Friday, October 19, 2018
5 Unique Things to Do in Istanbul
1/ Eat your breakfast in a local cafe
A lot of people recommend specific restaurants to eat, which is great because a Turkish breakfast is an incredible spread! However, greater than the food is the true kindness of Turkish people - and sometimes you don't find this in the popular places to eat / shop. We found this cafe local to where we were staying with two very memorable aspects. (1) The incredible price! Although Turkey is cheap and going to a popular spot will not break the bank, this breakfast pictured above cost us 10 TL (AU$2.50). They're FRESHLY BAKED simit was only 1 TL! We went to some other popular places and even tried it from the carts on the street, but they weren't as fresh as in these tiny, local cafes. (2) The incredible service of the workers there who couldn't speak English but spoke in smiles, laughter and their service that doesn't come through words. The genuine kindness of Turkish people is something that can't be explained through a blog post or video travel series but something that has to be felt by yourself, and then you'll know exactly what people mean when they say Turkish hospitality is unparalleled.
2/ Visit Moda on the Asian side
Catch a ferry from the Galata over to the Asian side (Around 5 TL one way). As a whole, we loved the Asian side of Istanbul - the atmosphere was very calm and relaxed while still feeling like a city. There are a lot of restaurants and markets that are worth wandering around or visiting, however Moda was the area that we loved the most. This is where the bars and restaurants are, attracting a younger crowd with a more groovy vibe. There are tonnes of great places to eat from different cuisines matching different price points, bars for dancing or chatting, and novelty stores to galavant around. Our Air B&B host said a lot of people tend to skip over the Asian side of Istanbul however it was probably one of our favourite days spent in Istanbul!
3/ Catch a ferry to Buyukada, Princes Island
The ferry to Buyukada leaves from Kabatas port (which can be reached on the blue line on the tram). The journey is 10TL each way but it is so worth it! There are five that make up Princes Island, but Buyukada is the one that is more developed and more catered to tourists, which may sound like a bad thing, but in this case it means there is actually things to do/look at! We went later in the day and caught a sunset that we will truly never forget. You can hire a bike or walk around on your own legs, both magical experiences. There are also plenty of restaurants on the island so you can stay for dinner too. Alternatively, there are a few Carrefour supermarkets down the strip so you can buy some snacks and have a picnic while watching the colours change over Istanbul's skyline.
4/ Visit Vialand
A theme park right in the middle of Istanbul!! I LOVE theme parks. There is almost nothing that can bring out our inner children in a quicker or better way. They have an adults section, and also a children's section. It's quite small but the rides are good! We went on a Monday where it was virtually empty, so we didn't have to line up for any rides - we basically just did a marathon of our favourite rides! Entry is 140 TL. They may offer some packages when you buy your tickets that come with a food voucher, but don't worry about this - as the food inside is cheaper than the different between the package and the regular ticket. We spent all day here and loved every second of it!
5/ Watch the sunset over the water near Aqua Florya
Aqua Florya is a giant shopping centre by the water. We were desperate for a beach day so opened Google Maps and looked for the nearest body of water near to where we were staying (near the airport). We dropped a pin and walked along the coast, watching people fish, cats nap and couples holding hands while watching the another beautiful day in Istanbul turn to night. It was a bright orange sunset that turned the sky to fire - the sun looked like it was right there! We walked all the way down to Aqua Florya, munching on our gourmet Burger King dinner in their food court over the water.
In the book 'Eat, Pray, Love', Liz Gilbert tells us the story of how her Italian friend believes every city in the world has a word that encapsulates everything it is and represents. To me, there is one clear and definite word that would best describe Istanbul: and that is, magic.
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