A Taste of Istanbul, Turkey
Guest Post by Guy Arnold
Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans over two continents. The western side is in Europe, while the eastern side is in Asia. Apart from this unique and quirky fact, Istanbul has recently become an official city of culture, giving way to dozens of reasons to explore it.
Perhaps its most stand-out landmark is the otherwise known “Blue Mosque” in Sultanahamet, the ‘touristy bit’ of the city. Its vast cascade of domed roofs and slender minarets (six in total, one of very few in the world to have such) dominate the skyline and attract thousands of visitors each year. In summer, from 9pm, there is a historical narrative and a light show which are performed for tourists (spoken in Turkish, English, French and German on various different nights).
Of course, while you’re marvelling at the many sites of the city, you’ll start to feel peckish sooner or later. If you’re after a true flavour of Istanbul culture then you’re in luck, however, you will need to do a little digging to find the most authentic restaurants and other eateries. Going off the major streets and poking around the back alleys will be the best bet. Here, you’re likely to stumble across, for example under the Galata Bridge just south of Sultanahamet, a place serving traditional fish sandwiches. Fisherman atop the bridge will catch your lunch before your eyes while you wait below, at a table, to eat it straight from the open grill.
Also off Sultanahamet, and on the Kabatus tram to Gulhane or the Sirkeci Station, are pockets of pleasant little restaurants serving more authentic Turkish cuisine. Beneath awnings shading the streets from the sweltering heat you can enjoy plenty of local foods from the grill or the traditional Turkish pizza, the pide. One such place specialises in a kebab consisting of slices of lamb which had been raised on the rich thyme hills of Mount Uludag. They are laid on a base of diced, flat pide bread and topped with dollops of savoury tomato sauce and browned butter together with a side-serving of yoghurt sprinkled with parsley – lezzetli (or, ‘delicious’ to the non-Turkish speaking)!
The dining in Istanbul really is excellent and, when it comes to traditional eating, the locals pride themselves on it. Finding authenticity in and around Sultanahamet (or the ‘old part’ of town) is easy, you simply need to know where to look i.e. not in the most obvious places. Poke about, follow your nose not the crowd. The chances of you finding a small restaurant or cafe serving reasonably-priced, quality local food are high. The chances of you being disappointed are, thankfully, slim. 🙂 – Travel Feeder
p/s: The author, Guy Arnold has travelled extensively and loves to write about his favourite adventures.
About The Author
Cecil Lee
The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.
