Istanbul- A view from within
For those of you who have not visited Istanbul before then I can promise that you are in for a surprise. Be it a nice or not so pleasant surprise, I will leave that up to you to find out, but either way it’s a city that once visited that you can never leave behind.
Sultanahment is known as the historical part of the city and where the majority of the tourist sights are. If you can ignore the touts on the streets then you will enjoy your time in this area.
Having lived in Sultanahmet I consider it a village in the city. Take a walk from the Blue Mosque through the back streets and you will find the gypsy areas where families live and squabble. The cobbled streets and crumbling ottoman houses which were once grand homes of writers and poets in the area are now crumbling and dirty and house the poorer tenants of the area.
Those ottoman houses fortunate not to have fallen to the ground without a second though have been turned into boutique hotels and many have unique features such as the Naz Wooden House Inn which is 2 doors away from where I used to live. This small Boutique hotel is actually built right into the ancient city walls, if you stay at the hotel then don’t expect wallpapered guest rooms. Instead you will have cave like walls unique for the Wooden House Inn. The original walls have been preserved for historic purposes and this gives guests a genuine historic feeling of an ancient Ottoman guest house but with modern day conveniences.
Right behind this particular street you will find the old railway line where the trains rattle past either from or on their way to Sirkeci station.
For Orient Express buffs, there is no need for me to tell you that Sirkeci used to be the last stop of the Orient Express. The station was built in 1888 and very magnificent at the time. You can still see the original entrance although these days is not used as the main entrance to the station, instead you will need to walk past the ugly blue main entrance that has been added and turn right to see the original entrance. The main entrance that is used these days has to get my vote as one of the ugliest things in the city.
At the station you will find the Istanbul Railway Museum which opened in September 2005.
There are three hundred cultural objects currently being exhibited in the museum. The museum is open everyday except Sunday, Monday and national days. Here’s the best part….Entry is free!
You can check out the museum and history of the station from the link below which is in English
http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/istanbul_ing.htm
Since we have left Sultanahment and are now in Sirkeci, lets continue to exlore this area a little. From the train station looking to your right you will see the ferries continually transporting people from the European to the Asian side of the city. You can also catch a ferry from there to the islands. Look for the signs adalar ( islands ) which is the first fery station you will come accross. The Islands are a peaceful haven as no motorised traffic is permitted. If you visit the last island which is the biggest (Buyuk adası) then the best way to see this sland is to take a horse and carriage ride. Prices are fixed and the driver will make a short stop en route for you to take refreshments. While I say horse and carriage, it is indeed this but dont expect anything too grand!
Back from the Islands and you are in Eminonu again. If you dont have the time to take the hour boat trip to the big Island then I suggest the ferry to Kadiköy, this will take about 15 minutes. The ferries are full of character and if you take a wander you can look into the engine room. I have seen dolphins while making this trip so keep a look out!
Kadiköy is on the Asian side and you will feel the difference in character as soon as you step off the ferry. Its worth spending a short while here to wander and enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere. In the summer months there is a tethered balloon ride that you can take. The balloon rises about 150 feet which is high enough to give you a good view of the city.
From Kadiköy you can take a dolmuş ( Shared taki ) to Taksim. This gives you a different view of the city and the view are you go over the Bosphorus bridge which spoans from the Asian to the European side is well worth seeing
For those of you who wish to travel using public transport then the IETT have a great website in both Turkish and English with public transport routes etc in Istanbul. You can check this from the link below;
The dolmuş will stop close to the main square of Taksim so it’s very easy to get your bearings. If you are staying in Sultahamnet then to get back to your hotel and if you have the time I recommend you walk from the main square end of Istiklal street right to the far end where you can take the Tünel train from to Pera to Galata This little train route ( one stop) underground train was built originally to allow diplomats and businessmen to ride between their offices along the water in Karaköy ( Galata ) and their hilltop residences in Pera. At that time is was only the 3rd underground in the world to have been built. It was also home to the shortest route!
The walk along Istiklal street can be a pleasant one. Always packed and busy especially in the evenings. For those of you who are looking for nightlife,bars, live music and cinemas then look no further. You can find bars and clubs offering every type of music. For the dance music lovers I recommend Riddim club which plays black origin music like R n B, Hip Hop and Reggae. Itss a very popular venue.
You can check our Rittim club in both Turkish and English from the link below
During the day the street is a shoppers haven. Take time to wander through the passages where you will find clothes being sold from market like tables and at prices to match. Check the quality before you buy.
Times to avoid Istiklal street and Taksim are New Years eve unless you want to be acosted by hoards of drunk Turkish men! Seriously this area is not safe nor a pleasant experience on New Year and it will leave you with a sour taste in your mouth if you do go. Trust me on this one!
My favourite place in this city of ever changing colours is the Koç Museum
If like me you have childhood memories of the Science museum in London then you will love the Koç Museum, Istanbul.
The museum itself is housed in separate historic buildings on the shore of the Golden Horn. One part of the museum is across the road so don’t forget this when you go!
For children or the young at heart, there is a hands on gallery. The Submarine tour is also worth a visit. My favourite part of the museum has to be the vintage car collection.
There is also the Barbarossa Pub at the museum and this stays open after the museum closes.
I highly recommend a visit to the museum and you will find it a welcome relief to get away from the regular tourist traps! At the time of writing the museum did not accept credit cards for the entry and Submarine tour fees
http://www.rmk-museum.org.tr/english/index.html
To get there is easy and to get back even more so! I recommend that you take a taki there and you can return by the cheaper option of bus . The retrun bus stop is right outside the museum main entrance and will whisk you to Eminonu in 10 minutes. There is also the bus number 54 on the HASKÖY - TAKSİM – MECİDİYEKÖY line that stops at Taksim square and then goes past harbiye and the Military museum
The Military museum is also worth a visit, especially on a rainy day as all the exhibits are inside. The museum is also home to the Merter – the worlds oldest military band who play a 20 minute concerts in the afternoons starting at 3pm. The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday and the entry fee is nominal.
If you are at the Military museum, then for all the shopaholics among you, then I have to tell you that you are now just 5 minutes away from some great shopping experiences. From the museum entrance turn right and you will be in Nişantaşı…What more can I say? Wander and enjoy. Here you wont find a bargain but there are plenty designer shops to drool over and plenty of cosy cafes offering delicious foods . I particularly like Tribeca where you can have a warm bagel filled with cream cheese washed down with a mug of piping hot tea this will only set you back 7 ytl. There is also a garden here if you are visiting outside of the colder months.
For bargains head from Nişantaşı past McDonalds on your left and walk towards the traffic lights. Turn right or left into the main street and enjoy the shops along here. If you have turned right then keep walking and you will go past the house where Ataturk used to live. This is a pink house and is open as a small museum. Entry is free of charge but as most of Ataturk’s belingings are kept in Ankara there is not a lot of interest in this museum which is a shame
Anyway now you can keep walking in the same direction from Nişantaşı and the road will take you to the left. Walking past the French hospital you will soon come across Cevahir which is a big shopping and entertainment centre. Worth a visit if you have children or if you are a big child at heart because there are cinemas, rides and a bowling alley on the lower floors.
Anyone who knows me will know where I really love to shop and with a bag of small change of 50ytl I will head for Fatih street market. This is one of the oldest and biggest street markets in the city and is held every Wednesday. To get here from Sultanahmet is very easy. Just take the Tram to Aksaray and you will take a short walk past the Metro station which you should easily find. If in doubt just follow the crowds! From the Metro you will need to walk a little further and best to follow the direction of women carrying black carrier bags with their market brought goods!
If you cant get to Fatih market on a Wednesday then there is another street market which is held every Friday and extremly easy to get to from Sultahahmet. Again you will take the tram but this time you will need to get off at Fındizade which is where the market is held. If you stand or sit on the left side on the tram you will be able to see the starting point of the market by the canopies that will cover the street.
With the final note on street markets I close my city guide. Its rather appropriate to close it here because there is so much to experience on the streets of Istanbul from the street sellers selling their wares to the children begging on the streets and to the rubbish that is continually thrown on them. It’s real life and sometimes smacks you in the face. From my home I am woken every morning with street sellers selling breakfast pastries and household wares. This always reminds me of the film Oliver Twist! Victorian Britain. Modern day Istanbul. Welcome and experience!
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