sok. and take the 1st right. The restaurant is on the left. Free Wi-Fi. Pide 11.50-18 TL. Open M-F 10:30am-9pm, Sa-Su 9am-9pm.
ÖZ KILIS: KEBAP&LAHMACUN SALONU
KEBAB, LAHMACUN $$
Bedrettin Simavi Sok. No: 5
0212 523 4457
Öz Kilis—a sweet little kebab spot run by a family from Kilis, a small town near the Syrian border—is famous among locals and Turkish celebrities for its awesome baking-pan kebabs. While the only kebabs you’ve probably seen were skewered at one point or another, the Kilis style gives you hatay tav (15 TL): a thin, meatloaf-like layer of sizzling meat on top of a melt-in-your-mouth layer of softened eggplant and ringed by roasted tomatoes, peppers, and onions—all in a pan that’s been sitting to perfection in an oven before being served. Why? The story goes that close to the Turkish-Syrian border, you can avoid cooking and making a mess at home by bringing a pan to the butcher, getting some meat off him, spicing it up on the go, then stopping at the bakery next door to cook it. Let’s Go likes this resourcefulness and also likes the lovely, herby garlic- and parsley-covered sarımsaklı lahmacun (think thin-crust Turkish pizza) that is Öz Kilis’s second specialty (3 TL).
From Fatih Camii, walk north up Fevzi Paşa Cad. and take a left into Hirkai Şerif Cad. Take the rightmost fork onto Bedrettin Simavi Sok. The restaurant is on the left. Kebabs 10-20 TL. Lahmacun 3 TL. Open daily 11am-10:30pm.
SARAY MUHALLEBICISI
SWEETS $
Fevzi Paşa Cad. 1
0212 521 0505
If you want to have a substance-induced state of altered consciousness in dry Fatih, it’s gonna have to be a sugar high. Saray Muhallebiçisi is a quality, multi-story dessert edifice, not just a shop. Its menu tells a story of a girl’s grandparents having their first date here—it’s that sort of place, the nice place where you take your future wife for pudding. And holy cow, what a gorgeous pudding they serve—the fırın sütlaç (baked rice pudding, served cold and generous with a tough surface; 6.50 TL) might just change your life. If you don’t mind the smell of the entrees fornicating with the smell of the desserts, sit on the first floor and watch the chefs bring out the goods one by one. It’s like having multiple orgasms vicariously, through your eyes.
From the southeastern exit of the Fatih Mosque grounds, turn right and walk to Fevzi Paşa Cad. Saray is on the right, across the road. Breakfast menu 4-8 TL per item. Entrees 5-22 TL. Desserts 6.50-8 TL. Tea 2-4.50 TL. Coffee 5-7 TL. Ask for the English menu. Open daily 5:30am-1am.
Fener and Balat
Like almost everything else in Fener and Balat (and in life), don’t expect English-speaking waiters to choo-choo-train your food to you here.
KÖFTE $
Mürsel Paşa Cad. 89
0212 635 3310
What happens when a troop of village cops and a local news cameraman arrive at a koftë restaurant in Fener, Istanbul? There’s no punch line, but you know you’ve found an authentic neighborhood eatery! Congratulations on discovering Fındık Kabuğu Restoran in particular (the sign outside says “Fındık Kabugunda Köfte”). There’s no English on the menu, so point away at the veggie dishes, like the saffron-tinged lentil soup and smoky grilled eggplant (6 TL), or pick between three varieties of meatball koftë. Free Wi-Fi downstairs and free Turkish tea on the pretty terrace upstairs seal the already cheap deal. Pro tip: If Hüseyin (the warmhearted owner of the place who also happens to be an English journalism major) is around, ask for stories.
Bus or ferry to Fener. From the ferry jetty, go inland, cross the road, turn right, and walk until you see the Bulgarian St. Stephen Church on the right. The restaurant is opposite the church. Free Wi-Fi. Grill and koftë 13-15 TL. Cold dishes and appetizers 6 TL. Desserts 4-7 TL. Open daily 9am-11pm.
UNNAMED (AKA YUSUF’S TEA)
CAFE $
Ayvansaray Mah. Ayan Cad. 85
0537 948 5158
There once was an old, sprightly Turkish man named Yusuf, with warm, crinkly eyes and a great beard, who made the best Turkish tea and coffee in the world. Absolutely everyone in the neighborhood knew Yusuf, and everyone came over for his tea every morning. If they couldn’t come to him, Yusuf would hand-deliver little glasses of tea, quivering on their tiny dishes, to the butchers, bakers, and baklava-makers in the area. People called him crazy for selling the best tea in the world for just 0.50 TL and the best coffee in the world for 2 TL. But Yusuf said he didn’t care about money—he just really liked making tea for people. This place was so local, it had no name and no words on its front. This place exists, and you are commanded to go to this place.
Bus or ferry to Fener. From the bus station, cross the street to Mursel Paşa Cad., then turn right and walk up the street past the Bulgarian church. Take the 1st left at Çiçeli Bostan Sok., then the 1st right at Hizir Çavuş Köprü Sok. Walk until the intersection with Ayan Cad. Yusuf’s is the 1st white storefront you see. Open daily 7:30am-10pm
Beyoğlu
KÖFTECI HÜSEYIN
KÖFTE $
Kurabiye Sok., Akgün 
ş Hanı 7/A
0212 243 7637
The famous Köfteci Hüseyin: the best (köfte) balls you’ll ever have in your mouth. Let’s not waste space on what the hell the place looks like, whatnot. You sit down and choose: just köfte (Turkish meatballs) or köfte with salad (chopped carrots, lemon, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, sweet white beans). The meatballs come off the grill hot, juicy, perfectly charred, and nice and fat—one bite, and you’re a goner. The grilled tomatoes, hot red paste, onions, salad, soft white bread, and köfte roll around like sea otters in your mouth. Best balls ever.
Taksim. Walk down İstiklal Cad., then turn right onto Bekâr Sok. Walk to the end, then turn right. Hüseyin is on the left. Köfte 12 TL. Salad 6 TL. Ayran 2 TL. Open M-Sa 11:30am-3pm.
ŞIMŞEK PIDE SALONU
PIDE $
Taksim Cad. 2/A, Beyoğlu
0212 249 4642
For being wedged in between Taksim Square and İstiklal Cad., this classic pide-zzeria is surprisingly local. The waiter speaks no English except his carefully scripted “cheese, salami, beef, mix. . .” while pointing at the all-Turkish menu, and no one seems to understand the concept of “Wi-Fi?” But whatever, this is the best pide we’ve ever had, and this is why: the butter. From a tray holding two huge slabs/bricks/building blocks of butter, the chef slices off a good chunk and floats it on your baking-hot, crispy pide as soon as it comes out of the oven. If that’s not enough butter for you, ask the waiter for tereyağı (“jam,” obviously), and he’ll smilingly leave two or three more generous pats (more like great slaps) of it on your pide, soaking into everything as it melts. On top of a crispy crust, the tangy salami and soft white cheese of the peynirli sucuklu pide amorously make gustative babies.
From Taksim, go down İstiklal Cad., then turn right with the nostalgic tram tracks onto Taksim Cad. Şimşek Pide is on the right. Pide 9-17 TL. Open daily 10am-10pm.
MANGAL KEYFI
DÜRÜM $
Öğüt Sok. 8
0212 245 1534
If the dürüm is the burrito’s Turkish twin, this place is a great Turkish taqueria. An unpretentious wooden cupboard of a place in a side street off İstiklal, it’s filled with locals on their lunch break and makes bigger, better spill-out-of-mouth dürüm than any tourist fast-food spit in Taksim. Try the adana acılı (spicy) dürüm, 6 TL. With extra pickled peppers and red flakes, the thing gets as hot as some of the young studs on İstiklal.
From Taksim, walk down İstiklal. Take a right onto Imam Adnan Sok. When you reach Ağa Camii, take the 2nd right onto Öğüt Sok. The restaurant is on the left. Dürüms 6-7.50 TL. Kebabs 11-17 TL. Salads 4 TL. Open M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sa 11am-1am, Su 11am-midnight.
LADES RESTAURANT
MENEMEN $
Sadri Alışık Sok. 11/A
012 251 3203
What do you do when your first restaurant is wildly successful? Build one right across the street, of course—haven’t you ever played Monopoly? Lades 1 is a classic lokanta serving up all the Turkish appetizers exactly the way its loyal customers have loved them for years—its mezes and kebabs are as dependable as dog food and definitely taste better. Lades 2 is a bit more exciting. Come here for a fast, no-frills Turkish breakfast and possibly the best menemen (eggs scrambled with butter, sausages, chili, tomatoes, and anything else your stomach might desire) in European Istanbul.
From Taksim, go down İstiklal Cad. and turn left at the Ağa Mosque onto Sadri Alısık Sok. The restaurant is a few meters ahead (Lades 2 is on the left, 1 on the right). Menemen 7-9 TL. Yumurta (fried eggs) 4-9 TL. Vegetable appetizers 9 TL. Meat entrees 16-20 TL. Soup 4 TL. Salads 5 TL. Desserts 5-8 TL. Open daily 5am-11pm.
Beşiktaş and Ortaköy
PANDO KAYMAK
BREAKFAST $
Mumcu Bakkal Sok. 5
0212 258 2616
What is the food of angels? If your answer is anything but a dreamy-eyed “Kaymak!” you clearly haven’t seen the sweet, generous, and inexpensive sliver of paradise that Pando offers every morning. Kaymak is the Turkish version of clotted cream; made from milk and high in fat (60 percent!), it tastes a bit like breastfeeding from an angel. Seriously. The sweet, elderly Bulgarian couple who have run this place for decades serves a big square of the stuff covered in honey and accompanied by a loaf of soft white bread (7 TL). You’ll feel a bit like a newborn while you’re gorging and a bit like Winnie the Pooh when you’re finished, but who cares? It’s angel food.
From at the eagle statue, walk away from the fish market. Pando Kaymak is on the left (above the door, it says, “Kaymaklı kahvaltı burada”). Kaymak with bread and honey 7 TL. Breakfast omelets 7 TL. Salads 7 TL. Tea 1 TL. Hot milk 2 TL. Open daily 8am-5:30pm.
7-8 (YEDI-SEKIZ) HASANPAŞA FIRINI
BAKERY $
Şehit Asim Cad. 8
0212 261 9766
If you happen to be living in the area and you’re considering a visit to this town-favorite bakery, you’re going to have to make a pact with yourself not to eat entire kilograms per day of 7-8’s crumbly, sweet, gluey-soft, nutty almond cookies once you’ve gotten a taste—be stronger than we were. The smell hits you first—sweet, deep, warmth tinged with something like anise, radiating from the piles and piles of baked goods in all shapes and sizes in the window and piled even higher on the tables inside, like a craftsman’s workshop for cookies. For many in Beşiktaş, this isn’t just a cookie store—it’s an institution and a daily habit, as necessary to starting the day as morning coffee. At almost all times, lines of locals brave the grumpy patriarch baker for their cookie crack, and you’ll soon feel the urge to have more of the acı badem kurabiye (almond cookies) or big paper bags full of multi-flavored çay kurabiye (tea cookies).
From the eagle statue, walk down Şehit Asim Cad.; the store is on the left. Çay kurabiye (tea cookies, all flavors) 16 TL per kg. Acı badem (almond), koko (coconut), and mekik (madeline) cookies 24 TL per kg, around 3 TL per 5 pieces. Savory breads 16 TL per kg. Cakes 14 TL per kg. Open daily 7:30am-9:30pm.
Asian Istanbul
ALI USTA
ICE CREAM $
Moda Cad. 176, Moda
0216 414 1880
This little shop doesn’t look like much, but you’ll have to fight through lines of locals for your scoops. Though it’s one of the most famous ice cream spots in Istanbul, it stays refreshingly non-touristy (read: you won’t be able to understand the flavor labels, so be brave and point by color!). We can safely vouch for the creamy coolness of the milky white “Santa Maria” flavor, dotted with huge chunks of hazelnut. Though slightly pricier, Ali Usta’s scoops are bigger than those of most cones on the street. Add chocolate sauce and chopped nuts on top for 1.5 TL more; walk on the nearby beach with sticky fingers afterward for free.
From Kadıköy, get on the nostalgic tram (near the Osman Ağa Mosque) and get off near Moda Cad. Walk down the street; Ali Usta is on the right, close to where Moda Cad. forks. Scoops 2.5 TL; toppings 1.5 TL. Open daily 8am-2am.
PIDE SUN
PIDE $
Moda Cad. 97/1, Kadıköy
0216 347 3155
You’re in Turkey for God’s sake, shame on you for craving pepperoni pizza in the middle of this enriching cultural experience! Lucky for you, Pide Sun hits the same spot Pizza Hut does—cozy, cheap, and satisfying. The pides (Turkish “pizzas,” but leaf-shaped and without the tomato sauce) are so thin, so greasy, so cheesy, and so meaty that even the most die-hard pizza aficionados will want to eat it the Turkish way (i.e., with a razor-sharp knife). One pide will also knock you out for a good two meals, so choose carefully between the toppings of pepperoni, sausages, chicken, turkey, mushrooms, pepper, onions, potato bits, and spices. It’s easy to pass by Pide Sun without noticing it, but the food is worth the navigation time!
From the Kadıköy ferry terminal, go down Söğütlü Çeşme Cad. and turn right just before the Osman Ağa Mosque. Follow the road as it becomes Moda Cad. Pide Sun is on the left, very close to a Migros supermarket. Pides 8-16 TL. Open daily 11:30am-11pm.
NIGHTLIFE
Istanbul’s bars and clubs are concentrated around İstiklal Cad., so if you’re staying in Sultanahmet, you should prepare yourself for a good amount of commuting. Sultanahmet does have a few bars, but these are generally looked down upon by the locals—that’s why we list a handful of nargile cafes instead. Another center of nighttime activity is Muallim Naci Cad., the road running up from Ortaköy. Here you’ll find Kuruçeşme, the mecca of the city’s most prestigious clubs. Note that during summer, many music venues close down and move to their summer locations. The English-language Time Out Magazine lists current performances, as well as a comprehensive list of GLBT-friendly bars and clubs. If you want to drink rakı, the anise-flavored Turkish national drink, the best place to do so is at a traditional meyhane. Whatever you do, don’t fall for the nighttime scams: if a local speaking perfect English approaches you on the street and invites you for a beer after three lines of uninteresting conversation, he’s probably planning a scam (which usually involves a traveler, an exorbitant bill, and a dose of coercion).
Sultanahmet and Environs
SETÜSTÜ ÇAY BAHÇESI
CAFE
Gülhane Park
Perched on a ridge along the north end of Gülhane Park may be the most romantic place to have a pot (an entire pot) of tea in Istanbul. With dozens of small wooden tables and chairs everywhere, all oriented toward the sea, it sort of reminds you of sitting at an outdoor movie theater, where the only show is the breathtaking view of Istanbul at night on the Bosphorus—everything glittering and twinkling, ferries and boats slowly passing. As the locals do, bring your loved ones—the pot of tea seems pricey but is meant to be shared. Confused by the two-part teapot they hand you? How to appear culturally pro: pour yourself about half a cup or more of the top pot’s brew, then fill the rest with the water from the bottom pot. Don’t be surprised if you stay long enough for the moon to disappear behind the trees of the park around you.
From the tram station, enter the park through the entrance in the high park walls, just ahead and to the right of the tram station, or walk toward Sultanahmet and enter through the main, 3-portal entrance on the left. Walk north through the park until you reach the back gate. Turn right at the gate and walk uphill. The cafe is on the left. Çay for 1 8 TL; for 2 14 TL; for 3 20 TL. Turkish coffee 8 TL. Fruit 6 TL. Ice cream 8 TL. Snacks 3-12 TL. Cash only. Open daily 8:30am-11pm.
Western Fatih
Ready to rock Western Fatih tonight? Tough luck. Because it’s such a conservative area, few places serve alcohol, throw raging parties, or crank out the latest tunes. People stay up late here mostly for nargile (hookah pipes) or to chat at cafes.
Fener and Balat
As one of the quieter, more conservative parts of Istanbul, you’ll never see the words “nightlife” and “Fener and Balat” in the same sentence—except when the sentence is, “The neighborhoods of Fener and Balat have no nightlife.”
Beyoğlu
Beyoğlu is the capital of Istanbul nightlife. It’s normal to walk into a building on thudding, flashing İstiklal Caddesi any night of the week, find a different bar on each floor, and still have to fight crowds well past midnight. Each small street around Sofyalı Sokak, just north of the Tünel exit, easily outdoes the proud resident “bar streets” of other districts in the city.
PEYOTE
CONCERT VENUE, BAR
Kameriye Sok. 4, Beyoğlu
0212 251 4398
If you’re sick of being alone in your hostel room and just want to see a lot of humans having more fun than you, go here. The ground floor is live DJ electronica (come late in the night or you’ll be lonely); the second floor is live music (Turkish rock with dashes of jazz, reggae, ska, and folk—Peyote even has its own recording label, so you might catch the next big Turkish thing); and the third floor is a rough and tumble, drinks-all-around, lean back in your chair and laugh until you find yourself lying in someone else’s lap-type bar. Though you can barely squeeze in and out of the tables on busy nights, it’s all good-natured fun—definitely not a quiet place to nurse a beer all night, unless you’re an extroverted, energy vampire.
Taksim. Walk to Galatasaray (the big gated thing with Roman columns on the left), then turn right onto Balık Pazarı. (Sahne Sok., the one after Çiçek Pasajı), take the 2nd right, then the 1st left. Peyote is on the left. Beer 7-13 TL. Local drinks 7-16 TL. Cocktails 16-20 TL. Imported drinks 10-23 TL. Open daily 3pm-3am. Live music, DJ, and dancing usually starts around 9pm-midnight.
MACHINE
CLUB
Balo Sok. 31/B
0532 386 4882
This clandestine establishment is sort of the town slut—everyone knows it’s there, everyone knows when and where to find it, but there’s no official phone number, website, and it’s only open for business 10hr. a week. The whole metal warehouse aesthetic sort of screeches in your eyes, metal scraping metal visually—basically, it looks like the inside of a freight truck. With yellow traffic lines painted on the floor, cage bars, crude shipping-container walls, and the width of only about seven grinding couples, it’s literally a metal crate plopped down on a back alley. Pressed body to body, the freight in this truck is human cargo. If you’re into sucking in toxins and freaking to loud club music until dawn, this one’s for you.
Taksim. Walk down İstiklal toward Galatasaray, then turn right at Halkbank. Walk downhill to the end of the street. On the left is a small diner called Güzel Kiraathanesi; Machine’s entrance is the unmarked black door underneath it. The entrance is to the right of the stairs; look down. Cover 10 TL. Beer 10 TL. Whisky 30 TL. Cocktails 30 TL. Vodka 20 TL. Shots 12-50 TL. Couples and ladies only. Open W 11pm-5am, F-Sa 11pm-5am.
TEKYÖN CLUB
CLUB, GLBT
Sıraselviler Cad. 63
0212 245 1653
Although it’s underground, Tekyön (Turkish for “one way only,” winky face) is anything but unknown to Istanbul’s gay scene. With a large dance floor, 11 disco balls (at last count), and funky neon-lit walls, this is the place to get down with that hamam cutie. The music remixes Western and Turkish beats for patrons that include Turkish regulars and eager visitors the world over, from Italy to Saudi Arabia. Special annual events like the International Bear Festival add some heft and hair to the crowd, while every Tuesday hosts a male belly dancing show. A staunch establishment—it’s been open every day for the last 12 years (except one day each year for Ramadan)—this place glows with friendly fun.
From Taksim, walk down Sıraselviler Cad. The club is on the left. Beer 16 TL. Vodka 20 TL. Cocktails 16-25 TL. Whiskey 30 TL. Free entry. Very few women allowed in, close friends and lesbian couples only. No straight, transsexual, or bisexual visitors. Open M-Th 10pm-4am, F-Sa 10pm-5am, Su 10pm-4am.
Beşiktaş and Ortaköy
ANJELIQUE
CLUB, RESTAURANT
Salhane Sok. 5
0212 327 2844
Sexy and fun, with two indoor lounges (punctuated with columns and tables to snake around) and a waterside deck (with its own private dock for private James Bond water landings), Anjelique is just the right size and has just the right crowd. What does that mean? You won’t have room to run laps in your 12in. heels, but you won’t want to with the young, beautiful people dancing all around you in the moonlight. Though you might hear big names like “Garanti” being quickly ushered in at the door, you don’t have to own a bank to enter. With no cover charge and a beer for 10 TL, you can walk the walk at Anjelique without castrating your budget. It’s the cheapest way to experience the beautiful life in Ortaköy.
From the Ortaköy ferry jetty, head inland and take the 1st left; Anjelique is on the left. It’s on a small street in the center of Ortaköy, to the right of the Ortaköy Mosque when facing the sea and near a Hotel Radisson entrance. Men need female company to enter the club. Reservation required for dinner. Dress code (no athletic wear, no shorts) strictly enforced. Beer 10 TL. Vodka 35 TL. Cocktails from 40 TL. Whiskey 40 TL. Restaurant open daily 6:30pm-midnight. Club open dailymidnight-5am.
REINA
CLUB, RESTAURANT
Muallim Naci Cad. 44
0212 259 5919
If you’re going to indulge, do it properly. Probably the most famous club in the city, Reina is where local and international social elites come to spend obscene amounts of money. The club has six different restaurants (Chinese, sushi, kebabs, Mediterranean, fish, and international) and a dance floor in the middle, all with the Bosphorus Bridge looming as a backdrop. Reina also owns two boats that will transport you here from your hotel, if you happen to be one of the VIP guests. Not sure if you qualify as a VIP or not? Then you probably don’t. The actual VIPs vary from college kids to middle-aged couples (as long as they can afford to drink Absolut like water and dance on slabs of marble). But come on a weekday (do dress up) and nurse a beer or two so you can enjoy the atmosphere and people watching without paying like a paşa.
From the Ortaköy bus stop, walk down Muallim Naci Cad. Reina is on the right. Men need female company to enter the club. Reservation required for dinner. Dress code is strictly enforced. Cover F-Sa 70 TL, includes 1 drink. Tequila shots 15 TL. Wine 20 TL. Beer 30 TL. Cocktails 30-40 TL. Vodka 30 TL. Whiskey 30 TL. Restaurants open daily 6-11pm. Club open daily 11pm-4am.
Asian Istanbul
KARGA
BAR
Kadife Sok. 16, Kadıköy
0216 449 1725
One of the best-known bars this side of the Bosphorus, Karga is so word-of-mouth, it doesn’t even need a name on its door. Ducking through the secretive, street-side door is like walking into a system of wooden caves or wandering the hollowed-out niches of a giant mother tree. Sexy, dark corners are easy to find—the wood no doubt rubbed smooth over time by generations of lovers. With four stories, a garden, and numerous balconies, you can choose to eat openly with friends or find a corner for intimacy. The dark interior and rotating playlists of mainly alternative set an edgy mood, but it’s easy to leave the volume behind just by climbing higher.
Walk south on Bahariye Cad. and take the 1st right after (not in front of) the Opera House. Take the 2nd left, walk 1 block, and look for the Hobbit-sized, unmarked wooden door with a raven above it (not the door above the set of stairs) on the right. Free Wi-Fi. Live music Sept-May, but nightly DJs continue through the summer. Tea 4 TL. Beer 7.50-13 TL. Shots 8-13 TL. Cocktails 19-23 TL. Open M-Th 11am-2am, F-Sa 11am-4am, Su 11am-2am. Closes later in the winter.
ARTS AND CULTURE
In Istanbul, you don’t just enjoy arts and culture—you live arts and culture. Music thrums in the city, whether it’s jazz, classical, or electronic. Besides large concerts, the city hosts plenty of festivals that showcase local bands and bring in international stars. Cultural centers sponsored by large corporations sometimes offer the cheapest entertainment, with student tickets and frequent programming even in the concert low season (summer). Don’t forget the bars, nightclubs, and smaller venues, where you can discover rising talents in the Turkish and European music scenes. While music is for locals and visitors alike, folk and religious dances like the sema do great business in the tourist industry. Despite all their marketing and showbiz airs, the dances still offer colorful insights into traditional Turkish culture. Hamams, or bathhouses, are also becoming less of an exclusively local attraction, and there’s nothing like a traditional bath to refresh your body after a day of sightseeing.
Theater and Classical Music
GARAJİSTANBUL
BEYOĞLU
Kaymakam Reşat Bey Sokak 11A
0212 244 4499
Many performance venues in Istanbul are housed in restored hamams or ancient cisterns or some fancy “we got culture” place like that, so a restored parking garage seems fresh. The space is used for contemporary art performances, including theater, music, and dance. You can catch shows ranging from Samuel Beckett’s absurdist Waiting for Godot to the lighter Istanbul International Puppet Festival. The edgy, dark, ex-parking lot also plays host to promotional parties, “Cult Film Club” events, and unconventional concerts—think hot female violinists in black leather playing in front of a line of parked cars or a counter tenor singing Turkish ballads from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. Since Garaj hosts international artists, some of the events are in English or have English subtitles, giving this venue a distinct edge over the small, artsy places.
Taksim. Walk down İstiklal and turn left immediately after Yapıkredi, near Yeni Çarşi Cad. Turn right, then left, and you’ll see it on the left. Prices vary, but around 40 TL for VIP tickets, 30 TL for bar/table seats, and 20 TL for standing room. Open Sept-Jun. Consult the online program for performance times.
Hamams
Steam, sweat, squeeze, and scrub: you can get it all at your local hamam. Once a mainstay of Turkish urban society, the neighborhood hamam is losing its share of the bathing scene thanks to the spread of indoor plumbing, adjustable shower nozzles, and the political correctness of not being grappled with by a naked Turk. These days, hamams are mostly frequented by older men looking to relive the good ol’ days and tourists looking for a taste of tradition. If you can get over the fear of getting pummeled while nearly naked, you’re in for an invigorating treat.
Hamams vary: you can either wash yourself or have someone do all the work for you. Everything starts with the shoes—in order to keep the place clean, it’s customary to take them off and put on slippers. In the changing rooms, bathers-to-be undress and put on the peştamal, a traditional towel that covers those very important parts. Start your journey in the sauna, or sıcaklık, where you’ll lie on a warm marble slab and feel like every single drop of moisture is being squeezed out of you. When it seems like your body has lost half its weight, cool off by turning on the tap and splashing yourself with the blissfully refreshing water. If you’ve ordered a massage, the masseur or masseuse will leave almost nowhere on your body untouched. They do leave one or two parts untouched, although it can get uncomfortably close. Next, say “güle güle” to your layers of dead skin, as your body is scrubbed, lathered, and washed to baby smoothness. Finally, you’ll be handed a towel and dried off before heading to a cool room to lounge and relax with a cup of tea.
And what about those steamy bathhouse fantasies? Forget it—most hamams have separate sections or segregated bathing times for men and women, and if they don’t, both genders wear bathing suits (all of the hamams listed below have separate rooms). Hamams in Istanbul, especially the tourist-oriented ones, provide same-gender attendants for men and women. We recommend trying one of these hamams first, and if you get hooked, branch out and visit a more authentic (and cheaper) bathhouse. Be aware, though: in the local hamam hierarchy, don’t be surprised if you, as a tourist, don’t outrank the neighborhood grannies who have come every day for the last 15 years; you might be dumping water over yourself with old yogurt buckets, covering yourself with picnic blankets, and getting about half the attention of the staff.
ÇEMBERLITAŞ HAMAMI
SULTANAHMET
Vezirhan Cad. 8
0212 522 7974
This is one of best-known hamams in Istanbul—which means tourist-land. Everything here corresponds to that fact: it’s clean, has a pretty dome you can stare at while sweating like a pig, and is on the expensive side. Built in 1584 and based on plans created by famed Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, Çemberlitaş Hamamı sneaks out of Ottoman authenticity and gets into spa territory, going beyond the basics of body scrubs and bubble washes to fancy facial masks and Indian head massages. Your experience here depends on the crowds, so try to avoid it during rush hours (4-8pm). If you plan to go to a hamam only once, this place should be one of the top contenders, as it’s a reassuring (read: clean, not-jerky-to-tourists) first-time hamam experience, which is what you want when “authentic” or “local” often means dirty rooms and old yogurt buckets.
Çemberlitaş. The hamam is just across the street from the tram stop and the column. Self-service 50 TL. 15min. body scrub and bubble wash 75 TL, with oil massage 127 TL. Facial mask 16 TL. 30min. reflexology 52 TL. 30min. Indian head massage 52 TL. Prices include VAT, unlimited bath time, towel, slippers, bikini underwear, shampoo, soap, and locker with key. You will be asked to tip the attendants in addition. Open daily 6am-midnight.
BÜYÜK HAMAM
BEYOĞLU
Potinciler Sok. 22
0212 253 4229 www.buyukhamam.net
A local place that soap stores will point to, this is one of the biggest hamams in town (as you probably figured out by your fourth day in Turkey, büyük means “big”). Although this hamam isn’t full of tourists, it holds historic value similar to that of its more popular brethren—it was built in 1533 and, like Çemberlitaş, was designed by Mimar Sinan. Its walls could use a fresh coat of paint, but the rooftop swimming pool (only for men) and cheap prices make Büyük a decent choice. The catch? It’s quite a hike down (and back up) from Taksim, so you’ll be sweaty and ready for another bath by the time you hit İstiklal. Try to bring a Turkish friend to avoid any tricks.
Tünel. Go up İstiklal and turn left onto Asmalı Mescit Cad. Go down the hill, pass the stadium, and follow the road as it turns left onto Çivici Sok. Cross the street, turn right, and walk for 1 block. The hamam is on the left, close to Kasimpaşa Mosque. Self-service 20 TL (women), 23 TL (men). Additional massage 7.50 TL, additional scrub 5 TL. Cash only. Open daily 5:30am-10:30pm for men, 8:30am-8pm for women.
Dance
HODJAPASHA CULTURE CENTER
SULTANAHMET
Hocapaşa Hamamı Sok. 3B
0212 511 4626
Sema is a religious ceremony that has become a popular tourist attraction—the highlight of the event being that “quintessentially Turkish” element trumpeted by brochures: the whirling of dervishes. The dancer’s arms, one palm pointing to the sky and the other to the ground, symbolize the channeling of spiritual energy from God to earth in a mystical journey of man’s spiritual ascent through mind and love to Perfect Being. The Hodjapasha Center (a former 15th-century hamam) is the easiest, most intimate, and most beautiful place to see a whirling dervishes performance. The ticket price includes water, Turkish coffee, and a booklet along with the performance. Because half of the show is actually a Sufi music concert with no interesting physical movement, this ceremony usually gets a bad rap from unwitting tourists expecting smoke and sparks—we highly suggest you do the research before the show (after all, it’s a religious ritual, nota Vegas strip show). More viscerally exciting, perhaps, is the Turkish Dance Night, a mix of almost medieval, elven, fantasy-seeming dancing, jumping, kicking, sword fighting, seducing, twirling, spinning, and, of course, shaking that belly. It may just be the sexiest thing you see in Turkey—from belly dancing to stomp line dancing, you won’t be able to stop moving your own body nor keep yourself from ogling the drop-dead gorgeous men and women. For a night of color, music, light, and lots of ass-shaking to remember, do Hodjapasha.
Sirkeci. After getting off the tram, walk north away from the water. Take the 1st left after the tram tracks and turn right. There are signs pointing to the venue, which should be on the left. Reserve about 1 week in advance for the best seats. Whirling dervishes show 60 TL, ages 12 and under 40 TL. Turkish Dance Night 70 TL/40 TL. Buy tickets online through the website. Dervishes show lasts about 45min., every day at 7:30pm. Hodjapasha Dance Night lasts about 90min., every Tu, Th, Sa-Su 9pm.
Music Festivals
In addition to the Rock’n Coke, Turkey’s biggest outdoor music festival, check out the Istanbul Jazz Festival, the metal Sonisphere festival, and the Club to Club dance and electronic festival. Keep an eye out for other events advertised on posters, flyers, and billboards across the city.
SHOPPING
Carpets, antiques, clothes, perfumes, Turkish delight, teas, pastries, spices, nargile, evil eye beads...we (and you) could go on for days. From weekly street markets to roofed passages, brick-and-mortar stores to covered bazaars, it’s not hard to find a place in Istanbul to spend your lire. But since no one wants to overpay, remember the three H’s: haggle, haggle, haggle. The prices on the sign are probably too high, and unless you’re talented or lucky, the seller will still make good money even when you finally strike a deal. To get a better idea of prices, don’t just stop by one shop; similar stores usually cluster around each other, so you should visit more than one to compare. You’ll also notice that some things are more expensive in Turkey. Electronics and designer brands are imported, so unless you come from Zimbabwe, you’ll probably enjoy a cheaper price for those back home. Also on the do-not-buy list: antiques. If it’s more than 100 years old, it’s probably illegal to take it out of the country, and you could face fines or a prison sentence. Carpet stores will usually provide a certificate of non-antique-ness, but be extra careful buying in open markets and antique shops. Another antiques-gone-wrong scenario: that calligraphied poem in Sultan Mehmet’s own handwriting. It’s probably a fake.
Bazaars and Markets
GRAND BAZAAR
SULTANAHMET
Kapalı Çarşı
0212 519 1248
You haven’t shopped in Istanbul until you’ve shopped at the Grand Bazaar. With 21 gates, 66 streets, 3600 shops, and 30,000 employees, you’re bound to spend hours in one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets. Arm yourself with your wallet and get ready to haggle. Opened in 1461, the bazaar’s streets are named after the trades that were centered there (fez-makers, slipper-manufacturers, goldsmiths, etc.), although much of that doesn’t apply anymore. It helps to have a rough idea of the layout in order to navigate and avoid getting lost. There’s a central bedesten (market hall, also known as Cehavir), where jewelry, copperware, silverware, and antiques are sold. Around it, the streets adhere to a grid pattern. If you’re hungry, you’ll find pretty and overpriced cafes clustered in this area, but there are way better eats hidden like Easter eggs in the narrower streets inside and around the Bazaar (Gaziantep Burç Ocakbaşi inside on Parçacılar Sok., Kara Mehmet Kebap Salonu out in the İç Cebeci Han courtyard, and Aynen Dürüm outside on Muhafazacılar Sok. are great bets for lunch). The main gold and jewelry street (a rush and blur of silver and gold and sparkles that goeson for-ev-er) is Kalpakçılar Caddesi, which and runs east-west from Nuruosmaniye Gate (1) on the eastern side to Beyazıt Gate (7) on the western side. Another main street—known part by part as Sipahi, Feraceciler, and Yağlıkçılar—connects the southern Çarşı Gate (5) to the northern Örücüler Gate (14). Lined with carpet sellers, Halıcılar Sokak runs above the central bedesten. Entering from the Nuruosmaniye Gate, you’ll find the Sandal Bedesten to your right, another place for clothes, souvenirs, and antiques, as well as passionate public auctions. The streets in the bazaar’s west end, closer to Beyazıt, are less regular in layout, and you’ll find jeans, leather, traditional clothing, and the PTT post and exchange booth there. Try to search online for a map, or pick one up at the director’s office near Gate 4, off Kalpakçılar Cad.
Beyazıt. Exit the tram station away from Sultanahmet, turn right before the bus stops, and turn right into Beyazıt Gate (7). The Bazaar is a straight shot from the entrance of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque to Gate 1. The police station is 1 block in from Gate 19 (coming in, turn right). Don’t be confused by the bedestens, which have their own gate numbers. Currency exchanges are easy to find. Open M-Sa 8am-7pm.
SPICE BAZAAR
SULTANAHMET
Mısır Çarşısı
0212 513 6597
Also called the Egyptian Bazaar, this market is much easier to navigate than the Grand one—its layout is brought to you by the letter L (er, just translated 180 degrees counterclockwise). Completed in 1663, the bazaar was built to generate funds for the upkeep of the New Mosque. The bazaar sells what it’s named after (that’s spices, not Egyptians), as well as tea, caviar, saffron, dried fruits, nuts, Turkish delight, and trinkets—all piled high in a variety of mountains in each shop. By all means, try as many free samples as you like/can get away with! Most merchants will be very open to tasting, though if you’re not looking to buy, you should reciprocate by at least feigning vague interest and asking for a business card. This inevitably means stuffing yourself with free Turkish delight: every store here basically sells the same products, offers the same services (vacuum pack, anyone?), and quotes ridiculously high prices (anywhere from 35-85 TL for a kg of delight). Just know that you can get these sweets much cheaper (10-20 TL per kg) in a residential store, although the Spice Bazaar will often have the most variety and the prettiest packaging. Try everything once. Well, almost anything. You’ll come across sticky balls of dried figs and walnuts called “Turkish Viagra.” Let’s Go doesn’t give medical advice, but after trying one, the only thing that might be hard is trying to win back your friends’ respect.
Eminönü. After walking out of the station, you’ll see Yeni Cami, the New Mosque. The bazaar is right behind the mosque. Its entrance has 3 domes and 3 arches. Open M-F 8am-7:30pm, Sa 8am-8pm, Su 9:30am-7:30pm.
FATIH ÇARŞAMBA PAZARI (WEDNESDAY BAZAAR)
Fatih Çarşamba Pazarı, Fatih Cad.
The biggest open-air bazaar in all of Istanbul, the Fatih Çarşamba Pazarı (or the Wednesday Bazaar) sprawls over 17 avenues and 17 streets, employing 1297 vendors and featuring 4811 individual stands, 2500 peddlers, and 16 garbage trucks to deal with the aftermath. It’s definitely huge—don’t expect to see every potato and pair of panties on sale—but not as dense as the Grand or Spice Bazaars because everything is so spread out through the streets. What you will see is pretty much everything a modest Turkish household might need, from clothing to cheese, ceramics to toilet scrubbers. Pro tip: all the nuts, seeds, spices, and dried fruits of the Spice Bazaar can be bought here, but for real people (read: dirt cheap) prices, rather than tourist (read: in Turkey, still pretty cheap) prices. And you might be the only tourist here! Since you’re not the target demographic, you’ll be bothered very little, if at all, by vendors who are far more interested in selling eggs to Turkish housewives than in asking you out.
Exit the grounds of the Fatih Mosque through the back. The market covers the entire area behind the mosque but doesn’t extend west past the main street of Fevzi Paşa Cad. If it’s W, you can’t miss it. Follow the crowds with shopping bags. Most vendors cash only. Many will claim indirim yok (no discounts), but haggling sometimes works anyway. Open W 5am-9pm.
Clothing
Save your money and your consumer greed—Beyoğlu is the place in Istanbul to buy things, and you might just find yourself regretting the touristy crap you bought that you thought was cool in Sultanahmet. For cheap new clothes (if you don’t feel like braving a Turkish bazaar to get them), hit up the Atlas and Halep passages (opposite each other, north of Galatasaray). The Avrupa (“Europe”) passage right next to the Aslıhan book passage (on Meşrutiyet Cad., just off İstiklal Cad.) has some good handmade artisan jewelry hidden among the usual trinkets—remember that in mostlegit jewelry shops, you pay for silver items by their weight, and it’s harder to haggle against a scale. Çukurcuma Caddesi is the neighborhood “antique street,” with some handmade hipster ateliers, pretty coffee shops, and vintage flea shops thrown in. Yeni Çarsi Caddesi also has cute, idiosyncratic boutique shop after boutique shop, many buying designs from local artists that won’t kill your budget (think along the lines of white canvas heels decorated with hand-drawn illustrations, one-size tutus, and summer dresses that’ll fit anyone, and then some used bookstores that are furry with cats lying on the shelves). For your last let’s-be-broke splurge, take a dolmuş from Taksim to the neighborhood of Nişantaşi, which is where the pampered and kitten-heeled go for their frocks and shoes. Death by shopping is a distinct possibility in Beyoğlu—don’t trip and roll down any of the San Fran-esque hills, unless you’re sure your shopping bags can cushion the fall!
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: There are a number of offices in different districts, including Sultanahmet (Meydanı 5 and Divan Yolu Cad. 5 0212 518 1803, 0212 518 1802), Beyoğlu (Seyran Apt., Mete Cad. 6 0212 233 0592), Sirkeci Train Station (0212 511 5888), Atatürk International Airport (0212 465 3151 Open daily 9am-10:30pm), Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (0216 588 8794) and Karaköy (Karaköy Limanı Yolcu Sarayı 0212 249 5776). All provide free maps, brochures, and information in English. Unless noted otherwise, they are open daily from mid-June to September 9:30am-6pm; from October to mid-June 9am-5:30pm.
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: Exchange bureaus are called döviz and can be found on İstiklal and around Divan Yolu. Among the better ones are Klas Döviz (Sıraselviler Cad. 6F 0212 249 3550 Open daily 8:30am-10pm) and Çözüm Döviz (İstiklal Cad. 53 0212 244 6271 Open daily 9am-10pm).
• ATMS: English-language ATMs (bankamatik, bankomat) can be found on almost every corner. If your account is at a foreign bank, cash withdrawal will cost you extra. Most ATMs dispense Turkish lire. If you want to withdraw American dollars or euro, try the banks around Sirkeci Train Station and İstiklal Cad.
• LUGGAGE STORAGE: 24hr. luggage storage (Emanet Bagaj) is available at Atatürk International Airport (0212 465 3442 10-20 TL per day) and Sirkeci Train Station (0212 527 0051 4-7 TL for 4hr., 0.50 TL per hr. thereafter; max. 4 days).
• GLBT RESOURCES: Time Out Istanbul magazine provides a good overview of the city’s GLBT establishments. Some other organizations of interest are Lambda (Tel Sok. 28/5, 4th fl., Beyoğlu 0212 245 7068, advice line 0212 244 5762 www.lambdaistanbul.org Open F-Su 3-8pm; hotline open M-Tu 5-7pm and F-Su 5-7pm), trans-focused Istanbul LGBTT (Atıf Yılmaz Cad. Öğüt Sok. 18/4, Beyoğlu 0212 252 1088 www.istanbul-lgbtt.org), and Ankara-based Kaos GL (0312 230 0358 http://news.kaosgl.com).
• LAUNDROMATS: Most hostels will do your laundry for a small fee. If you’d prefer a laundromat, try Beybuz (Topçekerler Sok. 7A 0212 249 5900 Wash 3 TL per kg. Dry cleaning 10 TL. Open 24hr.) or Şık Çamaşır Yıkama. (Güneşli Sok. 1A 0212 245 4375 15 TL per load. Open M-Sa 8:30am-8pm.)
• INTERNET: Sultanahmet Square offers free Wi-Fi. İstiklal Caddesi supposedly has free Wi-Fi as well, but coverage is spotty. One of the best internet cafes in town is Net Club (Imam Adnan Sok 18, 3rd fl. Just off Istiklal Cad., a few blocks from Taksim Sq. 1.25 TL per hr. Open 24hr.), but there are many others around İstiklal and a few near the Sultanahmet tram stop. In most cafes, expect to pay about 2 TL per hr.
• POST OFFICES: You can send letters and make calls at any of the many PTT booths around the city. Normal hours are 8:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:30pm. There’s a central post office in Eminönü (Büyük Postahane Cad. 25 0212 511 3818 Open daily 8:30am-9pm), while some other offices are in Taksim (Cumhuriyet Cad. 2 0212 292 3650 Open M-Sa 8:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:30pm), Galatasaray (Tosbağa Sok. 22 0212 243 3343 Open M-Sa 8:30am-7pm, Su 8:30-12:30pm and 1:30-5:30pm), and Sultanahmet (Sultanahmet Meydanı 0212 517 4966 Open in summer Tu-Su 8:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:30pm; in winter daily 8:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-5:30pm).
Emergency
• EMERGENCY NUMBER: 112.
• POLICE: 155. Tourism Police, in Turkish Turizm Şube Müdürlüğü. (Yerebatan Cad. 6, Sultanahmet 0212 527 4503)
• LATE-NIGHT PHARMACIES: Some pharmacies (eczane) stay open overnight (nöbetçi) on a rotating basis; for a list, go to www.treczane.com. Closed pharmacies will list the nearest open pharmacy on their doors.
• HOSPITAL/MEDICAL SERVICES: The best option for international travelers is to use a private hospital. They are clean and efficient, and have 24hr. emergency units and some English-speaking staff. Some of the options are the German Hospital, Alman Hastanesi (Sıraselviler Cad. 119 0212 293 2150 www.almanhastanesi.com.tr Consultation 160 TL) and the American Hospital (Güzelbahçe Sok. 20 0212 444 3777, ext. 9 www.americanhospitalistanbul.com Consultation 215 TL). Public hospitals are generally crowded, confusing, and lack English-speaking staff, but they are cheaper. The most conveniently located one is Taksim Hastanesi. (Sıraselviler Cad. 112 0212 252 4300 www.taksimhastanesi.gov.tr)
Getting There
By Plane
Istanbul is serviced by Atatürk International Airport (IST; 0212 463 3000 www.ataturkairport.com), which has both international and domestic terminals. The airport serves almost 40 airlines, including Turkish Airlines (0212 444 0849), British Airways (0212 317 6600), and Air France (0212 310 1919). The airport is 28km from central Istanbul. The easiest way to get from the airport to the center is to take the metro (M1) and then the tram. At the airport, follow the “M” signs, get on the metro (Tokens 1.75 TL), and get off at Zeytinburnu. Here, transfer to the tram going to Kabataş, which passes through Sultanahmet. You’ll need to buy another 1.75 TL token for the tram. You can also get off the metro at Aksaray, but the transfer to the tram here isn’t as convenient. You can also get to and from the airport via the express Havaş bus (0212 465 4700 www.havas.net 10 TL 40min., every 30min. 4am-1am) and taxis. (Around 30 TL to Sultanahmet, 35 TL to Taksim.)
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW; 0216 585 5000 www.sgairport.com) is located on the Asian side, about 40km from Kadıköy and 50km from Taksim. The best way to get from Sabiha Gökçen to central Istanbul is to take the Havaş bus (14 TL 1hr.; every 30min. from airport 5am-midnight, from Taksim 4am-1am). Alternatively, you can take the public E10 bus to Kadıköy (1.75 TL 90min., every 10min. or 1hr. depending on time of day) and then transfer to a ferry to either Eminönü or Karaköy (1.75 TL Around 20min.). Taxis are expensive, charging around 80 TL for the trip to Taksim.
By Bus
Buses are concentrated at the Büyük İstanbul Otogarı (0212 658 0505 www.otogaristanbul.com), known simply as the Otogar. The Aksaray-Havalimanı metro line (M1) has a stop here, so to get to the center from the bus station, take the metro to Aksaray and then walk to the Yusufpaşa tram stop, or take the metro to Zeytinburnu and switch onto the tram. Many bus companies have free shuttle service (ücretsiz servis) between the Otogar and Taksim. Among the major bus companies are metro (0212 444 3455 www.metroturizm.com.tr), Kamil Koç (0212 444 0562, 0212 658 2000 www.kamilkoc.com.tr) and Ulusoy. (444 1888 www.ulusoy.com.tr) Some of the most frequent bus routes go to: Ankara (From 35 TL 6-7hr.); Edirne (From 20 TL 2½ hr.); Çanakkale (From 35 TL 6hr.); Izmir (From 50 TL 9hr.), often via Bursa (From 20 TL 4hr.).
By Train
Sirkeci Train Station (0212 520 6575) is the final stop for all trains from Europe. The Bosphorus Express connects Istanbul to Bucharest ( 20½hr.) while the Balkan Express comes from Sofia ( 12½hr.) and Belgrade. ( 21½hr.) Trains from the Asian side terminate at Haydarpaşa Train Station (0216 336 4470). Different trains connect Istanbul with Ankara (Daytime tickets from 16 TL, overnight 90 TL 8hr., 5 per day). Information about train schedules and routes can be found on www.tcdd.gov.tr or by calling the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) at 0212 444 8233.
Getting Around
The public transportation network in Istanbul is reliable and easy to navigate. This applies especially to ferries, trams, and trains, because they don’t suffer from Istanbul’s traffic congestion. Rides on all of the following (apart from the dolmuşes and the Tünel funicular) have a flat rate of 1.75 TL, but it’s a bit cheaper if you use Akbil or a transit pass like the Istanbulkart.
Akbil is a keychain-like transit pass that you can get at major transportation hubs like Taksim (they have signs that say Akbil). Though the passes are useful, they are gradually being phased out. Instead, get the Istanbulkart at the same locations (like Taksim, Kabataş, and ticket booths at metro stops) for 10 TL. The card stores value, and you can add money to it as required. The pass is definitely worth it if you’re in the city for a week and don’t want to buy individual tickets (jetons) for each trip. The card works on buses, ferries (even some to the Princes’ Islands), the metro, and trams.
By Tram and Funicular
The tram line that runs from Bağcılar through Zeytinburnu and on to Kabataş is a great option for getting around the European side. It runs from 6am-midnight, stopping in Aksaray, Sultanahmet, and Karaköy. There are two nostalgic tram lines (old streetcar lines dating back to the early 20th century). One runs along İstiklal Cad., connecting Tünel and Taksim, while the other follows a circular route in Kadıköy and Moda, on the Asian side.
Istanbul is also connected by underground funiculars. Since there is no direct tram connection between Taksim and Sultanahmet, the funicular connecting Kabataş and Taksim is necessary in order to get between the two. Another funicular connects Karaköy and Tünel. ( 2.50 TL.)
By Metro and Rail
Istanbul’s metro (0212 568 9970 www.istanbul-ulasim.com.tr) has two lines. The M1 runs from Atatürk International Airport (Havalimanı) through Büyük Otogar to Aksaray. Aksaray is a 5min. walk from the Yusufpaşa tram stop (signs point the way). Another metro line (M2) runs from Şişhane north to Atatürk Oto Sanayi and runs from 6am-midnight. Two suburban trains (www.tcdd.gov.tr) complement the rail service and use the same fare system. One line starts at Sirkeci Train Station and goes west through Kumkapı and Yenikapı ( Around every 20min., 5:45am-midnight.), while the other starts at Haydarpaşa Train Station in Kadıköy and runs east through Göztepe and Bostancı ( Around every 20min., 5am-midnight.)
By Ferry
Commuter ferries are the best way to get to the Asian side and to access some of the more distant neighborhoods. The most useful lines are Eminönü-Kadıköy, Karaköy-Haydarpaşa-Kadıköy, Kabataş-Üsküdar, Eminönü-Üsküdar, Kadıköy-Beşiktaş, Kabataş-Kadıköy-Princes’ Islands, and the Golden Horn line (stops include Üsküdar, Eminönü, Fener, and Eyüp). Ferries usually run every 20min. or so. The two major intra-city ferry companies are Şehir Hatları (0212 444 1851 www.sehirhatlari.com.tr) and Turyol. (0212 251 4421, tourism line 0212 512 1287 www.turyol.com)
By Bus
You can get information on the city’s many useful bus lines through IETT (444 1871, Turkish-speaking www.iett.gov.tr). The dolmuş is a shared minibus that runs on set routes, stopping every couple of blocks to pick up and drop off passengers. The system is somewhat chaotic, but destinations are always listed on boards visible through the windows. The Kadıköy-Taksim dolmuş ( 5 TL) is especially useful, as it leaves every 20min., even after ferries stop running.
By Taxi
The initial charge for cabs is 2.50 TL and every additional kilometer costs 1.40 TL. If you’re taking a cab across the Bosphorus, you’ll have to pay the bridge toll as well. Locals round up on the fare for tip. Beware of common taxi scams like a “broken meter” and roundabout routes. While the younger generation in Turkey isn’t as hopping as in, say, the Netherlands, you’ll be able to find students near the larger city areas. In Istanbul, there is a growing young population, especially in the Beyoğlu area. Beşiktas is also a good option because of its proximity to and popularity with nearby university students. These areas are also where most of Istanbul’s worthwhile nightlife is found. Outside of Istanbul, you’ll be hard-pressed to find groups of students in European Turkey, besides those on field trips to Troy
Edirne—a three-hour bus ride west from Istanbul across romantically rolling yellow farmland dotted with olive trees—was the Ottoman Empire’s first capital city (think of it as the now-neglected first wife) from 1365-1453 before the Turks conquered their sexy trophy wife of Constantinople. As such, it’s a sleepy, cute little town with a gazillion mosques, a bazillion fountains, and a ton of banks. Walking through the central street of Saraçlar Cad. feels sort of like walking through the town square next to the castle in every Disney princess movie—except this one has mosque spires in the distance rather than church towers. Venture out from the city center, and life is as slow and steady as the plodding of the cows, horses, and the occasional camel that populate the primarily agricultural lands all around. Though Edirne has historically been one of the most envied, fought-over points of civilization in the world, excitement today comes from tractors that push speed limits in the country, the annual fried liver and oil wrestling festivals, and the thrill that comes with walking into a mosque as heart-stoppingly beautiful as the Hagia Sophia and being the only tourist there to enjoy it.
SIGHTS
SELIMIYE MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Meydan Mh.
Everyone knows that everyone goes to Istanbul to see the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia is Istanbul (as far as art history majors are concerned). But what if we told you that the greatest Ottoman architect and Muslimizer of the Sofia, Mimar Sinan, strove to create an even greater masterpiece at age 80, when he was ripe with a lifetime of experience? An opus magnum of even more technical excellence than any other mosque in the Ottoman Empire? Well, he did it, and it’s sitting right here in Edirne. The Selimiye Mosque was built in only six years (the guides smugly compare it to the 150 years it took to build St. Peter’s), opened for worship in 1575, and now floats above the city on a little hill of its own, recognizable for miles and miles around. The south entrance (the one leading up from the main road, Talat Paşa Cad.) is the most convenient and most fun (with thousands of pigeons on the steps leading up to the mosque, mobbing for birdseed and exploding to great photographic effect when you charge at them), but enter from the western side, through the marble courtyard, to experience the full blast of the explosive, cosmological circularity of being correctly oriented toward Mecca, the way Sinan intended you to be.
From Saraçlar Cad., walk north until the intersection with Talat Paşa Cad. Turn right and walk until you see Sera Café ahead, and the Eski Mosque to the right. Trust us, you won’t miss it (hint: it’s the one with the four gigantic minarets). Standard mosque etiquette applies. Free. Open daily 8:30am-11:30pm.
ESKI (OLD) MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Sabuni Mh.
If the Selimiye Mosque in one word is vast, the Eski (Old) Mosque ispowerful. Clearly, 15th-century Ottoman architects understood the impact of the orange-and-blue combo way before Tom Cruise action movie posters. Eski is famous for its incredibly imposing black calligraphy, illustrating the holy names of Muhammad and Allah on the main walls. They seem to suck up all the energy in the room, delivering a punch to your soul and completely dominating the message, “The word is God.” Note the elegant details like the extra mihrab (the diamond-shaped, carved structure in the wall that points toward Mecca) inside the bigger mihrab—the solution for pumping up the volume of the imam’s voice via echo, centuries before the microphone. It’s hard to believe that this gorgeous, often-empty, unvisited space held millions of worshippers for over 600 years. Come in the morning in the 21st century, and you’ll very likely have the mosque all to yourself.
From Saraçlar Cad., walk up to the intersection with Talat Paşa Cad., then turn right and walk until you see the mosque on the right (it has bold black Arabic calligraphy on the walls). Standard mosque etiquette applies. Free. Open daily 5am-midnight.
ÜÇ SEREFELI MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Sabuni Mh.
Entering the ÜÇ Serefeli Mosque sort of feels like walking into Vivaldi’s “Spring.” The colorful painted arabesques leap and twirl like a pretty spring salad, all life and light and grace. You’ll notice how each of the spires that rise from the mosque are decorated differently: zig-zagged, checkered, spiraled, and fluted. The intricate engravings on the domes of the porticoes are some of the oldest examples of Ottoman mosque ornamentation and so beautiful you might spend your whole visit looking up and getting a crick in your neck. One of the quietest mosques in the area, you might find yourself alone to wander the space at your leisure; otherwise, share the space with a couple of toddlers who will squeal and chase after each other, rolling all over the carpets. You might just want to join them because the word for this mosque is joyful.
From Saraçlar Cad., walk straight up through the big intersection with Talat Paa Cad., onto Hükümet Cad. You won’t miss the patterned minarets ahead. Standard mosque etiquette applies. Free. Open daily 8am-midnight.
TRAKYA UNIVERSITY SULTAN II BAYEZID HEALTH MUSEUM & MEDICAL SCHOOL
MUSEUM
Yeniimaret
0284 224 0922
This museum—the proud winner of the Council of Europe Museum Prize of 2004—recreates a hospital founded in 1484 by Sultan Bayezid II to provide Edirne with top medical services. At a time when the mentally ill were being burned alive in Europe, patients here were treated with “alternative care,” such as music therapy, water sounds, herb lore, aromatherapy, and other psycho-therapeutic methods. As soon as you enter the cool, white, cavern-like dome of the hospital, you’ll know what we mean—the bubbling trickle of the central fountain, the mysterious flute music, and excellent acoustics (seriously, don’t sneeze or you might shit yourself), can’t help but make you feel a little bit “healed” yourself. Unfortunately, we doubt all of their ways were totally sound after reading this gem: “When the lovers, who fell into the love sea of Edirne, increase in number during the spring time, the season of craziness, they are brought to this madhouse upon the order of the physician and chained to their beds by silver and golden chains. Each one lies on the bed just like roaring lions.”
It’s an easy, downhill, 30min. walk to the Sultan II Bayezid Mosque Complex. From Saraçlar Cad., walk north until you reach the ÜÇ Serefeli Mosque. Turn left onto Horozlu Bayir Sok. and follow it all the way down until the Yalnızgöz Köprüsu Bridge. Walk across, then walk across the 2nd bridge until you see the white mosque complex. It’s difficult to get lost, as you’ll see its minarets from far away. Free Wi-Fi. 5 TL, group (10+) 3 TL each, students 1 TL, foreign tourists 10 TL. Open daily 9am-5:30pm.
SULTAN II BAYEZID MOSQUE
MOSQUE
Yeniimaret
After checking out the “gynecological” surgery methods of 15th-century Ottomans in the Hospital Museum (if you missed it, it involved lots of grabbing and sharp metal implements and wincing on your part), you might feel a bit queasy. If so, take a moment’s rest inside the cool shade of the mosque of the Sultan II Bayezid Complex. Though the entrance seems firmly closed, with heavy-duty plastic keeping out dust and dirt and an intimidating security guard, the mosque is totally open to all. Step inside, and your breath will catch with the soaring height of the single dome. This mosque feels a bit like the Ottoman version of the huge ballroom in Beauty and the Beast—without the girl and the beast and the singing tea pots, obviously.
This mosque is in the same complex as the Hospital & Medical School Museum. It’s an easy, downhill, 30min. walk to the Sultan II Bayezid Mosque Complex. From Saraçlar Cad., walk north until you reach the ÜÇ Serefeli Mosque. Turn left onto Horozlu Bayir Sok. and follow it all the way down until the Yalnızgöz Köprüsu Bridge. Walk across, then walk across the 2nd bridge until you see the white mosque complex. Standard mosque etiquette applies. Free. Open daily 9am-5pm.
