Istanbul - the best of both worlds (Istanbul)

Member Name: fizzywizzy

Product:	Istanbul
Date:	28/03/09 (243 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fascinating, historic, romantic, magical, nowhere else like it

Disadvantages: Must go at the right time, can be very busy

One of the world's biggest cities, Istanbul is almost too diverse and too historic to sum up in one review. One could spend weeks in this fascinating metropolis and still barely scratch the surface. The city is at once bewildering, enchanting and exciting and exploring it can sometimes feel like hard work but your efforts will be rewarded many times over. I can only give a very general overview of Istanbul here, it's unrealistic to think that one could give any more in a couple of thousand words but at the end I'll give some suggestions for reading and viewing material that I think will complement and extend what I want to say about the city.

Istanbul has a population of around 12 million - more or less; the authorities don't really know how many people actually live there because hundreds more people arrive from rural areas every day, many of them living in illegally built apartment blocks on the outskirts of the city (although Ankara has an even greater problem with this). It's known as the city where Europe meets Asia but that is a little confusing because what is geographically the European side is the part with the more Asian feel and the very oldest buildings such as the hippodrome, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Conversely, the "Asian side" with its main shopping street Istiklal Caddesi off Taksim Square feels much more European.

Istanbul is a watery city standing on the River Bosphorous and the section of the Sea of Marmara known as the Golden Horn, which cuts through the western shore. Istanbul is a major port and the Sea of Marmara links the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Vessels bound for destinations around the world pass through Istanbul. Its geographic position explains why Istanbul has always been a cosmopolitan city and why its fortunes are inextricably tied up in commerce. For centuries Istanbul has been a place to buy and sell goods and do business. I can think of no other city so caught up in commerce as Istanbul. Of course, while some visitors enjoy the haggling and the satisfaction of getting a bargain, just as many loathe the attentions of the touts who are determined to make a sale.

Many people mistakenly think that Istanbul is the capital of Turkey but that distinction was taken away from the city in 1923 when Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, decided to move the capital to Ankara because he wanted to throw off the associations with the Ottoman regime. When the Ottomans established rule in what we now call Turkey, they also tried to remove aspects of other empires who had reigned over the city. The famous Haghia Sophia cathedral became instead the Aya Sofya, a magnificent mosque, today one of the city's chief attractions and the old name "Constantinople" was changed to Istanbul by Mehmet the Conqueror.

Istanbul is teeming with historical treasures which means you are really spoiled for choice in deciding what to do. You do need to come to terms with the fact that on a short visit you are unlikely to be able to cram in as much as you'd like. Most places have long queues and, if you visit in the height of summer, the heat will slow you down. Don't be tempted to squeeze in too much sight-seeing; accept that you can't see everything. Places like the Topkapi Palace need at least half a day to do them any justice and even a visit to the Grand Bazaar will take longer than you think as you retrace your steps time and again to find that shop with the really nice cushions.

The chief sights most tourists head for are

- The Blue Mosque - built by Sultan Ahmet the First to create a monument to overshadow the Aya Sofya. In a city full of grand mosques, this one is instantly recognizable as it has six minarets. It gets its name because of the thousands of blue tiles that decorate it. Admission is controlled because of the high number of visitors. This is a working mosque so women should bring a head scarf to cover up.
- The Aya Sofya - Built for Emperor Justinian and completed in 537 AD this was regarded as the greatest church in Christendom until Mehmet the Conqueror took the city in 1453. He ordered it to be converted into a mosque and in 1935 the government of the Turkish Republic turned it into a museum. It is the most amazing building I have ever set foot in. Words can scarcely describe the feeling of awe it inspires with its gravity defying dome and wonderful mosaics.
- The Topkapi Palace - the Palace was built for Mehmet the Conqueror not long after he took control of Istanbul. After his death successive sultans lived here until they moved to more modern palaces like the Dolmabahce Palace in the nineteenth century. The Palace is huge and a guided tour is recommended - or at least an audio tour. In addition, you can see the Harem but this can only be done a part of a guided tour. The harem was not as many believe where the Sultan engaged in hanky-panky with whichever of his concubines took his fancy that particular day, but where his "wives" and children lived.
- The Grand Bazaar - in Turkish the "kapali carsi"; to visit the grand bazaar you need to be in a good mood other wise don't bother. You will be approached constantly and invited to haggle. Do join in, it's fun and you might get a good bargain. Some of the stuff is rubbish but some is quite nice and worth taking home for souvenirs. There are rug sellers, tea stalls, jewellery and more commercial items such as t-shirts and all manner of items bearing the symbol that will protect you from the "evil eye". For a slightly less touristy experience try the Egyptian Bazaar (also known as the Spice Bazaar) which will have your senses in overdrive.
- The Galata Bridge - the bridge joins Old Istanbul with Beyoglu and crossing it is a very symbolic business. Not only do you get tremendous views of the city from the bridge but also a curious feeling of being in a quite special place. Hundreds of men with fishing rods dangling over the side of the bridge fill baskets of fish to take home but on the next level down you can enjoy some freshly caught fish in one of the many restaurants. I found it quite odd - but very enjoyable - to be eating a fish sandwich while sitting on the Galata Bridge.
- The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - I have a particular interest in Islamic art but I was surprised how busy this museum, situated in the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha by the hippodrome, was. There is a fabulous display of exquisite carpets and you can see how the tradition varied from region to region. There is a brilliant ethnographic collection including a very interesting recreation of a parlour in an Ottoman house and a nomadic tent.

This is just a selection of the interesting things to see and do; personally I could spend days visiting the different mosques or exploring the museums. On the whole the attractions of Istanbul are historic ones and not everyone is interested in history. If you have no interest in history then it's probably not the destination for you.

Istanbul is a great place for shopping and ceramics and leather goods offer excellent value. Other good items to buy are olive oil soap and textiles such as linens and woollen items from eastern Turkey. The Grand Bazaar is where to buy fun items but you will find better quality items elsewhere, especially in the Handicrafts Market in Sultanahmet.

While you can find food from all over the world in Istanbul, Turkish food offers the best value for money. Generally I would suggest visitors avoid restaurants in the Sultanahmet district as they tend to be over-priced and not very good. If you do eat in Sultanamhet find somewhere off the main street where lots of locals are eating.

For meat dishes - an endless array of different kinds of kebabs - simple café-style places cannot be beaten. For something less heavy the same places do lamahcun - a very thin dough base covered with spicy ground meat and (for the veggies) "pide" a Turkish style pizza shaped vaguely like a boat.

For Turkish mezze head for a "meyhane" (roughly translated - inaccurately in my opinion - as a tavern), There are lots of these in the streets behind Istiklal Caddesi in Beyoglu. They are good value for money and give you a chance to try a little of everything.

Istanbul has a reputation as a very stylish city with some of the most cutting edge design on show in the new upmarket bars and restaurants. It's not really my kind of thing but if it's yours, head for Beyoglu or Taksim Square. Who knows you may spot some of the footballers from Galatasaray, Fenerbahce or Besiktas posing in the VIP areas.

There is a massive amount of accommodation in Istanbul; all the international chains are there but there is a vast selection of accommodation right across the spectrum. Wherever you stay I would recommend you take advantage of airport transfers, if you are arriving or departing by air. The larger hotels do this independently but the hostels and smaller hotels have a joint service which they will book for you. Your first time in Istanbul can be quite overwhelming and the transfer service is less expensive than you might think. Usually I don't bother with them but Istanbul is one city where you might want to consider it.

Istanbul is a wonderfully exhilarating city to visit. It's a place where you use all your senses and a true "experience". There really is nowhere quite like it. It can be overwhelming but it can also be incredibly friendly and peaceful. The Aya Sofya might be teeming with tourists but the magnificence of it made me almost forget I was among so many people. I have hardly scratched the surface - either in this review or in my own visits. I know I'll be back to see other parts of the city ; to be honest you could spend a lifetime in Istanbul and never see everything. A weekend trip will only tempt you to go back but even a weekend can give you a tantalizing taste of one of the world's most compelling cities.

Winter in Istanbul can be cold and cruel, the summer painfully hot. Go in early or late summer to enjoy some warmth but not be too hot to enjoy it. If I could offer one piece of advice it would be don't skimp on time; a weekend is OK but a minimum of four days will allow you to see a reasonable amount. Leave time to stop for tea, a Turkish institution; find a shady tea garden and order a glass of sweet black tea. Be sure to take to the water, even if it's just to cross over to Beyoglu as the best views of the city come from the water. If your hotel room has a balcony - or your accommodation has a roof top terrace do make sure to be outside at least once at evening prayer time when the call of the muezzins from all around starts to echo hauntingly around the city. For me it is this evocative sound, more than anything that sticks in my mind and I can't wait to hear it again.


To learn more about Istanbul I recommend

- "Istanbul: Memories of a City" by Orhan Parmuk
- "Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul" - a brilliant film about musicians in Istanbul
- Any of the crime fiction novels by Barbara Nadel set in the city
- "The Janissary Tree" by Jason Goodwin, murder and mystery in Ottoman Istanbul

Summary: For me the world's most wonderful city