Founded by Constantine the Great and once called Constantinople, this fascinating Turkish city is filled with unusual stories and surprising facts. Istanbul is the only city in the world which spans two continents. The western side of the city is in Europe, and the eastern side of the city is in Asia. Istanbul has been capital of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire, and in 2010, it holds the status of a European Capital of Culture.
Here are some fun ways to explore this city at the center of two worlds:
Eat: Turkish food is invariably fresh and carefully prepared. Sourdough bread with sheep’s cheese and olives, as well as jam or honey, is typically eaten for breakfast. A midday meal or dinner often starts with a meze, a plate of varied appetizers, such as cheese pastry rolls, pickled vegetables and potato fritters. You will also see salads served with dips made of eggplant, beans or red caviar.
For a truly unique dining experience, head to Asitane in Edirnekapi, one of Istanbul’s most important historical neighborhoods. Meaning “Head Gate” in Farsi, Asitane, was also one of the many names given to Istanbul throughout the reign of the Ottoman Empire. This popular restaurant boasts an impressive menu of over 200 forgotten sweet and savory recipes from the Ottoman Empire, prepared with cooking methods from 500 years ago. Try the vişne yalanci dolmasi (vine leaves stuffed with morello cherries) and yufkada kuzu incik marmarina’li (baked lamb with pureed spinach and cheese on a plate of flaky pastry).
Learn: For a different type of art experience, visit the Mosaics Museum. Opened to the public in 1953, this museum houses the remains of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Empire built by Constantine the Great (324-337). You’ll see mosaics, columns and other architectural pieces depicting scenes with human figures, daily life in Byzantium, hunting expeditions, landscapes and animal figures, all once a part of the Great Palace.
Shop: Old, new, exotic, mundane, antique, kitschy—shopping in Istanbul is all these things and more. Everyone knows about the Grand Bazaar, built in the 15th century as a complex of 3,000 shops selling raw materials to be used in clothes manufacturing. Today, the Bazaar’s fine shops and exotic atmosphere, mingling the ancient and new, make it a “must-see” in Istanbul. But it’s just one of the great shopping areas in Istanbul. Built in the 17th century next to the Golden Horn, the Egyptian Spice Bazaar is the second largest covered bazaar in Istanbul. Originally housing shops selling medicine and spices, the Egyptian Spice Bazaar continues to fulfill its original function.
Don’t Miss: One of the truly can’t-miss experiences of a trip to Istanbul is a visit to the hamam for a Turkish Bath. Like the harem, this tradition was adopted and then perfected by the Selcuk Turks, for whom the public bath took on an important role. The hamam was not merely a place where believers could fulfill the Islamic precept of cleanliness. It was also a place in which to mingle, socialize and gossip. Today, you too can experience a traditional Turkish Bath in the land where it originated.
You can discover Istanbul for yourself on Go Ahead‘s Istanbul & Coastal Turkey and Grand Tour of Turkey.
