Ancient Wonders and Modern Delights

For a 360-degree view of Istanbul and its waterways climb to the observation deck of the Galata Tower. It was the city’s loftiest building in the 1300’s and stands tall on the skyline today.  

Uniquely situated in Europe on one side of the Bosphorus Strait and in Asia on the other so it’s a city literally positioned where east meets west. Simply cross a bridge and you can enjoy two continents in one day. You can see what it was like to live like a sultan at Topkapi Palace, a complex of magnificent courtyards and exquisite buildings including the largest kitchens in the Ottoman Empire.  The tourism ministry of Turkiye has an incredibly comprehensive and inspirational website to explore the country’s diverse and dynamically beautiful regions.

Inspired by Istanbul Ancient Wonders and Modern Delights

The Hagia Sophia (below), one of the oldest holy shrines in the world, was originally built as a cathedral and then converted into a mosque with the addition of towering minarets used are to project the Muslim call to prayer. Arrive early to avoid long lines and women area asked to wear a headscarf to respect tradition.

 Nearby, the Blue Mosque is another dramatic landmark, so called because of the countless brilliant blue tiles inside the structure.

More recent history is revealed in the Pera area now called Beyoglu.

Here you’ll find bars, cafes, arts, music, and Istiklai Street a wide shopping avenue with everything from Zara’s latest fashions to Mandabatmaz Kahvesi one of the best places to sip a meticulously brewed Turkish coffee. 

You can sleep or at least enjoy a cocktail surrounded by history at the luxurious Hotel Pera Palace (above), which was built in this district in 1892 for hosting passengers of the Orient Express. It’s exceptional period furnishings; décor, chandeliers and artwork make you feel as if you are time traveling to the early 1900’s with the characters of the hit Netflix show, Midnight at the Pera Palace. Not new to books or movies, the Pera Palace Hotel is where Agatha Christie is said to have written the novel Murder on the Orient Express. 

Modern Istanbul

Today, gleaming skyscrapers, luxury hotels, contemporary retail developments, and roof top bars and restaurants, add a fresh energy to this historic city. Whether new construction or thoughtful renovation of older buildings, much of the architectural focus hasn’t changed over the centuries prioritizing views over the expansive waterfront.

Turkiye’s cuisine has been praised for centuries, but it wasn’t until very recently that it was included in the famed Michelin Guide, the worldwide organization that awards stars for excellence. One of the restaurants making the prestigious guide is Murver on the terrace level of the Novotel Hotel in the Karakoy district overlooking the Bosphorus. 

Murver head chef Mevlut Ozkaya was named Michelin Young Chef in 2023, the first year of the Michelin Awards in Turkiye.  His passion for live fire cooking includes an entire firewall where he employs over a dozen techniques of roasting, grilling, charring, smoking and searing.

At the marble topped chef’s table, Ozkaya prepares and presents dishes paired with an extensive collection of the finest Turkish wines. Enjoy spicy beef sausages with house made pickles, succulent octopus cooked in ash, roasted artichokes with artichoke foam, slow roasted lamb with spicy apricot compote and a “crème brulée” style burnt pistachio dessert with cherry ice cream.

This is an elegant and exciting tasting tour of contemporary presentations of traditional Turkish cuisine. 

The Galataport is home to many new restaurants including Muutto, Anatolian Tapas Bar, with a marvelous take on the tradition of meze, or Turkish tapas. Just sit back and enjoy as the small dishes with big tastes just keep on coming to table!

One of my favorite food discoveries is the deliciousness of pide, an elliptical shaped Turkish flatbread topped with vegetables and herbs. 

A Center of Trade

Once the end of the Silk Road, the route for precious goods from China and India to the western world, Istanbul is still an epicenter of trading in busy marketplaces. Enter the winding aisles of the overwhelming Grand Bazaar under an arch dated 1461 and you walk into one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world.  There are over 4000 merchants selling carpets and kilims, gold jewelry, engraved metal tea sets, lamps and lanterns, colorful ceramics and leather crafts just as they did centuries ago. But, you’ll also find a cache of counterfeit designer fashions and lots of cashmere pashmina scarf shops. While retail temptations abound, don’t forget to admire the vaulted mosaic ceilings and make sure to mark a meeting spot in case you wander too far from friends.

Shoppers Tip: For the best pashminas, ask the seller or look for tags that say 100% pashmina or a percent blend of cashmere and silk. Don’t like the price? Feel free to bargain or move to the next shop! 

On to the food court! The “new” Spice Bazaar built in 1660 is an aromatic carnival of coffee, teas, dried fruits, nuts, pomegranates, Turkish delight sweets and a kaleidoscope of colorful spices and herb blends. 

Shoppers Tip: Vendors will vacuum pack your spice purchases keeping them fresh and safely sealed to place in your luggage. 

Turkish cuisine is among the healthiest in the world, as part of the celebrated Mediterranean diet. “You’ll find that it’s remarkably similar to Greece and Italy with many plant foods such as fresh produce, whole grains, nuts, and olives and lesser amounts of meats, dairy and sweets,” says Sara Baer-Sinnot President of Old Ways, a non-profit group that leads global culinary tours. “The Mediterranean Diet has always included the cuisines of countries around the Mediterranean, including Turkiye.”