A 20 year long (and continuing) journey of visiting Istanbul and we finally made it, for the first time, to one of the city’s iconic sights; Pierre Loti Hill (Pierre Loti Tepesi). We’re in the Eyüp district on the European side of Istanbul for this little outing… And let us make the mistakes so that …
Well then, guess it was finally time we sampled the köfte at this ‘renowned,’ establishment, Filibe Köftecisi in the Sirkeci area of Istanbul… Look up the English translation of the Turkish word, ‘meşhur’ and you’ll see it means ‘renowned, famous or well known.’ Meşhur Filibe Köftecisi, Sirkeci We’d spotted Meşhur Filibe Köftecisi on a previous …
This post is about cağ kebabı – our favourite kebab – and Şehzade Cağ Kebap in the Sirkeci neighbourhood of Istanbul. As usual, with us, we have a little background tale to tell around cağ kebabı. Food that’s memorable for all the right reasons; it’s a matter of opinion, of personal experience. For us, our …
Welcome to our massive article about one of Istanbul’s (and the world’s) most famous landmarks; the residence of the Ottoman sultans, Topkapı Palace. We’re taking you on a tour of the palace’s decadent interior, intricately designed tiles and stained glass windows. We’re taking a peek at harem life in Topkapı Palace; home to the sultans’ …
There’s a little corner of Istanbul that’s very special to us. Karaköy Fish Market (Karaköy Balık Pazarı) was not just a market but also a place to go and eat. You could eat anything from üskümrü / hamsi ekmek (mackerel or anchovy sandwich) to fish soup. Or even a full seafood platter whilst enjoying a …
We’d been meaning to revisit Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) for years, but somehow hadn’t got around to it. The thing is, when you’ve visited a city so many times, you get settled into wandering streets, previously unknown shops and markets, eateries and bars. Once you’ve visited all the main sights, that’s when you start …
In this post, we want to talk about a Turkish street food favourite: Ortaköy Kumpir. Kumpir is available in many of Turkey’s towns and cities but there is one little neighbourhood that is oh-so-famous for this slightly peculiar member of the Turkish street food family. First of all, let us set the scene for our …
We’re sure he won’t mind us telling you this – well, we’re telling you anyway, aren’t we – but our lovely friend Anıl, Mr Tech Expert, foXnoMad , has a bit of a penchant for (or addiction to) çiğ köfte. He loves the stuff. A few years ago, he came to stay with us in …
Our last post was all about us getting to know the Galata neighbourhood a bit better, and, for this particular blog post, we’re still in Galata…but we’re being a bit nosey. In Istanbul, all the sights and sounds of the city are right here, right now, in your face, when you’re walking around. The call …
Galata: As a tourist in Istanbul it’s that place where you go to once you’ve exhausted the magnificent sights of Sultanahmet; Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya), the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), Topkapı Palace. Should you fancy a stroll up the hill towards Beyazıt, the Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşısı) and Süleymaniye Camii are always worth a bit …