A traveler's guide to Istanbul
Istanbul is huge. Decide which shore you are sleeping on and do not cross more than once a day unless the ferry is the activity.
Istanbul is mosques and ferries and a commercial city that never agreed to be only a museum. The historic peninsula is the first day. The rest is neighborhoods, grilled fish, and tea while the water moves. Cross the strait. The city is both sides.
When to go
Spring and fall are ideal. Summer is hot and the old city is packed. Winter is damp and atmospheric, with fewer groups and serious rain. Ramadan changes the rhythm of some neighborhoods. It is a reason to pay attention, not to avoid the city.
Neighborhoods
Sultanahmet for the early monuments, not for every meal. Karaköy and Beyoğlu for dinner and the night. Kadıköy on the Asian side for a local Saturday. Beşiktaş and the Bosphorus villages if you want water without the souvenir stalls.
Eating
Breakfast is an event if you let it be. Grilled fish, meze, and a straightforward kebab from a busy room. Street snacks are excellent. The restaurants facing the most famous mosques are the ones to walk past.
If you only remember this
- An Istanbulkart covers ferries, trams, and metro.
- Mosque visits need covered shoulders and a scarf if asked.
- Traffic is hopeless. Use the water and the rail.
- Agree the taxi or use an app. The meter is the argument.