Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

| posted Jan 8, 2010

There is never a bad time to visit Istanbul though 2010 offers extra incentives as the city is to become the European Capital of Culture. While seeing the textbook landmarks might help you tick boxes on your must-see list there are much more efficient ways to really get a feel of the place; here are a few.

Skip the mosques and palaces (and their queues, and their metal detectors, and their pushy guides)...Enjoy the architectural gems around them.

 While not denying the beauty of the old gems (even as an alternative sightseer you might want to give it a half-day) you will never understand the city and its heritage as well as if you wander around the old Istanbul for hidden beauty. While a mosque is no doubt grandiose and full of history, it is the surroundings that really show the heart of the city and ultimately enhancing the more traditional beauty of the great landmarks.

Mosque-inspired or just perfectly random: one of the roofs of Sultanahmet.

A few feet down from Topkapi Palace: a little less royal but at least as interesting.

Skip the Grand Bazaar... Enjoy a walk around the shops of the textile district.

Located in the old town between Beyazit and Sultanahmet, this is very much a working area of Istanbul as far as the textile industry is concerned. While a "must-see" like the Grand Bazaar might offer more expected and quaint sights, the myriad of clothes shops and real working crowds gives you a vertiginous insight into "the real Istanbul" and offer a few giggles and wow factors along the way.

A classic street scene: everyday life of the Istanbul workers and an XXXL mannequin, a refreshing sight for anyone living in a fashion capital.

Street cleaners and their odd Breton sailor outfits.

Blink and you'll see another three... The 1,000 cats of old Istanbul and the silly Westerners making baby talk at them (expect contemptful looks from locals).

And if you need retail therapy and you need it bad do avoid the bazaars and head to chic Nisantasi for a little vintage shopping in Ece Sukan's treasure trove.

Ece Sukan's vintage haven (Courtesy of The Very Thirsty Raindrop)

Skip the cruise across the Bosphorus... Enjoy the seafront instead.

Oh the views, oh the romance! Oh you can do so much better! While not quite as chic as the Croisette, the Istanbul seafront is on the right side of colourful: rusty old boats, manky old cats... And the odd touch offantasy courtesy of a few party balloons.

A promenade like an art installation... Scattered benches on Kennedy Caddesi.

Skip the Starbucks et al. ... Enjoy the food and the people-watching in Tunel.

In certain ways Istanbul is very much the modern Western metropolis, but don't fall into the old Starbucks and fast food routine: it might feel easy and comfortable but there is such a wealth of venues, posh restaurants, smaller cafés and unlikelyfood joints. The Tunel area is especially full of them: sophisticated meals and stunning views in Leb-i Derya (the Kumbaraci branch), bargainous but stylish lunch in Lokanta Helvetia, drinks and much people-watching in a trendy bar like Otto and an after-party pide in the old salonu on Oteller sokak where the friendly owner will delight you with stories you will fail to understand if you do not speak the language but that will delight you nonetheless.

A café on General Yazgan Sokak a few doors down from Lokanta Helvetia (Courtesy of Sean Dodson)

Skip the turkish bath... Enjoy a little art (and a little wine) at the Istanbul Modern.

Attractive a thought as a turkish bath in Istanbul might be, one might regret a certain lack of imagination. Silence the critics, show them there's more to you than spa treatments and head to the Modern on the seafront museum. A nice enough contemporary art museum with a few wow pieces and a lot of wow features, from the staircase to the library ceiling (all see-through glass and hanging paperbacks). Another very good way of pretending to be cultural is to spend an hour or five in the café (stunning views, nice local wine).

(Courtesy of boston.com)

Prime example of drunken photography after a few hours of Turkish wine-drinking.

 

 Aurelie Bellavigna

Source and photo credits: Yours truly (unless stated).

TAGS: howhere istanbul european capital of culture travel tips istanbul modern helvetia lokanta tunel beyoglu asmalimescit leb-i derya ece sukan istanbul vintage