Istanbul: one word for it? Spectacular. Another two words? Grand Bazaar – that’s a brilliant synonym, really. Istanbul is very much a “love it or… well, love it anyway” kind of story, and a must-see, regardless. You can never truly hate it, no matter how utterly chaotic it may seem at times. But you’ll find there’s a very thin line between absolutely adoring it and simply ticking it off your list. While most people are thoroughly addicted to Istanbul, I suspect the happy few will need this rather snobbish advice to truly feel the poetry. Some quick survival pointers: the good, the bad and the warnings
The Best Bits
The unicity
In Istanbul the whole world becomes a kaleidoscope of colours, vibes, languages, and faces, everything rolling at a fast, mesmerising pace. You are simply swept off your feet, tired yet always amazed, trying to keep up with the surprises popping from everywhere. Give into it, don’t try to make sense, and you’ll be happy (and take an insane number of photos). Istanbul is so much more than a city; it’s an entire planet. Two continents, a crossroad of seas, a one-of-a-kind skyline, an ever-changing coastline, and those iconic seven hills – it’s only after you’ve travelled it thoroughly, taken a Bosphorus cruise, and truly explored the Asian side that you can begin to grasp its sheer scale and the incredible diversity of its districts. The zig-zagging with the ferry between the various ports on the European and Asian sides is, I promise you, the coolest thing ever.
The people
The people are genuinely lovely. Small local business owners are a blessing, and you’ll even find young men consistently offering their seat on the tram, which is a rather charming touch. English isn’t widely familiar, but everybody will genuinely take their time to guide you.
The food
And the food? It’s simply great. I mean all the food, especially the street food. I won’t go into extensive detail, but just enjoy everything that makes you drool, and remember to ask for “not spicy” if you can’t handle the heat. They are very careful with the meat, and every small kebap house offers finger-licking lamb or veal. The local pastries and sweets are also exceptional: borek, kunefe, kataif, baklava, filled quince, creams, and rice puddings – all of it. Ayran is good, and fresh fruit juice is gorgeous – have a leap of faith and try it at the mobile stands. Don’t worry too much about the funny-looking, improvised food stalls or small, seemingly suspicious taverns with just two or three tables in the street; they’re basically fine. I once ate at a place where tables were tiny things at a street corner and Coca-Cola boxes were used as chairs; the lamb was still fabulous.
Public transport
The transport system is also exceptionally good; they have something akin to an Oyster card, but even better, as you don’t have to present it when exiting. Just charge your Istanbulkart at any automatic point, and you can use it on everything: metro, ferry, tram, tunnel, funicular – it’s more than fine, it’s actually brilliant.
The Warnings
Be prepared for crowds
There are just too many people, I repeat, too many frenzied, hurdled, noisy, pushy people. Don’t think you’re prepared if you’ve been to Oxford Street in December; it’s not the same. Public transport, Istiklal Street, Grand Bazaar, and Eminonu can be genuinely frightening during rush hours. Just saying, you’ll likely have to brave it anyway.
Retreat, retreat
For the happy few, Istanbul can often feel noisy, chaotic, and a touch insalubrious. That permanent feeling of being in a cheap, overcrowded bazaar can become quite a nuisance if you don’t have a backup plan. In Istanbul, your essential backup is an oasis of comfort and peace – namely, a very good place to stay and a few getaways far from the madding crowd. Choose a good hotel and don’t even think of looking for accommodation in Taksim or Istiklal. Incredible but true: the best area to stay is on the Asian side, facing the sea and the Adalar Islands. I particularly liked the Moda district: it is clean and upscale, has a lot of excellent taverns and good local shops, a waterfront promenade, and is close to Kadikoy, which means you’re in the old centre in about 15 minutes by ferry (awesome) or by metro (fast).
The language gap
The word for fish is balik – you’ll find it helpful! The language gap is quite significant. You’ll find it very rewarding that you can actually remember what and where Eminonu, Karakoy, Kadikoy, and Uskudar are after a few days, but you’ll probably never remember the words for basic stuff. People generally don’t speak much English, except for a few phrases in the main tourist trap spots. Younger people do tend to speak English, so when you have a question, your best bet is to ask a fellow traveller or a local aged 15-20.
Old City see-and-flee
The main hotspots in the Old City are very much “see-and-flee”; there’s simply no reason to linger in Sultanahmet, near Topkapi, Grand Bazaar, Suleymaniye, Sirkeci, or Eminonu. Some restaurants are perfectly nice, though, so you can certainly have a meal near the Cistern Basilica in between two museums. Draw your breath in Gülhane Park or on the Bosphorus promenade.
Do your research
Istanbul, like Rome, is built on seven hills. Unlike Rome, however, it is larger, has more people of many more races and nationalities, and its streets are often steeper than those winding up and down the Roman hills. Make sure you know your terrain before going, especially if you’re older, unfit, pregnant, or simply a bit lazy.
