Turkey – Istanbul City Break

Vacation plans sometimes change in the most unexpected ways possible. At first, I was dreaming of lounging on a beach in Mexico, holding a cold cerveza and dancing salsa until dawn with Jose(s), but things didn’t exactly work out (it’s a long story, don’t ask 😁). So, instead of Latin America, we recently returned from a getaway to… Istanbul. I had heard so many wonderful things about this city and how everyone who visits always wants to go back, so my expectations were pretty high.

We were a large group of friends, so driving made the most sense. It took us about 14 hours. The Turkish border tested our patience right from the start: they pulled our car over for a thorough X-ray inspection, and we had to wait for an hour. Since the border officers spoke very little English, it was quite difficult to understand how the whole process worked. However, once we entered the city, we were amazed by its grandeur. The massive buildings, wide avenues, green spaces filled with geometric floral arrangements, modern malls, and palm trees… it was all breathtaking.

The traffic, on the other hand, was a total nightmare. Still, I noticed something interesting: drivers didn’t get angry or honk their horns. They were surprisingly patient, slowing down and letting each other pass whenever needed.

As we got closer to the historic area, the atmosphere shifted. Everything became extremely crowded, and the buildings started looking untidy, abandoned, and rather unattractive. I must admit it was a bit depressing to notice this sharp contrast between the modern neighborhoods (with big, shiny buildings and huge malls) and the historic area, which is home to the most famous historical landmarks.

What we did in Istanbul:

Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

We explored the historic area on foot and visited a few iconic spots. Hagia Sophia was, by far, my favorite. 😉 It has a completely unique vibe and a special atmosphere that made me love it more than all the other landmarks.

Of course, we also visited the Blue Mosque, which is very beautiful in its own right, but Hagia Sophia still stole my heart.

The Basilica Cistern

This was a completely unexpected attraction for me, something entirely different. It is an impressive place that once held the city’s drinking water reserves. Now, thanks to the light shows and a small, chic cafe inside, it has turned into an unusual yet highly romantic space, perfect for enjoying a cup of afternoon tea.

Topkapi Palace

If you love jewelry, Topkapi is definitely the place to visit. The treasury rooms are filled with spectacular jewelry. 😁 Besides the jewelry, the view over the city from here is stunning, and you cannot help but wonder, at least for a second, what life was like as a sultan (although I’d probably be more interested in what life was like for his favorite wife 😁).

The Grand Bazaar

The experience in the famous bazaar was downright exhausting 😅. It is the most crowded place I have ever been to. Packed with souvenirs, Turkish delight, aromatic spices, and everyone’s favorite things – designer clothes, shoes, and bags, all “original photo-copy” 😁, as they like to call them.

Everyone tries to sell you something, whether you need it or not. And if you find something you like and want to buy, mentally prepare yourself to bargain hard. If you don’t have a talent for negotiating, you’re better off asking a friend to do it for you; otherwise, you risk paying double what that item is actually worth.

One of my friends had taught me to say “Pahalı” (“expensive” in Turkish). From that moment on, I kept saying it everywhere in the bazaar. It turned out to be a fun little way to navigate through all the hustle and bustle there. 😂

Istanbul City Break: Final Thoughts

What we (well, I) loved:

1. The food: Absolutely divine, especially the street food. The best kebab I had there was bought from a random street vendor and not from a restaurant. And the traditional pudding, sütlaç, is irresistible.
2. Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern: Two spectacular places, steeped in history and filled with a unique, romantic, and mysterious atmosphere.
3. Turkish coffee: Every single morning, we enjoyed our coffee on the hotel terrace. We got it from a lovely old man across the street from the hotel, who did nothing else all day long but brew Turkish coffee on hot sand.
4. The calm in traffic: Even though the streets are total chaos, the patience and Zen attitude of the Turkish drivers completely impressed me.

What we (okay, I) didn’t like:

1. The depressing contrast in the city: The abrupt transition from the new, shiny areas to the dilapidated, dirty, and uncared-for buildings in the old town.
2. The exhaustion of the Grand Bazaar: The suffocating crowds and the pushy style of the vendors trying to sell you anything at inflated prices.
3. Bargaining over prices: I understand it is a part of their culture, but for an introvert like me, it was exhausting to get into their “game” and negotiate for everything: coffee, food, clothes.

Where we stayed:

We stayed at the Blue Istanbul Hotel. When we arrived at the reception, the first thing we heard came as a total shock: the receptionist told us that our room was in the basement. Obviously, we immediately asked for another option, so he offered us the only remaining alternative available, a top-floor apartment. The price difference was not very big, so we accepted on the spot.

The apartment was nothing luxurious or ultra-elegant, but it was definitely a much better choice than the basement room. We even had a “sea view.” 😅

Another huge challenge was parking, because the hotel didn’t have private spaces, despite what was stated on Booking.com. We had to leave the car in a nearby public parking lot and, much to my reluctance, give the keys to the parking attendants so they could move it around as other cars came and went. I was quite skeptical and stressed about this whole situation, but fortunately, nothing bad happened.

Istanbul surprised me more than I expected. Now, all that’s left is for you to keep your fingers crossed that the next article will finally be about Mexico. 😂