This was my fourth visit to Istanbul, and still, it managed to surprise me and shake my emotions. a hurricane of images, voices, smells and tastes that captivate your senses and leave you always wanting more of its charm.
I have always been a low-cost tourist, and experience taught me that this is easier to do in some places than others, but Istanbul is the perfect place to explore without spending a fortune, actually as you will see in this article, I think you would have a better experience if you stay away from luxury and just experience the real Istanbul:
1-Stay in a small cozy hostel
I would never stay in a fancy 5-star hotel in Istanbul. you simply miss too much being far from the daily life of Istanbul. I recommend staying at any small hostel in Fatih or Beyoglu (Fatih is the area around the Sultanahmet mosque, and Beyoglu is the area around Taksim square). all the rooms I stayed in were clean and even had a refrigerator and bathroom slippers! (something I did not get in 3-star European hotels).
When you stay in these small hotels, you get to be a few steps from the restaurants and the bazaars, you get to hear the seagulls flying over the minarets of the mosques, and you get to see the locals and tourists sitting in the small corner cafes drinking tea and smoking shisha.
I wouldn’t even recommend booking a hotel with breakfast included, for there are dozens of choices for breakfast at hand, and for a very reasonable price.
2-Try some street food:
Istanbul is a great place to eat out, and if you are not into fancy restaurants and waiters in suits and bowties, then you will find endless choices of good and low budget restaurant. you can have a great meal for under 5 USD.
Try waking up early, and take a walk in the narrow street of Beyoglu. you would find many cafeterias serving Borek and tea, all freshly made (on my last visit I had breakfast at 6.30).
For a quick snack try the grilled chestnuts or corn from the stands in Istiklal Street or in the parks around Sultanahmet mosque. And then take a seat at a traditional cafe and have a cup of Turkish coffee.
And for lunch, if you happen to be in the grand bazaar area, and if you don’t mind eating on the street, make sure you visit the Aynen durum for a liver sandwich. This is a unique place where you would sit literally at the street and eat a hot sandwich and drink an Ayran yogurt drink. I eat there EVERYTIME I visit Istanbul (even though I am not a fan of liver). Then have a great dessert with dried fruits and nuts at Hafiz Mustafa cafe near Sultanahmet.
As for dinner, you will have a hard time deciding where to eat, due to the number of attractive restaurants and luring smells you would encounter all over the place, again, I do not recommend going fancy cause, believe me, the quality of the low budget restaurants in Istanbul is just great!
3-Talk to the locals:
I have been told by many people who visited Turkey or lived there that Turkish people are too serious, or that they do not smile a lot, and some people even try to give an impression that people were not nice to them. Here is my take on this, Turkish people ARE relatively serious, but they are also kind and helpful, I for one really don’t mind if people are straightforward, in fact, it is always good to be respectful and modest not just in Istanbul, but everywhere!
One thing that always helps is trying to speak to the locals in their own language. I do speak a little Turkish, and since my third visit to Istanbul I had dared to use it when I talk to people, and it has dramatically changed the way I lived the experience and the impression that I left on the locals, now I’m not suggesting that you should learn Turkish for a 3 day visit! but anyone can learn a few phrases in any language! it really shows people that you admire their culture, and they always appreciate it, and there are numerous resources on the internet that would help you learn fast. of course, sometimes you will come across an impatient person who would answer you in English, in this case, I think it makes sense to continue with him in English and try again with the next person.
4-Listen to the azan in Sultanahmet:
Visiting the Sultanahmet mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque) is on the top of the must-see list for anyone who visits Istanbul, the mosque is an icon of Ottoman architecture, it is so famous that I don’t think I can add anything significant about its history or architecture to what you could find in hundreds of sources around the web.
But what I am going to recommend that you do, is to be near the mosque during the time of prayer call. You can find out these times in all many websites, (this page for example: https://www.islamicfinder.org/world/turkey/745044/istanbul-prayer-times/ ). The harmony of the prayer call chant from Sultanahmet mosque and Haya Sofia museum is an enchanting experience that you should not miss. Many visitors feel emotionally overwhelmed by it, and many have made the effort to record, this is one of them by Tod Witman:
I should mention here that visiting the mosque during prayer times is only allowed for worshippers, but that only lasts for about 20-30 minutes, after which the mosque is open for visitors again.
5-Use public transport:
Istanbul is a very busy city. But it has a very efficient public transport system. The best way to get around in the touristic areas is the tramway, connecting Beyoglu to Fatih,
Istanbul has two airports (soon to be three). The only downside of public transport in Istanbul is that the Sabiha Gökçen Airport (which is the airport assigned to low-cost airlines and is located on the Asian side of Istanbul), is not connected with the railway network so you can either take a cab (which I don’t recommend) or take the bus called Havabus.
There are two tips here that might be useful for you:
– if upon leaving the airport you find yourself in a chaotic scene of buses and taxis and noise, don’t worry, this is what it’s always like! just look for the Havabus stop and don’t be afraid to ask. The ride costs 18 Liras and lasts about 60-75 minutes depending on the traffic.
-Be aware upon planning your trip back to the airport that there are sometimes significant delays due to traffic jams, always throw in some extra time, just in case.
6-Be kind to the animals:
Istanbul is known for having loose animals on its streets, cats and dogs to be precise, I found that a bit weird at first, but then you get used to it, and they are harmless as far as I know.
Those animals depend on the kindness of the locals and the tourists, I think it would be a nice experience to feed them and be kind to them.
I had a close encounter with a cute cat on my last visit! I hope I don’t sound corny but it was one of the best moments of my trip! I was walking in Nuru Osmaniye Avenue and decided to take a little rest on the of the wooden banks. the only vacant bank had a cat on it! so I assumed he wouldn’t mind sharing, and to my surprise, the cat started rubbing against me and within a minute was in my lap! (something that my pet cat hadn’t done EVER!. No, please, don’t get me started about my cat! 😦 ). I was actually a bit sad when left him but I hoped everyone was being nice to him, otherwise, he wouldn’t be so trusting.
The bottom line:
Istanbul is a unique city, and visiting it can a very enriching experience. The best thing you could do is have a clear and open mind and let the city charm you with all that it offers, which is something you cannot find anywhere else in the world. I will end up with this thought: I have been back from Istanbul less than a week ago, and I already miss it.
The Traveling Architect 