Fresh juice stand, Tophane Artistic cat, Hagia Sophia Kunefe, making of. Gulhane on a tree, on a street
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Istanbul survival guide: some snobbish advice
Some snobbish warnings and some tips: Thehappyfew may often find Istanbul noisy, chaotic and insalubrious. The permanent feeling of being in a cheap, overcrowded bazaar will become quite a nuisance if you don’t have a backup. In Istanbul the 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 The main hotspots in the old city are see-and-flee; there is no reason to linger (or find hotel, God forbid) in Sultanahmet, Topkapi, Grand Bazaar, Suleymanyie, Sirkeci, Eminonu. Some restaurants are…
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ISTANBUL #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
1. Hagia Sophia. The one and only. Amazing, graceful, memorable 2. Topkapi Palace, including the must visit of the Harem. Plan a whole afternoon for it, it may very well be the most wonderful spot in Istanbul. Beautiful park, unbeatable views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn from the terraces. Take your time, see it all, discover Moses’s walking stick and a fragment from the Mecca stone and the Otoman jewelries, have a coffee or lunch at the restaurant hanging over the sea. 3. Galata Tower and Pera district, the Montmartre of Istanbul. Small, steep, cobblestone streets and the warm vibe around the Galata Tower in the evenings. 4. Sultanahmet/ Blue…
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Istanbul survival guide: best things
One word for it: spectacular. Another two words for it: Grand Bazaar; that’s a very good synonym. Istanbul is a love it or not story, but a must-see nevertheless. You can never hate it, no matter how chaotic it may seem at times, but you will find there is a very thin line between loving it and simply visiting it off. I found that most people are thoroughly addicted to Istanbul, but thehappyfew will need this prose in order to feel the poetry. I have some of the best things in Istanbul, some snobbish advice and some personal tips. Here it goes. Best things in Istanbul The whole world becomes…