Destination Istanbul, Turkey

Even in my wildest dreams I never imaged having something in common with Mehmed the Conqueror.

 

Yet here I was in Istanbul, celebrating his conquest of the Turkish city in 1453 and his contribution to culinary traditions at the Ottoman Hotel Imperial’s Matbah Restaurant. 

Overlooking the Cafer Aga Medresse, the call to prayer echoing in the cooling night air, I was savouring, the delicious Ottoman Palace based-cuisine. 

Like Istanbul, the enchanting city that bestrides Asia and Europe, it is a heady mix of flavours, from a wealth of ancient and modern cultures, topped with a hint of spice that makes it sizzle.

Ottoman Hotel Imperial

This was my first visit to Istanbul, but thanks to the charming Ottoman Hotel Imperial, a luxury boutique hotel, once a19^th century Ottoman school and hospital, I had already found a sense of place. Here history pushed up against modernity. The warm and friendly staff provided excellent service.

Whatever you read or hear, nothing prepares you for the enormity of the city that was the former capital of the Byzantine and the Ottoman empires. Reputedly, more than 18 million people live here and, apparently, the population is growing daily, so I arranged for a guide to help me unravel the layers.

The next day I was up bright and early to meet Yavuz, my guide, to do the mandatory day, or so I thought, of running round mosques and palaces of Sultanahmet.

The tour began at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque because of the gorgeous blue tiles inside. You have to queue for ages, so go early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the queues – ensure you avoid prayer times. 

The Bosphorus

Courtesy of Turkish Culture and Tourism Office

Arguably more exquisite is the Hagia Sophia built for Emperor Justinian in the 6^th century. Originally Christian, the Ottoman Turks converted it into a mosque and today is a museum. (Closed Mondays.)

Not to be missed is the opulent Topkapi Palace bursting with relics from the Ottoman Dynasty. You could while away hours here conjuring up pictures of Arabian nights. If you are short of time make sure you see the Imperial Treasury, the Harem and the Chamber of Holy Relics where you will find a staff, which is said to have belonged to Moses, and some hairs supposedly from Mohammed’s beard. (Closed Tuesdays.)

After a visit to the mysterious, 6^th century cavernous Basilica Cistern, which appeared in the James Bond movie, From Russia with Love, Yavuz showed me that Istanbul is not only charged with history, it is also a shopper’s paradise. 

The Grand Bazaar (closed Sundays) is regarded as the oldest and largest covered market in the world. From soap to leather to diamonds, there is practically nothing you will not find here. While competition may be hot, don’t expect to find too many bargains, unless you have excellent bartering skills and can tell your jewels from your coloured stones or have an excellent guide as I had.

Haiga Sofya Museum

Courtesy of

Turkish Culture and Tourism Office

Only a short walk away is the spice bazaar, Misir Carisi where irresistible aromas waft through the air. Develi Spice Centre is the place to go for mouth-watering dried fruits, tasty nuts and delicious Turkish Delight. For rose oils, walk across to his brother’s stall.

A ferry ride on the Bosphorus over to the Asian side of the city was the next surprise Yavuz had up his sleeve. The views of Istanbul from the water are so smoulderingly magnificent that no picture or painting really captures the essence.

Once there, I was whisked around and had lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, Yavuz took me to visit his mother Saba, an accomplished dressmaker working for the likes of designer, Philipp Plein, and also an expert in the Turkish tradition of reading coffee grounds. 

I soon found myself emptying out my coffee cup. What was spooky was that she was amazingly accurate. She told me that I was going to move. How could she have known that I was contemplating selling my apartment?

Taksim Square

After a whirlwind tour of the upscale shopping area Bağdat Caddesi, a pretty tree-lined boulevard teeming with chic boutiques and stores of renowned global brands, we boarded the ferry back to the European side. 

From Taksim Square, the beating heart of modern Istanbul, and home to the monument of the Republic (worth noting that there are currently works here), it was on to the pedestrianised Istiklal Caddesi. One of the most renowned streets in Turkey, it is peppered with interesting buildings, shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. However, Sortie and Reina on the bank of the Bosphorus are the hangouts where the rich and famous party. Both have first-class restaurants. 

We spent hours sauntering around and soaking up the atmosphere. To get a taste of old Istanbul, we paid a quick visit to the Pera Palace Jumeirah, whose impressive guest list includes Agatha Christie. Nişantaşi is Istanbul’s answer to Knightsbridge.

It was now getting late and Yavuz wanted to take me for a stroll along the Bosphorus and over the Galata Bridge where fishermen crammed into every centimetre of space.

Over a rather late supper at the cute Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant, which became known as a meeting and message centre for tourists after it opened in 1957, I pondered on what to do on my last day. I decided to get up close and personal with the city.

There is not a really convenient way to get to grips with Istanbul. The street patterns do not appear to have any regularity to them and the transport system is a mix of trams, buses, metro bus and funicular, which sometimes have to be used in conjunction with each other. 

It could all have been rather chaotic, had it not been for the amazing helpful and friendly Turkish people I met. No pointing or telling you where the station was, they took you and one lovely man actually bought a ticket for me. In all my travels, I have never experienced anything quite like it.

On the streets that are charged with history, urban grit pushes up against glamour. New York leaves you feeling energised, hip Istanbul enriches you.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there 

easyJet (www.easyjet.com) flies from London Luton to Istanbul - Sabiha Gökçen (www.easyjet.com).

I stayed at the excellent Ottoman Imperial Hotel, (Great Hotels of the World, ghotw.com). This jewel of a hotel is the perfect location for exploring the historic centre

The five-star Wow Istanbul Hotel (Great Hotels of the World (ghotw.com) is the hotel you should stay at if you have an early morning flight from Atatűrk Airport. Traffic is notoriously bad in the city and crossing the city may take you a lot longer than you think.  Rooms are comfortable and spacious and there is also a health centre

For more information about Turkey and Istanbul as well as arranging sightseeing tours and guides visit the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office (gototurkey.co.uk)

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist