Pictured (L-R): Sultanahmet Square, Büyükçekmece Plaji
Istanbul, Türkiye is one of the top cities I've visited, full of lively neighborhoods and captivating districts. The culture I've experienced, music I've heard, people I've met and food I've eaten in Istanbul have given me so many irreplaceable memories. Istanbul itself is a very large city with endless places to explore. Two of the most popular districts of the European side of Istanbul are Fatih and Beyoğlu, both of which embody the raw essence of Istanbul. Each with its own unique charm, both districts have many neighborhoods that that offer unique sights to see, activities to do and restaurants to try. In this blog post we'll discuss the top things to do in the Fatih district, and you can click here for Part Two of my Istanbul series to read about the Beyoğlu district. There is also an extra section on the off-the-beaten-path and highly underrated Büyükçekmece district in this post!
Within the Fatih district, you won't want to miss the neighborhoods of Balat, Sultanahmet and Eminönü.
Skip to a specific neighborhood: Balat (colored houses, rainbow stairs & cute cafes), Sultanahmet (Hagia Sophia & Blue mosque, Sultanahmet square, Gülhane park, iBB Sarayburnu Parki, cafes & restaurants), Eminönü (Grand & Spice Bazaar)
Fatih District
a. Balat Neighborhood
The neighborhood of Balat is the best place for a colorful stroll; spend a few hours to walk, explore, and visit some well-decorated cafes. Historically, Balat is one of the oldest districts in Istanbul and was the center of the Jewish quarter; now, there is a cultural mix of Jewish, Muslim and Christian locals, making for a beautiful walk past Synagogs, Mosques and Churches alike. Balat has sloping streets full of colorful townhouses, roads covered with brightly colored umbrellas, and an abundance of adorable (and delicious) cafes. One of the oldest neighborhoods in Istanbul, it's a bit underrated as not a lot of tourists visit this area which is pleasant because that means it's not as crowded. Just because it's not as popular doesn't mean it's not as nice - it is definitely a must-see in Istanbul and is well worth a visit!
Pictured: (L-R) Outside Balat Antik Cafe, the colored houses, Incir Agaci Kahvesi
One of the top things to do (besides wandering around and exploring), is to visit the colored houses of Balat. If you've heard of Balat this location is one of the photos you've definitely seen. Located on Kiremit street, the townhouses are on a sloping road each painted in beautiful pastel colors. Along the way, be sure to stop by the brightly painted cafe called Incir Agaci Kahvesi to walk up the rainbow stairs located just outside.
Balat Antik Cafe had incredible food - I got the testi kebab which is cooked in a clay pot in front of you; the top of the pot is sliced off for your meat and peppers slide out onto your plate - it is a charming traditional demonstration and the meal itself is exceptional! A cute and tiny cafe, Velvet Cafe Balat, had the best fresh Helva and delicious lattes.
b. Sultanahmet Neighborhood
Sultanahmet is a very large neighborhood in the Fatih district. In Sultanahmet you will find two of the most popular sights in Istanbul - the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Mosque. Both mosques are free to enter and the lines appear pretty long at first, especially when visiting during high season (June-August) but they move very fast. Women have to cover their arms, legs and hair inside the mosque, while men must cover their shoulders and wear either shorts that go past their knees or pants. If you don't have a head scarf, you can buy one for around 100 lira (around 3-4 USD). When you enter the mosques you have to take off your shoes to walk around so I recommend having socks on. It is so beautiful inside both mosques, and the two are very different on the inside so I highly recommend visiting both if you have the time. If not, my favorite was Hagia Sophia because of how beautifully old and historical it looked with fading paint and the prettiest ceiling, but the Blue Mosque is breathtaking as well with such intricate details in the stained glass windows and walls. It's a hard decision, but Hagia Sophia feels more authentic!
Hagia Sophia Mosque
Blue Mosque
Between both mosques is Sultanahmet square, also called the The Hippodrome of Constantinople. It's full of green grasses to lay on, a large water fountain and plenty of places to sit and relax or have a picnic. It's a very popular destination, but even so on busy days you can still find a peaceful spot to relax away from crowds. The Hippodrome of Constantinople has a lot of history; it was used during the Roma, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, but was the most well-known for being used during the Byzantine period as the center for social life with a large public arena used mainly for chariot races. Still standing and brought over by the Byzatine emperor Theodosius from southern Egypt, you can see the Obelisk of Theodosius which is around 3500 years old and one of only twenty-nine Egyptian obelisks in the world.
Another must-do in Sultanahmet is a walk through Gülhane Park; a 13-hectare forested park featuring gardens full of thousands of flowers (tulips, roses and various other flowers), pools, fountains and statues. If you visit during the spring, you can witness Istanbuls Tulip Festival that usually takes place in April (but can vary slightly based on the time the flowers bloom) where you can witness millions of beautiful tulips. The flowers for the festival aren't just planted in Gülhane Park though - in city parks, squares and gardens all around the city you'll find tulips during this time of year! In Gülhane Park, you can walk down the paths to the end of the park to get to iBB Sarayburnu Parki - a waterfront park with long seaside pathway that fishers will use. This area has green grasses for picnics and excellent views of the neighborhood of Karaköy, the bosphorus river and even the famous Sehitler Bridge that connects the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.
First 5 photos, Gülhane Park. Last 2 photos, iBB Sarayburnu Parki.
(Press the arrow on the right to move photos)
Around Sultanahmet there are some very good restaurants/cafes where you can sit on traditional Turkish rugs and pillows and enjoy a meal, some Turkish delight deserts or a cup of tea. Sadrazam Turkish Delight had such delicious desserts and tea and you get to enjoy it in the most beautiful hidden patio area! The floors are covered in traditional rugs and you sit on comfy cushions. It's definitely a hidden gem because you have to walk through the cafe to get to the back patio and I don't think a lot of people know it's there. We were walking through Sultanahmet on a very nice and busy day when I decided I wanted a cup of tea and we stopped by - we ended up being the only people back there and got so lucky finding it! The Must Turkish Restaurant was busier as it's easier to find; it has very good food and tea and you get to eat in a traditional setting as well. You can watch Turkish women making fresh gozleme (essentially a stuffed flatbread) that you have to try, and the apple cinnamon tea was the best I've ever had (not counting Turkish delight tea!).
First two photos, Sadrazam Turkish Delight. Last three photos, The Must Turkish Restaurant.
(Press the arrow on the right to move photos)
c. Eminönü Neighborhood
Next to Sultanahmet lies the waterfront neighborhood of Eminönü. Eminönü has the busiest ferry crossings of the Bosphorus and Marmara Sea. It's is connected to Karaköy via the galata bridge and a very nice walk will bring you from one neighborhood to the other (or of course you could take a ferry).
Two of the top and most well-known attractions of the Eminönü neighborhood are to walk around or go shopping at the Grand Bazaar & Spice Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, dating back to the 15th century and housing thousands of shops. They sell nearly everything you could want from such a place, including antiques, tradtional turkish rugs & lamps, turkish delight, gold & silver jewlery and faux designer clothes, accessories & perfumes. You should spend at least an hour in the Grand Bazaar especially if you are shopping around - it covers over 60 streets so you'll definitely do a lot of walking here! It is so beautiful inside and once you enter you'll feel like you're stepping back in time. My only advice would be that if you see something you like - buy it! If you think you'll come back to get it if you don't find anything else you want, you'll likely not be able to find it again because the Bazaar is truly a maze.
The Grand Bazaar
The Spice Bazaar is the second most famous bazaar in Istanbul, behind the Grand Bazaar. It is also extremely large and sells similar items to those at the Grand Bazzar but focuses on, as it sounds, selling spices - nearly every spice you could imagine is sold there. Make sure you focus on getting traditionally Turkish spices so you have something to take home that will remind you of Türkiye! Apart from spices, they also sell Turkish teas and delights - upon showing interest in purchasing you'll often be offered to taste them (this also goes for the Grand Bazaar). We ended up leaving so full off sweets! Both Bazaars are open daily 9-7 except the Grand Bazaar which is closed on Sundays; both are closed on religious holidays.
Bonus District: Büyükçekmece
Our second month in Istanbul was spent in Büyükçekmece. At around a 35 minute drive or 45 minute metro ride from Sulthanahmet and Beyoglu districts, Büyükçekmece is a lovely, quiet beach-side gem hidden from most tourists. The further you get from the main districts, the less locals will speak English, and the better the food tastes. So, emerse yourself in Turkish culture and take a trip to grab some of the best Turkish food you've ever had!
It's not a secret that the further you go from tourist areas, the better the food gets. Almost every restaurant or street food we tried in Büyükçekmece was incredible. Our favorite restaurant, called Tablaci Güney-Dogu Mutfagi, had delicious meals. To start, they serve you pita bread and bring over a cart with a choice of sides - you can choose as many as you'd like. They offer traditional Turkish meals, however the menu was not in English and when using Google Translate it didn't seem to translate correctly, so we instead picked something at random and waited for it to come out. Our expectations were exceeded and each and every meal we received (we went back multiple times) was so full of flavor with every bite.
Photos: (L-R) View from our Airbnb, Büyükçekmece Plaji promenade (3 photos), Art Display in Town, Lodos Turna Cafe, Tablaci meal, Büyükçekmece Plaji
The main beach area, around Büyükçekmece Plaji, has long gorgeous beaches and a very large, lively promenade full of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. The promenade goes on for a few miles along the water, and people will walk, bike, roller skate or set up small tables and chairs along it to picnic, play cards and enjoy the day. There is a little tram that goes back and forth along the promenade great for children and families to ride. Along the promenade one of our favorite restaurants was Lodos Turna Cafe. Here we had gotten great tea, meat platters and salads that we enjoyed in their outdoor garden seating area with sea views.
For more of the top things to do in Istanbul, as well as general Istanbul advise & tips, visit my blog post that has top things to do in the district of Beyoğlu!
Beautiful, you have encouraged me to add Turkey to my bucket list!!