Must Do's
Eat Yoghurt in Kanlıca
Kanlica is one of the first places that comes to mind when thinking about the old Istanbul.
Kanlica is one of the first places that comes to mind when thinking about the old Istanbul.
With its seaside mansions, its streets surrounded by wooden buildings smelling of linden trees, and perhaps most importantly, with the famous “Kanlıca Yoghurt” almost synonimous with the town’s name, here is a small seaside town that has preserved its unique structure. Kanlica is one of these old districts that shows us real Istanbul.
The most important aspect of Kanlica yoghurt in comparison to others is that it is natural. There are no additives in it. No protection materials to increase the shelf life are added in the yoghurt or shocked milk. Purely natural milk from the villages of Beykoz is processed daily in the production facilities. The yoghurts produced here are sold to restaurants, cafes and the ships passing through the Bosphorus.
Walk Along Cukurcuma
Beyoglu / Istanbul | Phone:
Places out of time, time out of places Cukurcuma.. There are special places that make you forget where and when you are in. You just can’t move from where you are standing, confused about the time you are living in :in the future ? or in the past? ‘’Good old times street’’ commonly known as Cukurcuma invites you to a journey out of time with a taste of Kinder surprise false chocolate eggs.
Places out of time, time out of places Çukurcuma.. There are special places that make you forget where and when you are in. You just can’t move from where you are standing, confused about the time you are living in :in the future ? or in the past? ‘’Good old times street’’ commonly known as Cukurcuma invites you to a journey out of time with a taste of Kinder surprise false chocolate eggs.
Cukurcuma is still carrying on the persistent role of being the mature and humble child of this city. Similar to neighbourhood it is also facing the change that is driven by the time passes but the time itself seems to be frozen in Cukurcuma because of its being humble and it pretends to be staying as it is.
Have Breakfast at Cihangir
Cihangir is a small neighbourhood with its grocers, greengrocers, cafés, book stores, taxi drivers, plumbers and cats… Kind of a neighbourhood and a “bohemian” zone where the painters, caricaturists, actors, writers, journalists, foreigners and minorities live. A “Bohemia”, where cinema, theater, literature, philosophy discussions are made at countless corners, banquettes, alleys, cafes along the road and bistros.
In late 19th century, Levantines used to live here, just like in Pera. In 1920s and 1930s, Cihangir was only consisting of two districts. In 1940s and 50s, the people that were working at entertainment spots in Beyoğlu began to live in Cihangir. There are many cafes to go for chatting, having something to drink and eat and relax in Cihangir. The most popular of them are Susam, Kahvedan, Meyra (former Leyla), Smyrna. For having fish, you can drop in at Doğa Balık and to embrace the sea you may go down to the shore through the stairs to Fındıklı.
Bosphorus Tour
Discover the wealth of impressive sights all along the shores in a Bosphorus boat trip along Istanbul's famous waterway dividing Europe and Asia - take in the colors and aromas of the Spice Market, the tiny Rustem Pasha Mosque, a Bosphorus Cruise Sightseeing Tour , the sumptuously decorated Ottoman Beylerbeyi Palace and the small picturesque fishermen's village of Ortakoy...
Walk Along The Istiklal Street
Located in Beyoglu, the modern bohemian district of Istanbul, Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue) is the city’s most popular strolling, shopping and snacking street. Pedestrianised with just a historical tram running its length, this street is lined with boutiques, cafes, restaurants, galleries and cinemas.
See the Rumeli Fortress
Overlooking the Bosphorus on the European side of the strait, Rumeli is an impressive fortress built by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century in order to control commercial and military traffic in preparation for the siege of Constantinople. The whole structure was planned by Mehmet himself and took less than 4 months to build.
Enjoy Outdoor Street Shopping in Ortaköy
Lined with trendy boutiques, cafes and restaurants, Ortakoy is the most arty ‘Bosphorus village’ in the city. Stroll down its streets to window shop, try its famous ‘kumpir’ (filled jacket potatoes) and check out Ortakoy’s variety of craft street markets.
See the famous Mosques at Sultanahmet
This famous area of the city is located in the heart of historic Istanbul. It is a lively and touristy part of the city with a history stretching back well over two millennia. Some of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace are in this area.
1001 Nights at the Topkapı Palace
This huge palace complex was constructed by Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Mehmet the Conqueror) in 1478 and has been the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans for about 380 years until the construction of Dolmabahçe Palace by Sultan Abdülmecid in the 19th century. This imposing palace once occupied an area of 700,000m² but only about 80.000m² are left standing today. The Sultan’s private living quarters, or the Harem, are a particular favourite.
Shopping at the Grand Bazaar
Also known as ‘Kapalicarsi’, Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is Turkey's largest covered market with 60 streets and 5,000 shops, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. The products on offer here vary from Turkish carpets, ceramic tiles and pottery, copper and brassware, to items made of leather, cotton and wool, meerschaum pipes, alabaster bookends and ashtrays.
