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 …
Küçük Ayasofya Camii is just down the road from the Mangana Konak Suites, so we decided Barry would be okay hobbling strolling that far… How many times have we stayed in Sultanahmet in Istanbul? Let us count. How many times have we been to Istanbul? (Picture a hand waving around in the air in an …
To witness the tulips. That was the reason for our dash to Istanbul’s Gülhane Park – one of the city’s most famous parks – on our most recent visit to this sprawling megacity. We were primarily in Istanbul for one of Turkey’s top running events; the Istanbul Half Marathon. But any running event is also …
Maybe it was the fact the sun was shining, we’re not sure, but both of us said this year’s Istanbul Marathon was the most enjoyable yet. Sunday was the third time we’ve taken part, and there was a completely different atmosphere to usual; a bit of a culture change. More people taking part just for …
As shopping centres go, the Egyptian Spice Bazaar in Istanbul is both
historic and aesthetically pleasing. We love walking through the Bazaar to
sense history and breath in the jumble of aromas…
It’s 8:30 pm and bus drivers, driver’s mates, crew, desk staff, travellers and those who have come to wave off the travellers are milling around the various buses, lined up in Fethiye otogar. Most buses to Istanbul set off at 9 pm so tickets are being checked, bags are being loaded, cigarettes are being smoked. …
Souvenir shopping; it’s never been something that tops our agenda while exploring new places. In fact, it doesn’t even make our agenda, most of the time – but Istanbul is different. Istanbul has the power to tempt even the most reluctant of shoppers (that’ll be us) to part with even just a little of their …
On Monday, we posted that in a couple of weeks time we will be flying to Rome from Istanbul. Albeit a very fleeting visit, it does mean that we’re going to be able to squash in a bit of time in our favourite city before we fly. And we’ll be staying overnight, somewhere around the …
The first time we ever went to Istanbul we studied guidebooks carefully for all the must-sees; where they’re situated, what days they’re open, how much the entrance fee is. It was like a military operation because a trip to Istanbul was the fulfilment of an ambition for both of us. We wanted to make the …
We’ve been looking forward to doing this post for some time for a couple of reasons. The first reason is because of the visual effect – I’m a sucker for mixed, vivid colours. The second is because all these mixed, vivid colours spill from our friend’s shop in Kapalı Çarşısı (known as the Grand Bazaar …