Istanbul

I would like to suggest some of the things I usually enjoy when I go to Istanbul, but please keep in mind that the things you would do in Istanbul are endless. 

History

Miniaturk

I am sure that everyone would like to see all historical places throughout Turkey, but unfortunately it might not be possible in most cases because of the time constraint or budget wise. Miniaturk will be a great opportunity to discover all of these structures. This park contains the most beautiful and important structures from Istanbul and Anatolia area and Ottoman territories that today lie outside of Turkey. You will find the models of 120 structures from these places. These models are done in 1/25 scale, so you will get the big picture how they would be if you visited the real ones. Some of the models that you will find in the park are Izmir's Clock Tower, Church of the Virgin Mary, Traditional Stone Houses in Mardin, Aspendos Theater, Pamukkale, Bosphorus Bridge, The Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Please visit Miniaturk's website to find out more information about the park.

Shopping

Sali Pazari - Did you ever get bored from shopping malls? Do you want to try a different shop experience? Then Sali pazari is a right place for you. Sali pazari is held in Kadikoy on every Tuesday between 8:00am and 6:00pm. You will be able to find the cheapest clothes in town. So, if you have been on the road for a while and your clothes needs replenishing, this is the place to do!

Pasabahce -  This local firm was established in 1934. The company produces excellent glassware from its factory on the Bosphorus. It is easy to find both contemporary and traditional styles. Three floors of glassware, vases and decanters feature here and prices are very reasonable. If you are interested in glassware, you may want to check out the company's website before visiting the factory.

Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi) - Grand Bazaar is Turkey's largest covered market offering excellent shopping experince for tourists from all over the world. What makes this market unique is that it is a small town itself with banks, police stations, restaurants, mosques and 4,000 shops. The things you will find in this market are endless. Some of them include high quality Turkish carpets, apparel made of leather, glazed tiles and pottery, copper and brassware, meerschaum pipes, cotton and wool, alabaster bookends and ashtrays.

Pandora - Finding a book in your language might be difficult in foreign countries; especially if the official language is not English. This is one of the most complaints that I hear from tourists about Turkey. However, the independent bookshop, Pandora, has recently opened a new store dedicated solely to English-language books. It has a variety of sections from crime fiction to travel, as well as a lot of books about Turkey. One interesting thing is the bookstore's website is not in English.

Food

Kumpir  - Kumpir is a baked potato which is bigger than a regular potato that you see. The preparation starts with baking the potato. After the potato is baked, it is sliced in half to dig out the inner flesh of the potato. Finally, the inner flesh of the potato is mixed with butter and cheddar. Now Kumpir is ready to be filled out with your choice of toppings you name them. Some of the popular toppings include hotdog slices, corn, peas, vegetable salad, pickles, pickled beets, green and black olives, kisir - a couscous-like bulgur dish, ketchup and mayonnaise. You will be able to see Kumpir stands all over the city, but Ortakoy has more than a dozen kumpir stands around the famous Ortakoy Mosque.

Simit - Simit is a circular bread with sesame, and it is a tradition in Turkish culture to drink Turkish tea and eat fat cheese with simit. This tradition is one of the most common Turkish breakfasts for working people because it is convenient and time saving. You can also try to combine simit and ayran. It is almost impossible to miss street simit vendors because these people are constantly walking around the city with a tray on top of their heads.

Fish&Bread Sandwich - It is a very simple food, but you may be surprised by the line in front of the vendors. The sandwich has a fresh grilled fish fillet and onions (depending on your choice) in dry bread.

Ayran - Ayran is one of the refreshing drinks of Turkish culture. It is made by blending equal parts of yogurt and water with salt. You can drink it alone as a refreshing drink in the hot summer day or you can drink ayran with a meal - especially with spicy meats because ayran helps to cool the mouth between bites.

Kahramanmaras Ice Cream - Now you might want to eat some desserts to sweeten your mouth. I personally love how it melts in my mouth as I chew it. It is served with a knife and fork because the ice cream is very elastic, sticky and thick. What makes Kahramanmaras ice cream famous besides its deliciousness is how it is served. Ice cream sellers throw whole piece of ice cream in the air and pound it with a huge stick. You will absolutely enjoy the buying ice cream experience. You can watch the video below to see how the ice cream seller entertains the Japanese tourist.