Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia
Near Basilica Cistern
Near Basilica Cistern
Yeni Cami
Spice Bazaar
Spice Bazaar
Spice Bazaar
Near Spice Bazaar
Near Taksim Square
Hafiz Mustafa
Hafiz Mustafa
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace
Sultan III Mehmed Turbesi
Near Sirkeci Station
Near Sirkeci Station
Sirkeci Station
Hamami help
Friend’s question: We’re going to Istanbul in a few days. Any suggestions?
My response:
- Buy the harem upgrade at Topkapi Palace.
- The Basilica Cistern, near Hagia Sophia, is a perfect escape from the heat.
- If the line to Hagia Sophia is long, then pay the slight premium to hire one of the roving guides, who will usher you to the front and, unless you’re already an expert, enhance your experience inside.
- If you go to a whirling dervish show/ceremony (such as the one at Sirkeci Station), then sit by the door so you can leave discreetly, if desired, once you get the gist of it and wish to move on with your evening.
- Eat lots of Turkish Delight. Hafiz Mustafa seemed to be the major purveyor, and while for all I know the locals may consider it to be the White Castle of Turkish Delight, it delighted our uneducated palates so frequently and so mercilessly that Edmund’s surrender to C.S. Lewis’ White Witch made complete sense.
- Be very, very judicious in selecting a Turkish Bath, or Hamami. Avoid Tarihi Galatasaray in the Taksim Square neighborhood; nearby Ağa comes on higher recommendations.
- Turkey’s bigger than Texas yet lacks a Euro-style railway system, so if you’re planning any excursions elsewhere in the country, your time is limited and you’re more interested in destinations than in journeys, fly. The Skyscanner app includes smaller, regional airlines (e.g., Pegasus, Atlas, SunExpress) that the Kayaks and Travelocities don’t appear to cover, or at least didn’t, and you’ll be pleased at how inexpensively and efficiently these budget carriers can help you to cover a lot of ground.
- And a minor detail: Don’t be there during or in the several days immediately following a major Muslim holy day (e.g., Ramadan), because the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, among other attractions, will probably be closed.
QUESTIONS FOR READERS
- Istanbul is, of course, an astonishing mashup of East and West. What’s an especially memorable cultural juxtaposition you’ve encountered here?
- Before our trip, I surveyed friends about the security situation and was advised that “in Istanbul, anything at all can happen, and at any time.” Taking customary but not extraordinary precautions, we felt entirely comfortable on the streets. Much of this depends on timing, but has your experience here been the same?
- What’s your favorite hamami?
- If you inferred from #8 that I didn’t make it to the Grand Bazaar, you inferred correctly. Care to rub it in a bit?
WANDERLOOSED 
[…] Miette calls itself both a confiserie (confectionery) and a patisserie (pastry shop), but aside from a few cupcakes and some cakes, it’s mostly candy. And the Turkish Delight is as good as anything you’ll find this side of Istanbul. […]
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