The port city, the legacy of the Byzantine Empire, the metropolis, which mixed the European gloss and Asian flavor-all this is Istanbul, especially attractive in the fall. While Lokdown does not let into many countries, it’s time to look at this Turkish city, located at the junction of cultures, on both sides of the Bosphorus.
How to get and where to stop
A ticket from Moscow will cost from 9300 rubles* per person back and forth. From the airport to the city center, you can get by a Havaist or taxi bus.
When in reserve only a few days, it is better to stop in the historical quarter of the Sultananmet or in the neighboring Beyoglu, which are located in the European part of the city. If you want to feel the oriental flavor and atmosphere of local party, settled in the Kadykeya – Asian district with dozens of authentic cafes and bright graffiti on the facades of buildings.
Here are a few suitable options:
Parkhouse Hotel & Spa – from 3600 rubles* per night per person;
Hotel Arcadia Blue Istanbul – from 8400 rubles* per night per person.
What to see and try in different areas
When you open the Istanbul map, you can slightly get confused – in the city there are about 40 districts. It will be most interesting for tourists to take a walk along the Sultananmet, Eminyon, Aksarai and Laleli, Besiktash, Beioglu, Schlysh, Kadykeo and Ukütar. Below is a list of places where you can drink a cup of coffee, have lunch and just have a good time.
Sultananmet
Here, in walking distance, the main monuments of the history of Istanbul are located: the Byzantine Cathedral of St. Sophia, which recently turned into a mosque, Sultananmet Square, a blue mosque and others. After a rich walk among the attractions, go for a hearty dinner in one of the institutions below.
Kosk 1981 Cafe & Restaurant
Here you need to go not only for delicious food, but the main thing – for the show, which is organized personally for each guest. So, no one will definitely leave anyone indifferent literally a fiery supply of dishes. The waiters bring meat with vegetables in clay pots and heat it with burning torches. In addition, you can try traditional kebab, fish, barbecue. Sometimes good -natured waiters treat the guests of a baklava for tea.
Myterrace Cafe & Restaurant
Go here to have breakfast or accompany the sunset and be sure to rise to the very top of the restaurant. Views of the minarets of the old city and the widely spread bosphorus are opened from the terraces. In the institution you will find a colorful interior and delicious dishes from fresh fish.
Beioglu
The famous Galata Tower, obligatory to visit, is located here. From the observation deck under its very roof – an exciting view of the Golden Horn Bay. Bell the gadgets, because you have to take a lot to photograph.
Mikla
Mikla is located on the two upper floors of the Marmara Pera hotel, located in the historical area of the city, and is included in the list of 50 best restaurants in the world since 2015. In addition to gastronomic pleasures, in the institution you are waiting for an open terrace with views of a blue mosque, Topkapi palaces, Ayia Sofia and Bosphorus. Try beef steaks and red Turkish wine. We recommend booking the table, given the time of sunset to enjoy a luxurious look.
Kadyke
They say that in order to understand Istanbul, you need to go to the Asian part of the city. There are few attractions, but far from tourist streets, in Kadykoy, you can feel the whole atmosphere of the city and try to get lost among the locals.
Bitro Coffee Shop
A cozy place where you can look to drink a cup of coffee with a piece of chocolate pie. At the entrance to the cafe you will be met by a vintage bike attached to the ceiling. The chip of Istanbul coffee coffee houses is that in almost every of them you can find an entire warehouse of amazing gizmos. So in the Bitro Coffee Shop-mini-copies of American maslcars, ceramic dishes and Japanese dolls are placed on the shelves. There is a courtyard in the coffee shop where inspirational quotes from the film “Forrest Gump” are placed on the walls, and local cats are asleep on multi -colored pillows.
Walter’s Coffee Roastery
The coffee shop, created based on the series “All Great.” Here it is easy to feel like a film of the film: you can try on yellow overalls, in which the main characters often appeared in the frame or try to cook coffee in a flask on their own. Here you can make dozens of excellent shots and purchase a measure for memory.
And these are just a few examples of places where you should look. In Istanbul, hundreds of coffee houses and restaurants that do not have time to appear on the map. Therefore, a real adventure on the journey through Istanbul is to find the same places.
What to bring as a keepsake from Istanbul: a guide to bookstores
In a noisy metropolis, there are surprisingly many small independent bookstores and boutiques where you can linger to drink a cup of tea, look through beautiful publications and buy unusual gifts to your relatives.
Homer Bookshop
In Galatasarai, a bookstore with bright stained glasses and a double staircase, which has been working since 1995, has been hidden among the courtyards. The Homer has a large selection of books on archeology, literature, the history of Turkey and Byzantium. You can buy English -language publications on the history and culture of Istanbul as a gift.
Minoa Books & Coffee
A store that offers a calm atmosphere among the busy area of Besiktash. There are about 40,000 books, periodicals and even comics in culture in English and Turkish. Also on sale are various notebooks and house decor items. There is a cafe where you can order drinks and light snacks. A few minutes walk – the Palace Dolmabahce and Park Machka.
Pandora
This is a chain of stores located in different parts of the city. Each has many books in English, as well as in other languages of the world. The main topics: literature and art. We recommend visiting Pandora in Beyoglu, as this is one of the most attractive areas of Istanbul for tourists.
FIL BOOKS
FIL BOOKS is a fashionable combination of a bookstore and a cafe in the Karakoy area, not far from the Galata Tower. A two -story space with a bright interior and a cozy area on the street. In Turkish, FIL means an elephant that explains why souvenirs with this animal are everywhere. Be sure to buy something as a keepsake of yourself and your family.
On the top floor of the store, it will be pleasant to relax on the couch or in chairs-cacheles with a book and a hot drink. It is great to enjoy the desserts with coffee, leafing through the book on photography and art. They can also be purchased as a gift.
Sometimes seminars and various photographs are held here – this is a great way to plunge into culture. In addition to souvenirs and accessories, Fil Books wide selection of independent publications, children’s books and magazines. After visiting the store, be sure to take a walk around the Karakoy area, which is replete with small independent boutiques, cafes and confectionery.
Going to Istanbul, get distracted from the cards and devote time to leisurely walks among the winding streets – so you will be able to discover unique places that remain in your memory forever.
*Prices are valid at the time of publication
If you are looking for where to stop while traveling, we recommend ordering a hotel on OneTwotrip.
