Photo: Anna Berdnik / Unsplash
About Istanbul
Istanbul spans two continents, and it wears that duality in everything — the call to prayer echoing over Byzantine mosaics, the fish sandwiches on the Galata Bridge next to the Süleymaniye Mosque, the tram rattling through the Grand Bazaar's shadow. The Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace are genuinely unmissable, but the real Istanbul is in the neighbourhoods: Karaköy's galleries and meyhanes, Balat's crumbling Ottoman houses painted pastel, Kadıköy across the Bosphorus where locals actually live and eat. The food culture is deep and serious — do not leave without a proper Turkish breakfast, a bowl of kokoreç, and tea drunk from tulip-shaped glasses overlooking the water.
Highlights
Hagia Sophia at opening time — before tour groups, the scale is overwhelming Grand Bazaar on a Tuesday morning — 4,000 shops, cooler and quieter mid-week Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy — 25 minutes, one of the best views in Europe Karaköy breakfast — börek, menemen, bal-kaymak, and several glasses of tea Balat neighbourhood — Ottoman Jewish quarter turned street art hub, the city's most photogenic streets Spice Bazaar and Galata Bridge fish sandwiches — lunch eaten on the water, mandatory
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Practical Info
Entry rules depend on your nationality. Check before you travel: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Turkish Lira (TRY). Cards are widely accepted, but carry cash for small vendors and markets.
Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory; round up taxi fares, leave a tip in restaurants, and tip hotel staff for good service.
Istanbul is generally safe, but be cautious of pickpockets and scams in crowded tourist areas like the Grand Bazaar and Taksim Square.
Local SIMs from Turkcell or Vodafone are sold at the airport and in shops.
Turkish is the official language, and English is widely spoken in tourist areas but less so in residential neighborhoods.
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