A Guide And Journal For Istanbul : The World's Capital

Istanbul, a universal beauty where poet and archaeologist, diplomat and merchant, princess and sailor, northerner and westerner screams with same admiration. The whole world thinks that this city is the most beautiful place on earth.  

– Edmondo De Amicis

Istanbul. A city that is built from the bedtime fairy tales that children learn as they fall asleep - a city of dreams and sky-high minarets indicating its significance as the seat of flourishing empires. Here, one notices the brilliance of the past, coexisting with the optimism of the future. From the heights of the Galata Tower to the seemingly calm, but fierce currents of the Bosphorus, Istanbul is one city which has two sides to everything. Two continents, two speeds - one slow and one fast and two cultures. Napoleon observed that if "the world was a single state, Istanbul would be its capital". The seat of romantic beauty, Istanbul attracts the world's attention to itself every day.

Getting to Istanbul is no difficult task. When I travelled, which was in October 2018, Istanbul had two airports serving it. The first and main airport was Istanbul Ataturk Airport, named after the founding father of the country, while the second was Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport. In recent developments, the Turkish government has invested in a third and larger airport that has been built north of Ataturk Airport. 

Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkey and the largest airline in

the world by terms of countries served, calls Istanbul home. Operating out of Istanbul's airports, they connect the city to the rest of the world.

The convenient part of arriving in Istanbul is that its airports are located within the perimeter of the city. Getting to the touristic areas takes no more than a small drive, and taxis are always available outside the terminals. Taxis mostly accept only the local currency, which is Turkish liras. The hotels are mostly located near the Bosphorus or near the attractions. The Sultanahmet District has several hotels near it, making it a convenient place to stay at, while accessing the important attractions nearby. On the other side, several luxurious hotels are situated near the Galata District. Lodging is available in Istanbul for all sorts of budgets. From mere backpacking to lavish seven star accommodations, Istanbul's roughly two thousand hotels will surely offer something or the other.

There are several ways to get around Istanbul. The most common are taxis, and these can be waved down at any time. They are easily identifiable : bright yellow cabs with the word "TAKSI" written on the top. One must exercise caution when boarding a taxi. Common scams involve the meters not being turned on, and the driver negotiating a fare. Many taxi drivers do not speak any English, but with a smartphone equipped with a translator and by knowing the name of the place, getting from point A to point B is no hassle at all. The Istanbul metro is another good way to get around. This is a compact system of trams, funiculars and trains that go around the city. Istanbul is not built on plain, flat land. Upward climbs can be strenuous for some, so it is a good idea to hire a car if you have chronic problems that affect your strength or breathing capabilities.

I would personally recommend spending no less than three days in Istanbul. This is the minimum time one requires to go around, adjust and let the beauty of the city sink into one's soul. Staying near the important places helps by reducing travel time. According to my itinerary in Istanbul, I arrived on Turkish Airlines from New Delhi at 10AM on a Sunday. On this day, I visited the Hagia Sophia

from outside, only to later realise the grave mistake I had made in doing so. In spite of being located near to the Hagia Sophia, I did not go inside it and see it on Sunday itself, but kept it for the next day, which was a Monday. Unknown to me at the time, Istanbul's museums are virtually closed on Mondays. I missed out on the Hagia Sophia for this reason. Nevertheless, the first day was spent unwinding from the journey. Istanbul's moderately calm climate was useful in helping me de-stress. A walk down the Divan Yolu Caddessi (Caddessi is Turkish for street) relaxed me, while allowing the feel of this historic city to sink in. I would recommend going to the restaurants around the Sultanahmet area and taking a snack in the backdrop of the Blue Mosque nearby. The experience is surreal.

Street food in Istanbul is really impressive. The first and most common is the Turkish ice cream, which is available in shops all over the city. A tradition from Ottoman times, these ice creams are rich in gelatin and do not melt too quickly. They are also firmer and more sticky, which makes them suitable for the Turkish ice cream show. If you are in Istanbul, or anywhere in Turkey, do not miss this little performance. It is integral to the Turkish experience. Roasted corn cobs are common and one cannot escape the continuous line of shops selling Turkish baklavas and delights. If you asked me, I would prefer baklavas over delights. Both are, however, worth a try.

On the first evening, I managed to arrange a dinner cruise. The dinner cruise we took was called the Orient Bosphorus Dinner Cruise. There are several others as well. These cruises are operated on a singe yacht, with several departure times. The people who run the cruise generally arrange for the pick-up and drop to and from the hotel. Traditional Turkish dinner is served on board. In the Orient, each group or single guest is assigned a table and they come around asking for the country you come from. When they have noted the nationalities, a steward comes around placing the flags of the respective countries on the tables. The cruise left the Kabataş Ferry Terminal at around 9PM. While on the way to the ferry terminal, I happened to pass the Aquens Valeduct, an ancient Roman water distribution system for the city. 

On board the cruise, I could experience the different flavours of Turkey. Traditional Turkish dances were performed on board, and to the delight and cheers of several young gentlemen, a belly dancer came to grace the occasion. On the Orient, the music was unusually loud and grew annoying for us after a point of time. Other guests aboard seemed to enjoy it quite well and danced to the loud tunes for hours. I have been told by a gentleman I met the following day that the Turnatour Cruise does not play music so loudly all over the boat. They maintain a quiet floor for those wishing to enjoy their cruise in silence. On the deck upstairs, the wind was strong and chilly. The Bosphorus, which we were sailing on, is a strait dividing Istanbul into two parts, while connecting the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. One part of Istanbul lies in Asia, while the other is in Europe. It is indeed an exclusive privilege to sail on the continental border. As the dinner cruise

floated down the Bosphorus, I had the opportunity to click Istanbul in one of its most beautiful settings. Though it was a mistake on my part for missing out on this, I do recommend carrying a good camera while on this trip. The photos are remarkable. At one point, the yacht sailed under a bridge that connects Europe to Asia.

The cruise returned late in the night. The activity is one of the most overlooked tourist attractions in the city, but the experience is unlike any other. It could have been better if there were softer beats during the journey.

The next morning, I visited the Hippodrome area and the Grand Bazaar. The Hippodrome was an ancient Roman stadium in the city of Constantinople (the former name of Istanbul) that was built to host all sorts of Roman events. Horse races were especially important, but with that, they also had other events like ceremonies, war games and gladiator fights. When the Ottomans laid siege on the city, the large Hippodrome was razed. Of the grandeur of the past, only three structures remain. Firstly, one can find the Column of Constantine Porphyrogenetus, which was built in the 10th century AD as a turning point for horses racing the circuit. It was initially coated in bronze, but when the Ottomans found it, they mistook the bronze for gold and took it off the pillar. When they understood it was bronze, they melted and moulded it to make coins. A little further away stands the The Serpent Tower, originally

a large golden orb on top with three serpent heads looking out at different directions from it. It was built by the Ottomans after they conquered Istanbul by moulding the weapons of the Romans. The serpent heads and the orb have been lost, but the twisted structure remains. Third is the monument covered in heiroglyphics. It was a gift from the Egyptians to the Romans as a symbol of friendship. With the installment of this pillar like monument in their Hippodrome, the Roman ships were allowed to use Egyptian ports. Little further down, a green dome, gifted by the Germans to the Ottomans as a sign of friendship, stands in the complex. 

Off the Hippodrome, one can easily find the entrance to the Blue Mosque or the Sultanahmet Camii. This 15th century Ottoman mosque is still functional today and its historical significance has made it an important part of Istanbul. For those planning to visit the mosque, attire is important. Women need to cover their hair with a scarf, while anything that shows your knees would not be a good idea to have around. Don't get me wrong here. Turkey is a very liberal society and people dress freely in the country. It is just that when visiting the mosques and mescits, one needs to be dressed respectfully. After all, the Sultanahmet Camii is a fully functional mosque even today. The other important thing to note is that the mosque may end up being very crowded at times. To avoid the long queues, it is advisable to visit as early as possible. You will find plastic bags available at the entrance where you can put in your shoes while entering the mosque. Arrangements to store the footwear are there inside the complex. The Blue Mosque is filled with intricate and beautiful carvings, lovely flower patterns and has a total of six minarets. People generally spend an hour or half in here, which is enough to admire the sheer beauty of the place. The time may increase if there are massive crowds at the entrance.

The visit to the Blue Mosque was followed by a walk past the Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya (which was closed on Monday, unfortunately) right down to the Topkapi Palace. The palace, which is a remainder of Istanbul's Ottoman past, allows visitors to experience the life of the Ottoman sultans for themselves. There are

three sections to the palace, of which the first was accessible to all commoners who had business there, the second only to the elite and the third to the sultan's inner circle. I caught a memorable glimpse of the execution tower, the kitchens, library, meeting rooms and gardens of this vast property. Morover, the garden cafe at the end of the palace has stunning views of Istanbul, rivalled only by the Galata Tower, which I visited later that day. The palace cannot be completely seen in less than two hours. In some sections of the palace, photography is prohibited and visitors are expected to look out for signs if they want to avoid paying a hefty fine.

After a visit to the palace, I tasted a Turkish lunch of chicken skewers, bread and a type of rice with a cabbage salad. It is probably one of my favourite dishes in Turkey. Lunch was followed by a visit to the Grand Bazaar or Kapali Carsi as they call it in Turkish. The Grand Bazaar, built in the 1400s, is a large and beautiful market that once served as a major point of trade between the east and the west. Within the bazaar, lane after lane leads away to lines and rows of shops. Haggling is recommended. One can aimlessly spend time, roaming the bazaar and buying the inexpensive, but authentic goods sold in here. When tired, cool down with a cup of Turkish coffee in one of the numerous restaurants in the bazaar. I managed to spend no more than an hour and half here. 

This was succeeded by a visit to the Taksim Square. The large square is the starting point of the Istiklal Street, one of the most beautiful walking streets of Istanbul. The Istiklal Street is a very

European place, and we found the usual Turkish street foods and ice cream stalls coexisting with typical European experiences. A buzz of people walked down the avenue, while a band occasionally played on the roadside. Using guitars, banjos, trumpets and melodious voices, they filled the street with their tunes of perfection. The famous red one coach tram runs along the Istiklal Street. While it is good for a pretty picture, I would prefer walking the kilometres down the street to take in the essence of the place. Walking off Istiklal, I took the path which led downhill to the Galata Tower, one of the other prominent buildings of Istanbul. Initially constructed in 1348, it was the tallest structure in the city for centuries and it still dominates the skyline north of the Golden Horn. Though one of the most famous tourist attractions, one must note that the Galata Tower had an admission fee of 70 Turkish liras per person and the queue to go in was very long. An elevator did go up to a good height, but from there, the viewing gallery was accessible only by a flight of stairs. The gallery itself was overcrowded, but the views are spectacular. From its 76 metre elevation, the Galata Tower offers a breathtaking view of Istanbul. 

For the lack of time, I could not visit the Basilica Cistern, which was a water storage facility for the Romans. Known for its picturesque setting, the Basilica Cistern is a must visit for Istanbul. Another experience that all must consider in Turkey is the Turkish

Bath or Hamam, which is traditional to the country's culture. 

From Istanbul, I flew Turkish Airlines to Izmir, the next stop on my schedule. The flight was short, but with excellent legroom, great meals and in flight screens, the journey was remarkable by standard.

Istanbul is a city like no other. In my three days here, I finally realised why people fantasize about it. The dreamy outfit of Istanbul is not just in the works of authors and poets who have written about it, but also in the city itself. Istanbul seems like a myriad of surviving stories, of people, of cultures, of religions and magic. The waves that flow down the Bosphorus carry these stories as they have for years - to lands far and wide, telling people of the glory that the city has and will always hold.