A cultural guide to Istanbul

Istanbul is often described as a city of two halves, spread-eagled over the eastern tip of Europe and the western edge of Asia. But it is much more than that, ancient and modern vie for attention on both European and Asian sides, with gleaming glass towers overlooking the traditional wooden buildings that still cling to the banks of the Bosporus. My favourite journey, up the Bosporus from the Golden Horn – either by boat from Sultanahmet's busy port of Eminönü or on foot along Necatibey Caddesi, the main street on the European side – is the perfect way to see the city.

At the beginning of this journey, and as the ancient grandeur of the Topkapi Palace, Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosque drift away, the Istanbul Museum Of Modern Art, in its striking, if somewhat unsightly, converted Fifties warehouse, comes into view. The contemporary art scene is still small in Turkey, but don't underestimate the high standards of exhibitions at the Istanbul Modern I love to spend a morning wandering around, with the reward of delicious tea in its beautifully situated café.
Continuing up the Bosporus takes you to an altogether different era and style of Istanbul: the Dolmabahçe Palace, which was built in 1855 for Sultan Abdül Mecit, but became the official residence of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Although you can only visit by guided tour, the sheer extravagance and excess of the décor is a lot more fun than the more celebrated Topkapi, which is positively minimalist in comparison.


Once I've had my fill of the palace-lined shores of old-money Istanbul, I head uphill towards the modern face of consumerism in the main shopping avenue of Istiklal Caddesi. Make your way through the tight, winding streets of Çihangir and Galata, and once again you'll see old and new side by side. Sip espresso with the cool artistic set at Kahvedan on Akarsu Sokak or Tezgah, a café-cum-second-hand bookshop on Yeniçarsi Caddesi. Or shop in some of the best vintage shops I've come across (my favourites are Mozk Vintage Shop on Aga Hamami Sokagi and Matchbox on Matara Sokak), and browse the packed, ramshackle antique shops, like Güney Ticaret on Soganci Sokagi, that are full of dusty bric-a-brac. Yet wander a couple of streets away from this cosmopolitan enclave and you'll soon spot headscarved women hanging their washing out.

Istanbul has the world's third-oldest metro (1875), after London and New York

Istiklal Caddesi itself is nothing special, and is lined with familiar chain stores, but venture down any of its narrow side streets and you'll find plenty of cafés serving some of the city's most authentic Turkish coffee and tea.
When a sugar hit is what I need to make it the length of Istiklal Caddesi, I head for Inci, a small, wooden-panelled pastry shop dating from the Forties, about halfway down the street. It serves the most unctuous, cream-stuffed profiteroles I've ever tasted. And, as the only beverage on offer is a vivid yellow lemon drink, I'm sure to leave the place with enough energy to make it all the way to the Golden Horn and beyond.

Turkey Tour Competition: Win a Gulet Cruise

Peter Sommer Travels has teamed up with Current World Archaeology magazine and the Turkish Culture & Tourism Office to offer two lucky people the chance to indulge in an expert led cultural tour and gulet cruise, Sailing Western Lycia, September 25th - October 2nd, 2010.
You will travel on a wonderful gulet from a starting point at the pretty harbour of Göcek, just 30 minutes from Dalaman airport, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. The tour is led by Cambridge University Classicist and archaeologist Dr Nigel Spivey. Every day, you will visit one of the antique cities that adorn this timeless Turkish coast, and then stroll along ancient roads lined with wild herbs, olive trees, and rock tombs. You will have the chance to both snorkel over sunken harbours and climb rocky fastnesses for unrivalled vistas. From mighty theatres to churches floored with mosaics, each site is an archaeological adventure, part of a historical puzzle that reveals a remarkable story of human civilisation. Every day there are plenty of opportunities to swim in the crystal waters of the Turquoise coast, to windsurf, kayak, or go for a hike.


Highlights include a visit to Xanthus, the great capital of ancient Lycia, whose magnificent treasures caused an extraordinary stir when they were brought to the British Museum, and a visit of Gemiler Island resplendent with its avenue of Byzantine churches. Full board, road transfers, and entrance fees to archaeological sites will be covered. International flights will be generously provided by the Turkish Culture & Tourism Office in London.
The deadline for entries is midnight on Saturday July 31, 2010.
How to enter: Please answer the following question on ancient Turkey:
The temple of Artemis was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but with which site was it associated?

Istanbul

Istanbul has been luring travelers for thousands of years but today there are more reasons than ever to visit this incredible city. From museums to mosques, bazaars to boutiques, there is no other place on earth that matches Istanbul when it comes to contrasting old and new, East and West, secular and religious.

Culture

Istanbul is a 2010 European Capital of Culture, and the year has been filled with celebratory performances and festivals, including art and architecture shows, jazz festivals, rock and hip-hop concerts, ballet, film festivals, and fashion events all giving the city a chance to showcase its culture. Upcoming highlights include a Puppet Festival (Aug. 23–28), a whirling dervish Mevlevi Culture and Sema Ceremony (Sundays in Aug.), special Ramadan Istanbul Events (Aug. 8–Sept. 8), and many other music and art exhibitions through the fall.

Eating

Food and travel go hand in hand, and Turkish cuisine holds many delights, especially for vegetarians—it seems like Turkish cooking offers at least 1,000 different ways to prepare an eggplant. Mezes, the small plates similar to Spanish tapas, are a great way to sample all sorts of delicacies, especially when accompanied by raki, an anise flavored liquor.


Some of our favorite spots to sample Turkish cuisine in all its many guises include the very casual Çiya, where the chef/owner is something of a culinary anthropologist, collecting recipes from around the country and serving delicious incarnations in his no-frills eatery; Cezayir, which serves innovative "new Turkish cuisine"; Abracadabra, a relatively new spot that focuses on natural, local, and seasonal ingredients; and Giritli, which serves outstanding fish dishes and has a lovely garden.
Indeed, the Turks make the most of the good weather in summer and fall with alfresco dining—especially on the city's rooftops. The Beyoglu neighborhood, which sits on a ridge overlooking the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and the sights of Sultanahmet (the old city) is leading the rooftop charge; here you can eat dinner while looking at both Europe and, across the water, Asia. This is real intercontinental dining.
Two restaurants—360 Istanbul, atop a historic apartment building, and Mikla, at the top of the 18-story Marmara Pera hotel, have spectacular 360-degree views. (If you're choosing between the two, Mikla is, generally speaking, for an older crowd, while 360 Istanbul is a good place to get a glimpse of the city's younger elite.) The open-air (summer only) NuTeras is a chic bar that serves excellent mezes and looks out on the Golden Horn.

Sites, Old and New

Whether your interests are old, new, religious, or secular, there's no lack of awe-inspiring sites to see in Istanbul, the cradle of civilization. In Sultanahmet, compare the Blue Mosque, with its mesmerizing blue tile exterior, with Aya Sofya, the church-turned-mosque-turned-museum, whose interior size and grandeur will take your breath away. Make sure to visit the sprawling riches of the Topkapi Palace, home to generations of sultans and the harems. For a quick respite from the chaos, descend into the peaceful Yerebtan Sarnici cistern, where you can wander on walkways over the water, with classical music playing in the background. To juxtapose all this history check out the Istanbul Modern, a converted warehouse on the shores of the Golden Horn, showcasing modern painting, sculpture, and photography from Turkey and around the world.

Day trips

For an easy, convenient way to get away from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul, take a ferry trip up the Bosphorus from the Eminönü docks in Sultanahmet. The boats zigzag up the Bosphorus, stopping for a three-hour break at one of two fishing villages on either side of the Bosphorus, near the Black Sea. Either village is great for an inexpensive and delicious meal of fresh fish before you take the ferry back to town.
If it's a beach you're looking for, take a ferry to the Princes Islands: Buyukada and Heybeliada, the two largest of the nine islands, are both car-free but easy to get around, whether you rent a bike or a horse and carriage.

Shopping

Istanbul has been a shopper's town for, well, centuries, and the sprawling Grand Bazaar, open since 1461, could easily be called the world's oldest shopping mall. You'll find everything from carpets, leather, and gold to furniture, clothes, and knickknacks. This is not to say that the city is stuck in the past, though—far from it. Istanbul has a wide range of modern shopping options, from the chic boutiques of Nisantasi—some of our favorites are the moderately priced Yargici, the innovative Bahar Korçan, and elegant Gönul Paksoy and, to huge shopping centers like the ultramodern Kanyon mall in the Levant neighborhood.

Lodging

There is no shortage of hotel rooms in Istanbul and it seems like each season at least one new luxury-brand hotel opens. If you want to go all out, there are a bevy of fabulous options—the Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet, in the heart of the old city's chaos, manages to be an enchanting respite, while the new side of town is home to the W Istanbul and the Swissôtel Istanbul, just to name a few. Of course, there are more down to earth lodgings to be found as well, with plenty of local flavor and color. One of our favorites is the Hotel Empress Zoë, a boutique hotel in Sultanahmet that blends a funky, interesting atmosphere with charming rooms and friendly service.
Perhaps most intriguing, though, is the historic Pera Palas hotel, set to reopen in September 2010 after a €20 million facelift. This legendary lodging is being restored to its original grandeur: it first opened its doors in 1892 to welcome guests arriving from Paris on the Orient Express. Everyone who was anyone stayed here, including Mata Hari and Agatha Christie. Now guests will be able to stay in classic rooms while enjoying modern amenities, such as a new spa.