Last updated on October 22, 2018
Good Morning !
As promised, I am adding a second post with more photos of Istanbul for you to see. This city is by far one of my favourite destinations and I have explained the reasons why in my previous post here .
The friendliness, quality service, honesty, amazing prices, one of a kind products and beautiful landscapes was what got us hooked.
If there is another city which you absolutely LOVE, then please leave a comment at the bottom of this post. It would be great to make a list of “must visit” places together.
Since we had our camera stolen once we arrived in Istanbul (totally my fault, I forgot it while breastfeeding), we were left with our iPhone for the trip. So even though the quality of the photos are not great, they will give you a glimpse of the beautiful places we saw during our week.
Now let’s visit together the beautiful city called “Istanbul”.
THE BOSPHORUS CRUISE
A quick 2 hour boat ride with absolutely amazing views of Istanbul and a few castles along the way is a must when you visit. What is very cool is that you are visiting 2 continents (Europe and Asia).
***this is the luxurious hotel (in a Castle) where Presidents have stayed on their trips.
SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE
Since the Blue Mosque was in major restructuration mode, we did not see much. However, a few blocks from our hotel was the 2nd largest and one of the most important mosque in the city Suleymaniye Mosque. Designed by the famous architecture Sinan and located on a hilltop, it has picturesque views of the city.
We never expected to visit it, so it was a beautiful surprise!
Benches to wash your feet and hands before entering (which was optional for tourists).
Inside the courtyard. Once inside the Mosque, we had to wear a head scarf (for women) and a skirt to cover our legs (men & women).
Yes, I love to stand next to doors , lol!
Visiting a mosque and having now been to a few Muslim countries, it sure opens your eyes to the beauty of diversity. The history is rich and it is truly a treasure to be able to learn from others, eat culturally, listen to the language and buy locally made products. Life is an adventure and I am truly happy to get to travel with my family (except for my son who was with his grandparents this time).
FOOD
If I had it my way, I would travel only to eat culturally. I love food! Well good food with spices and fat, just the right combination. Here are a few of my favourite oh so good food moments in Istanbul.
This restaurant was close to the Grand Bazaar, the food was pretty good but it was the watermelon slush that stole the show! What a celebration with sparklers like it was a party. It was insanely fresh that I had to order one just for myself… it was just that good after a days walk. The best part is the we did not expect anything so it made it even better.
Travel Tip: they always bring you a starter plate (which we never ordered) but was charged. It can either be a plate of fruits, of nuts or of olives and tomatoes. It is their culture to start with these plates depending on the meal. So if you are not interested, please make sure to let them know and also always check your bill in the end.
I hope you like pistachios or walnuts. I hope you like dates, rose, mint, lemon, honey, nougat….because that’s the variety that you will find here. Soo sweet (most likely 2 is enough) but very delightful!
Do you love desserts as much as me?! I really could not hide my excitement seeing soo many Turkish Delight (desserts) in Istanbul. Even though this is not something I usually eat at home, it was a perfect opportunity to try them here. Literally, every street has a kiosk or store selling these desserts on display. YUMMM! Although, the locals calls it “a tourist shop”, we thought the best ones were in the Grand Bazaar.
Basically everything was good. We could not believe it. Simple dishes were delicious and flavorful. It isn’t a salt & pepper basic dish but with spices and oils.
***The above dish was served in a back alley, literally! You really can’t judge by appearance.
Let’s not forget the turkish coffee served in beautiful cups!
The morning pastries were always served cut so we could eat with a fork or our fingers. People never drink their coffee on the run. They take the time to sit and drink their espresso. Perhaps this is the way to live a longer healthy life. Do not rush.
Honestly, it feels amazing to be in a city where everyone (well 98%) of people were sincerely kind and friendly.
Black tea to finish a meal.
The fresh squeezed pomegranate and orange juice were AMAZING!
GALATA TOWER
One of the highest and oldest towers of Istanbul. Located near the popular Taksim Square. The walk to the tower was in cobblestone streets and local artisan boutiques, which I absolutely enjoy seeing. While we did not go up the tower due to the very long line since we had already been walking for close to 2 hours!
And here are a few other places that were beautiful.
Taksim (palace) entrance.
Hagia Sophia (the now famous cathedral turned mosque turned museum).
I hope you enjoyed viewing our trip.
If you would like to see other places we have visited, click here.
Color your style, color your food, color your life!
Christiane xxx