The Istanbul Turkey Dream

Initial impressions! Speechless. Lively. Flavorful. These impressions of Istanbul are forever lasting, and it is probably the most memorable city we have ever explored. Istanbul is not only the largest city in Turkey, it was once the site of the Holy Roman Empire! Needless to say, it left us speechless! We've discovered that cities around the world all have these little idiosyncrasies and Istanbul's definitely has to first and foremost be the fact that everyone drinks hot tea, in a glass, 24/7. After that, it would have to be the tons of vendors selling roasted corn and chestnuts!! Lastly, we constantly joked about how there were no trashcans, but it was so clean! If we had anything that needed to go into recycling or a garbage bin, then we would just hold onto it and eventually there would be a plethora of vestibules for glass, plastic, paper, metal, etc. , but it was amazing to see how many City workers were constantly picking up anything that remotely looked like trash. It's by far one of the cleanest cities we've ever visited.

Istanbul: Our Overall Experiences & What to Expect

This much we can tell you right away; Istanbul is a city you absolutely have to visit!! The vibrant day/nightlife are hard to put into words. The people just seem to love every minute of every day! Istanbul exudes everything you could love about Europe and the Middle East; however, there's a uniqueness that comes from the collision of the two worlds. When looking at Istanbul on the world map, it couldn't appear any better than what we saw, which is a handshake of East meets West! Istanbul does encompass both Europe and Asia, but it has its own identity as we said before. Remember, Turkey isn't Istanbul, so we're only speaking of a City, not the Country; however, we found Turkey as a whole seems to exude nothing but great things and phenomenal people!

Is Istanbul expensive?

Compared to pricing in the United States, everything was extremely affordable! The dining experiences blew us away! When we thought we were splurging on unbelievable food, drinks, service, high-quality restaurants, our jaws dropped when we got the bill that was equivalent to $30-$50! We thought we went overboard and were expecting something around $200 USD, but, nope! $40 to be treated like royalty! Our biggest hiccup was the fact that our flight was delayed, which meant our connection (Atlanta to Amsterdam to Istanbul) almost didn't happen. What did happen unfortunately was that we didn't get our luggage for two days, but considering the Turkish Lira is extremely generous, we were able to purchase some awesome clothes! To put the Turkish Lira into perspective, dinner might be $300 Lira, which is equivalent to $30 USD. The conversion rate at the time was about 1 Turkish Lira = 12 US Cents. So, our cab ride (which took 30 minutes from the airport) only cost us $150 Turkish Lira ($15 USD)! So we were always ecstatic about the pricing because the European Union is definitely much more expensive!

Should I use Turkish Lira (cash) or my Credit Card while in Istanbul?

It’s much easier to use Lira when you are paying a taxi driver and when you are shopping in the stores and gift shops, which is a complete contradiction to Europe (most EU countries prefer credit cards). The technology is just a bit slower from what we experienced when you try to use a card in these places. All the restaurants were very open to card payments, but it took a while. Additionally, you will often see that the card payment leaves the inability to leave a tip. This is because they typically don't expect a tip, but we tried our best to leave one if we could (they make it hard by the way). We try to research the culture of the locations we go, and from what we read and saw, the only time you tip is at a restaurant and it's usually never more than about 5%. We left a few tips (higher than the 5%) and we apparently changed someone's life based on the reaction (we're joking, but they were really shocked).

Is Istanbul safe?

Extremely safe! We're aware that the Syrian border has had its issues, and so has Istanbul; however, we never felt like we were unwelcome, or felt uneasy at any point in our trip. We walked down some random allies around 2am by the way. We saw some sketchy folks here and there, but we never had anyone approach us with malice or even seem the slightest bit rude or concerning. On the contrary, every person, anywhere, went out of their way to help, be cordial, and showed the most gracious and pleasant welcomeness and hospitality we've seen since going to Switzerland. The Turks are truly wonderful people and we can't express it enough!

We heard from a few people before our trip to be careful with the taxi drivers. We're unsure what they were talking about? It's pretty basic, you have yellow cabs and blue cabs. They're the same company. Blue seems to be a bit more expensive (literally, about a dollar for half an hour), but both are phenomenal! As with any big city, be direct, know how long it take from your location to destination. If any cabby tries to veer off course for some extra cash, correct them! We didn't see this occur at all in Turkey by the way. They alway went straight to our destination. Be advised; these taxi drivers do not play and at times you may feel like you are on the set of “Fast and the Furious.”

How much time should I plan for Istanbul?

We stayed three nights, so really, it was about a day and a half, but we feel we should have stayed longer! We both move very fast, so it depends on your itinerary and what you're looking to accomplish. We arrived towards the evening time on our first night (5pm or so Istanbul time), and we then spent the entire next day from 7am-12am(midnight) on the second day exploring. We left the next afternoon, but returned the following afternoon after going to Cappadocia, and we were still shocked to see tons of things we didn't notice in our first few days! More time in any country or new city is always better. As an example, from our trip, do not worry if your time is tight: even on a weekend you can visit the highlights of Istanbul, as most of the sights are very close together. Make sure you bring good walking shoes, a great attitude, and get some Turkish Lira from the closest ATM! We walked a complete 15 miles on our full day, and buying simple things like water or random snacks was just easier with Turkish Lira. Countries like Iceland prefer cards for every purchase, but not Istanbul. We both still feel like we could've easily seen more and spent much more time in the city. Great shoes are a must, but we are both guilty of going on adrenaline and feeling the impact later that night or next day. We're trying to get better :) about taking care of our feet!

2. Sights and Activities in Istanbul

Many sights in Istanbul can be reached quite easily by foot. You are best to start off directly in the historic Sultanahmet Square in the Fatih district. Here you will find all the main tourist attractions of Istanbul, including the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. If you cross the Galata Bridge, you will reach the other side of the Golden Horn.

Head up the hill and you will be in the heart of the Beyoglu District (Don't miss Galata Tower, it's hard not too!). As you reach the summit of Beyoglu, you'll be inundated with the most amazing foods, shops, bars, etc. the focus is no longer on the sightseeing here, but more on the Turkish lifestyle of endless nights! Nevertheless, there are some places worth seeing here as well, so definitely explore!

As for the Grand Bazaar (back across the Bosphorus close to Sultanahmet Square) – this is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. This bazaar is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world. This experience can be overwhelming because the moment you walk in you have every store owner trying to convince you to come into their store. You can get some amazing things at very cheap prices, but we just wanted to walk around and then get back to the historic sites. My favorite shops were the lamp and carpet stores.

Hagia Sophia – built in 537 (yes you read that right) as the patriarchal cathedral of the imperial capital of Constantinople, it was the largest Christian church of the eastern Roman Empire. In 1453, after the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque. We were taken back by the size of this mosque and the beauty that could be seen from every angle.

Blue Mosque – this mosque was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Hand-painted blue tile adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes. It’s free to enter this mosque, but ladies be prepared to have a scarf to wrap around your hair, and everyone must take off their shoes before entering. We were so happy to have the opportunity to walk inside the legendary masterpiece but did not get to see much of the blue interior since it’s currently undergoing some renovation work. You got to think, one thing that has come from the pandemic is less visitors and when travel came to a halt, the city took this as an opportunity to begin restoring some of these historic monuments to be enjoyed for many years to come.

Galata Tower – This tower reminded me of the real-life Rapunzel’s tower! This tower was built as Christea Turrris (“Tower of Christ”) in 1348 during an expansion of the Genoese colony in Constantinople. It truly is beautiful in person and becomes an active photo spot at night when the tower is lit up with beautiful lights.

Basilica Cistern – The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several ancient cisterns beneath the city that provides a water filtration system for the buildings. The ceiling is supported by 335 marble columns. I wanted to include this on the blog, but please know we were not able to experience this beautiful historic piece due to restoration work that is taking place.

Carpet Shops – It may be impossible to leave Istanbul without a carpet salesman having you consider if you need new rugs in every single room of your house. We were approach while figuring out the best direction to the Blue Mosque. The next thing we knew we had this carpets salesman being our personal photographer, helping us get to the front of the line, and then walking us to his carpet shop so he could show off his amazing carpets. While we were there, he gave us something to drink, Baklava, and the best presentation of his rugs. We tried to decline all the complimentary service, be he told us it’s rude to say no when offered to you in the Turkish culture. I felt bad because we were not intending to buy rugs and we told him this from the beginning. After his amazing presentation, we kindly declined, and left. But it still was a pretty cool experience, and we learned a lot.

3. The Most Beautiful Lookout Points in Istanbul

When walking around Istanbul, you will see rooftops restaurants all over. However, if you go around 3:30PM to the Grace Roof Top located in the Grace Hotel, you will have an incredible and very private and one of the most beautiful lookout points over city. The level of hospitality was out of this world. The main floor is the restaurant, but then there is another level that the waiter took us to and even took our pictures. It was truly one of those life moments that will be stamped in our minds forever.

4. Food in Istanbul: Our Tips

In Istanbul and Turkey in general, there is great emphasis placed on food – something we love to hear! Due to the large selection, making a decision is really hard. However, you can try and sample all sorts of Turkish sweets, including the baklava in all its many variations. While you are there try things you would not normally eat. You will be pleasantly surprise on the incredible and fresh taste with every bite.

Street Food We Tasted – so much more we could have tried

Dürüm - is one of the most democratic Turkish culinary inventions. Why? You’re just as likely to encounter it on a street corner as you are at the fanciest of restaurants. Whether it’s the chicken, beef, cheese or veggie variety you prefer, this meal in wrap form is sure to set you free from your hunger pangs. For crowd-pleasing dürüm, stop by Bambi or Kızılkayalar in Taksim Square at any hour of the day.

Islak Burger “Wet Hamburgers” – think the size of a Krystal hamburger, but 100 times better. They are doused in a garlicky tomato sauce. The wet burgers are fuss free and there’s absolutely no extras in the bun – no cheese, no lettuce, no pickles – absolutely nothing apart from a wet, sauced up garlic-tomato bun. It truly was incredible!

The Turkish Breakfast

Accordingly, a classic Turkish breakfast is generally comprised of black and green olives, cucumbers, cured meats, dips and sauces, eggs, fresh cheeses, fresh tomatoes, fresh-baked bread, fruit preserves and jams, honey, pastries, and sweet butter. For us it was the perfect meal and did not weigh you down for the day filled with adventure. We stumbled upon the best breakfast place that was conveniently located around the corner of the Galata Tower called Guney’s! Check out the delicious shots of our breakfast below.

Top Turkish Food to Try

Kibbeh – picture this slightly fried dough filled with the most flavorful ground beef, onions, and spices mixed together perfectly, and you have kibbeh. It was so delicious and we got to try it at the Grace Roof Top overlooking city.

Hamsi Balik – While at the Grace Roof Top, Rusty tried the hamsi balik. Hamsi is a small fish that can be found in the Black Sea region, and their variety is called ‘European Anchovy’.

Slimet – this is a circular bread, typically encrusted with sesame seeds. You will see street vendors selling this with cinnamon almost like a cinnamon pretzel. But, we had the original over a Turkish breakfast and it was delicious. This is Turkey’s version of the American bagel.

Kuzu şiş - is a Turkish lamb kebab made with the thigh of the lamb, and served with onion and tomato garnishes. And, let me tell you it is some of the flavorful and tender meat you have every had.

5. Our Hotel Recommendations for Istanbul

Para Palace Hotel – In my wildest dreams I never thought we would sleep in such luxury. When we first stepped foot in this hotel, it just took us both back in the detail of every single item. Based on the hotel’s blog there is so much history tied to this hotel: “The story of Pera Palace begins with the story of a train. The luxury train, which started its journey from Paris on October 4, 1888, crossed the Alps and reached Istanbul after an 80-hour journey through Budapest and Bucharest. The first passengers of the Orient Express were distinguished bureaucrats, journalists, writers, and the wealthy. However, in the 1840s, Istanbul was not yet ready for international tourism. Foreigners who previously stayed with their relatives, perhaps; In time, they started to stay in hostels built by minorities or Levantines. But these hostels did not have the luxury and comfort offered by the kind of big hotels where elite people stay in the big cities of Europe.” When you are walking around this hotel you just feel like luxury, but ultimately you are taken care of be the level of hospitality to the fullest. Below are a few snapshots that we try to take to capture just some of the beauty that we saw through our eyes.

Hotel DeCamondo Galata – this hotel was only steps away from the Galata Tower and had the most incredible roof top restaurant overlooking the city. On our last night we got to watch the sunset and the moon rise while overlooking again everything this city has to offer. There is so much history behind the Camondo Family in which this hotel is named after. The Camondo family was only one of the thousands of Sephardic Jewish families who had to leave Spain in 1492, expelled by the monarchs after the Reconquista. The family moved to Venice and then to the heart of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople when Venice came under Austrian rule in 1798. The family started to get rich with the banking company "Isaac Camondo & Cie" which was established under the leadership of Ishak Camondo in 1802. Read more here on their history. Again, the service was top notch. As we entered the hotel, immediately we were treated as VIP guests by the hostess giving us a tour of the rooftop restaurant, a welcome drink for safe travels, and then a guide to our room where we were instructed on how everything works for an enjoyable experience. As you can see below, this is truly another beautiful and amazing place to stay. Did I mention we got to stay here for $75???

Detailed Itinerary

FLIGHT: Fly from a United States airport the night before your trip to Istanbul. This will help your body adjust some to the jetlag since you will eventually be arriving the next day in a new country, six hours ahead of eastern time zone. We booked our flight directly from DELTA AIRLINES. Average cost per person round trip $750. Again, we got a much better rate due to COVID-19 travel. However, if your connect is in Amsterdam, there is a slight chance that the connection may be too close in time for you and your luggage to get to Istanbul at the same time.

CUSTOMS CHECK IN ISTANBUL AIRPORT: Once you arrive to the airport, you will go through customs. You will need the following items

o Turkey Travel VISA (this is subject to change due to COVID-19 regulations)

o Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination

o Passport

Once you get through customs you will then make your way to baggage claim. This AIRPORT IS HUGE. In fact, it’s the 2nd largest airport in the world! So, look on the monitors to see what your baggage is being taken to, or if you fly with DELTA, you can set it up though the DELTA app to notify you.

TAXI FROM ISTANBUL AIRPORT TO HOTEL: Once you have your luggage you will need to get a taxi to get from the airport to your hotel. This will be about a 25 miles trip and a 30-45 minute taxi drive, and depending which taxi color you get will depend on the price. Standard yellow taxi is about $15 USD, and the blue taxi which will more than likely be a nicer experience (air condition) is around $16 USD. When you walk outside from baggage claim, you will see a line for people who need a taxi. The line may be long, but it goes by fast!

GETTING AROUND THE CITY: Review hotel recommendations above in order to have a walkable experience. For the entire trip to see all the main sights we walked everywhere. We recommend having the GOOGLE MAP or APPLE MAP on your phone and setting it to the “walk” setting so it can give you the closest routes.

HOTEL AVERAGE COST: Due to COVID-19 we had an opportunity to get the hotel rooms that we stayed in for much cheaper than the average price. Average cost is $75-$125. In comparison the average cost for a basic hotel in United States can be anywhere from $175-$200. The hotels we stayed at were 4-5 stars too! As a reminder, we highly recommend booking through Kayak.

AVERAGE COST FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP: Average Cost per person (based on our trip) for a four day, three night vacation in Istanbul – includes flight, taxi, average food expense, and hotel - $990 (Save $20 a week for a year to pay for this trip. That’s like just a few Starbucks drinks, right?) Also, for some of our local Columbus readers, Panama City Beach is a popular travel place, an average three-night rental in Panama City during the month of October (off-season) is current $1,041 with taxes; and this is just your hotel! For our trip we did decide to fly to other locations after our experience in Istanbul. We strongly recommend this amazing city, and truly cannot wait to go back!