Istanbul: Where East Meets West and Both Want to Sell You a Rug

The day starts with tea

Istanbul has one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, with the Bosphorus between them. Byzantium, Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire. It’s a lot of history to take in before breakfast, but someone is bound to offer me tea.

So I say yes. Domes, bazaars and ferries are all on the list. A bowling alley isn’t, but somewhere along the way, we end up in one.

Morning · A dome older than most countries

My first stop is Hagia Sophia, completed in AD 537 under Emperor Justinian. It began as a cathedral, became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453, spent decades as a museum and is now a working mosque again. My neck tilts back all by itself. The dome seems to float on a ring of windows, with soft gold light underneath it. If you’re visiting for sightseeing, check the visitor gallery entrance, ticket and current access rules before you go. Hagia Sophia visitor information

A few minutes away, the Blue Mosque has six slender minarets and İznik tiles across its interior. I slip off my shoes at the door, and the carpet still surprises me with how soft it is. Dress modestly, carry a scarf if you’ll need to cover your hair and plan around prayer times. Sultanahmet Mosque

Under the streets

At the Basilica Cistern, the air changes the moment I go underground. There are 336 columns in this sixth-century reservoir. Water drips somewhere in the dark while my footsteps echo off damp stone. At the far end, one Medusa head is sideways and the other upside down. Whatever the reason, it’s hard to resist a closer look. Basilica Cistern visitor information

Midday · The shopping maze

By late morning I’m swept into the Grand Bazaar. The air is thick with leather, spice and polish. Lamps glitter in every colour and shopkeepers call out in half a dozen languages. Before I’ve agreed to look at a rug, a glass of tea has appeared in my hand.

If you want to bargain, smile, decide what you’re happy to pay and be willing to walk away. Then head down to the Spice Bazaar, where saffron, sumac and dried chilies do their best to make you forget what you came for.

The baklava problem

I still remember that first piece of Turkish baklava. The pastry shattered, the pistachio came through, and I immediately wanted a second. And a third.

The Ottomans took baklava seriously enough to make a procession of it, carrying trays from the palace kitchens to the Janissaries. Gaziantep’s pistachio baklava is particularly celebrated. My rule since that first bite is simple. If someone says one piece is enough, they can have one piece. I’ll sort myself out.

Lunch on the water

Down at Eminönü I join the queue for balık ekmek, a grilled fish sandwich with onion and lemon. I eat it standing up, with the Galata Bridge above me and fishermen casting from the railings. It’s messy, salty and perfect.

Afternoon · Hills, cats and trams

Cross the Galata Bridge into Karaköy, then climb toward Galata Tower. From the top, the view sweeps over the Golden Horn, the old city’s domes and the Bosphorus. Carry on toward İstiklal Avenue, where the red tram threads through the crowds.

And then there are the cats. They sprawl on café chairs, sleep in shop windows and generally give the impression that we’re the visitors. Fair enough. I’ve given up trying to keep a table to myself.

Golden hour · Europe to Asia

As the sun lowers, I take a public ferry to Kadıköy. Gulls hover alongside, hoping for bits of simit, and the skyline changes as the boat pulls away. For the price of a crossing, I get to go from Europe to Asia with a glass of tea in my hand. I’m easily pleased, but that’s a particularly good deal.

In Kadıköy I’d leave time for the market streets and dinner. Check the return sailing before settling in. Şehir Hatları ferry timetable

Night · The least touristy thing we could think of

By evening, my then-girlfriend and our friends had done the domes, the bazaars and the ferries. We fancied something ordinary. And there, tucked into a building right in the middle of Istanbul, we found a bowling alley.

Of all places. A city of mosques and palaces, and there we were in rental shoes, listening to the pins clatter. The only other people there were locals out for the evening, laughing, trash-talking and ordering tea between frames.

It’s the memory I least expect to tell you about, and one of my favourites. A group of friends had a free evening and decided to see what was through the door. I’m glad we did.

For your own evening, consider a Sema ceremony if you’re interested in the Mevlevi tradition, or book a hammam if your legs have had quite enough of the cobblestones.

Where I’d stay on a first visit

I’d look at Sultanahmet if the old-city sights are the priority, Karaköy for the ferries and an evening out, or Kadıköy if I wanted to spend more time on the Asian side. Check how you’ll get home after dinner before you choose.

A few handy tips

• Keep walking if a shoe-shine brush drops beside you. Politely decline any unsolicited shine.
• Pack for mosque visits. Cover shoulders and knees, and carry a scarf if needed.
• Use an Istanbulkart. It’s a rechargeable card for public transport, including municipal ferries.
• Say yes to tea if you fancy it. And if there’s baklava, I think you know where I stand.