The Bosphorus strait runs through the heart of Istanbul, splitting it into two parts. The strait may physically divide the city’s residents, but it also draws them together.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY—Been there. Done that. Bought the rug. That’s what I thought, after a two-day stopover on a cruise four years ago.
Yet so many people rave about Istanbul, I wondered if they were simply smokin’ from a different hookah, or if perhaps I had missed something during my whirlwind tour of the “must see” sites: the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace. It was architectural overload, like staring at the sun. If I had been invited to gaze upon one more mosaic, however beautiful, I thought I might bleed from my eyes.
Don’t get me wrong. Istanbul’s wonders are worth visiting, particularly the Blue Mosque, as it’s not only stunning; it’s also an important religious centre where worshipers pray five times a day.
But for the most part, the de rigueur list barely scratches the surface of what I had come to suspect might be the true spirit of this city, where residents respect their history, but live, love, work, dance, play and party in the present.
So I went back. I slowed down. I took time to meet the people and learn how the locals spend their days, and their nights. What I discovered is that this isn’t a city you should try to “do” in two days. Take a week. Take a walk and wander, and let Istanbul weave its web around you.
Get high
If you’ve ever seen Midnight Express, you’ll know I’m not suggesting a dalliance with drugs, unless you fancy an extended stay in a Turkish prison.
To fully appreciate the scope of this city — from the spiny minarets that punctuate the treetops to the cascade of blocky mid-rises that tumble down the hillsides like Lego-built lava — you need to poke your head in the clouds.
Savour the view from Gaja Restaurant and rooftop bar, atop Swissotel The Bosphorus, or book a room at the adjacent Swissotel Living — chic apartments you can rent by the night, where guests can relax beside a rooftop infinity-edge pool overlooking the strait.
swissotel.com, Bayildim Cad. No:2 Macka, Besiktas, Tel: +90 212 326 1100. Main courses from 45 TL ($24); Swissotel Living rooms from about $562.
Take a cruise
The Bosphorus strait runs through the heart of Istanbul, splitting it into two parts — two continents, in fact (Asia and Europe). The strait may physically divide the residents, but it also draws them together, fishing on its banks and traversing its waters.
Sehir Hatlari offers a round-trip Full Bosphorus Cruise (25 TL, $13.60), departing Eminönü at 10:30 a.m. with a 2.5-hour stopover at Anadolu Kavagi, a little fishing village chock-a-block with fresh seafood restaurants, a short walk from castle ruins. Buy your ticket on the Eminönü pier. sehirhatlari.com.tr.
Visit a hammam
Want to experience the ultimate self-indulgence — something that extends well beyond a massage and totally blows a mundane mani-pedi out of the water?
How about a personal bather? At a hammam, you’ll be scrubbed, rinsed, rubbed and steamed, emerging smoother than a newborn baby’s bottom.
There’s no better place to shed those dead skin cells than the Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamami, between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. Built in 1556 by Suleiman the Magnificent, this hammam is a work of art, with tasseled curtains framing massage rooms and restful expanses of white marble.
ayasofyahamami.com, Cankurtaran Mahallesi Bab-i Hümayun Cad.?No:1, Sultanahmet, Tel: +90 212 517 3535. 35-minute Pir-i Pak package, 70 euro (about $89).
Dessert and a show
The ice cream vendors on Istiklal Caddesi, a lively shopping artery running southwest of Taksim Square, don’t just scoop gobs of chilled goo.
Dressed in embroidered vests and colourful scarves, and framed by open windows emblazoned with neon lights, they wield a sword (albeit a sword that ends in a spoon) with a magician’s slight of hand, tossing the ice cream from cone to cone and keeping it tantalizingly out of reach until you’re salivating for the sweet stuff. Try Borek Center, Istiklal Cad., N:167 Taksim Beyoglu.
Rock on at Reina
Located on the banks of the Bosphorus, almost directly beneath one of its famous bridges, Reina is the reigning queen of Istanbul’s nightlife, drawing celebrities such as Bono, Uma Thurman and Sting. Dine, then dance the night away. reina.com.tr, Muallim Naci Cad. No:44 Ortakoy, Tel: +90 212 259 59 19.
Shop ’til you drop
“Excuse me. May I sell you something you don’t need?” a cheeky young man at the Grand Bazaar enquires, offering up the best pitch I’ve heard all day.
Yes, it’s unabashedly touristy, but a visit to the bazaar, bustling with thousands of shops selling hookahs, jewellery, ceramics, pashminas and the ubiquitous Turkish rugs, is cheap entertainment and a great place to buy inexpensive souvenirs.
For a more upscale shopping experience, stroll the streets of Nisantasi, which are flanked by boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Alexander McQueen and Roberto Cavalli. You’ll find many of the best designers under one roof at Beymen, a chic department store where sales staff follow you at a discreet, watchful distance — at least if you stroll in wearing an H&M sundress and flip-flops.
Beymen: beymen.com, Abdi Ipekçi Cad. 23/1 Nisantasi, Tel: +90 212 373 4800. Grand Bazaar: grandbazaaristanbul.org, the most popular entrances are through the Beyazit Gate and the Nuruosmaniye Gate, in Beyazit.
Amy Laughinghouse is a freelance writer based in London. Follow her on Twitter at @A_Laughinghouse.
