Istanbul
I once read a book by Italian author Italo Calvino called Invisible Cities. In it, Marco Polo describes all the cities he’s visited to Genghis Khan as the Mongol ruler wanted to understand the “contents” of his empire. The way in which the Venetian merchant described the cities was by giving each of them a personality and unique traits, as if he was describing people. Many of these cities actually harm visitors in various ways. Some made you go insane, some made you fall madly in love, some made you obsessed with money, the list goes on. So then, how would I describe Istanbul? And how did it treat me?
Istanbul is truly a one-of-a-kind city. I remember walking down its streets surrounded by old and new architecture, stalls and shops selling products of all kinds, old timers drinking tea and playing tavla, people running in all directions and shouting in a language I wasn’t really familiar with. It can get tiring, having to deal with all the hustle and bustle, so what I used to do to find some sort of quiet was to escape into the narrow alleyways. There you find less people, and have time to truly “feel” the city.
Then, in the relative quiet, you hear a voice ring through the streets and the alleyways. It’s the azan, the Muslim call to prayer. I’ve had people tell me in the past that they find it to be a mysterious voice that’s eerily soothing. The moment I heard it, I knew I was in a completely new world.
Istanbul is actually a city in two continents - Europe and Asia. You can have breakfast in the European side and then dinner in the Asian one, which is what I did. Both sides have the same culture and traditions. The only differences lie in wealth and tourism, with European Istanbul being historically wealthier and more “active”.
The city is extremely old and is representative of the diverse history of what is now Turkey. Byzantion, today’s Istanbul, was an ancient Greek city which eventually became Constantinoupolis as the Roman emperor Constantine I declared it the new capital of the Roman Empire. The city became Istanbul when the Ottomans conquered it in 1453 and became the capital of their empire until 1922.
The result of this diverse history is pretty amazing. You can visit the stunning Byzantine Hagia Sophia and the mysterious but beautiful Basilica Cistern and then enter a different world as you lose your way in the Grand Bazaar and later stand staring at the intricate interior designs of the Ottoman Turkish mosques. You can pay tribute to about three different civilisations in one city. How crazy is that?
A surprising fact for many, and something which I sometimes forget as well, is that Istanbul is not the capital of Turkey. It’s actually Ankara, a city which I must confess is not nearly as amazing as Istanbul. But I think I speak for all Turks when I say that Istanbul is the true cultural capital of Turkey, and it’s a place which you must visit if you wish to understand Turkey.
“Either Istanbul conquers me, or I conquer Istanbul”. This quote is attributed to Mehmed I, the man responsible for the fall of Constantinople, today’s Istanbul. It was also one of the first things I thought about when I entered the city. And after spending some time exploring its most famous sites and areas, I’m afraid it was I who was conquered. If I were Marco Polo describing Istanbul to Genghis Khan, I would have used one word - enchanting. The moment I left, I wanted to come back and explore more of what the city had to offer. There was still so much I hadn’t seen. But if there’s one thing I’ve learnt while travelling, it’s that it’s always best to leave something for the next future visit.
Until next time, Istanbul.
Things to do -
Visit Hagia Sophia
Visit Dolmabahçe Palace
Visit Topkapi Palace
Visit Suleymaniye Mosque
Visit Blue Mosque
Visit Grand Bazaar
Visit Egyptian Bazaar
Visit Galata Tower
Visit Pierre Loti Café
Explore Istiklal Avenue
Boat tour on the Bosphorus
Ferry to Princely Islands (Büyük Ada is my favourite)
Enjoy and Ottoman dinner
Visit a Turkish bath or “hamam”
Visit Balat if you want sick Instagram pics (Istanbul is generally Instagramable)
Challenge a Turkish ice cream vendor (you can do this anywhere in Turkey)
Walk around and explore the city (please DONT try and drive)
Eat, Eat, and Eat
