The Food
To eat there are a lot of stuff. First go to taksim square. A lot of action there. Before you enter from Istiklal street which is right on the way, you should take a look at your left. Near burger king. There are a lot of small fast food restaurants which have a lot of quick and different food like doner both chicken and meat, wet burger, durum(rolled meat inside) I definitely recommend this place. People usually go to eat quick or right after drinking outside. If you stay until for instance you will see that those places are still crowded.
After you enter from Istiklal, you will see many shops and restaurants. Restaurants are a little bit more expensive than the fast food ones but a lot of choices of food. You look and decide. I mean for me it is very difficult to recommend you stuff apart from very special ones.
Eat Definitely:
MANTI (Turkish Ravioli) Any good restaurant
MIDYE TAVA(Mussel on Frying Pan) Served half bread, quarter bread, rolled bread with sauce. Good with Coke or Beer.
KOKOREC(roasted sheep's intestines) It is delicious. If you would be willing to eat. It is with spices. Especially pepper.
PROFITEROL (Inci Profiterol) On the way to the end of Istiklal street, right hand side, close to greek embassy, a small shop. Ask anyone will show :) People are friendly. Youngsters know english. Do not hesitate to ask for anything.
LOKMA (Syrupy Friedcake) In some restaurants + there is a place called Bodrum Lokma as I remember on Istiklal Street.
SIMIT (A kind of stuffed bread with sesame on it. Roll shape. Usually consumed during breakfasts. You could see in many places, small shops on the middle of the streets, selling these, different kinds, cheese, eggs, tomatoes, peppers etc...)
KUMRU (A kind of stuffed bread with sesame on it. Toast shape :))
KUMPIR ( A big Baked Potato. You can ask for more than 20 things to be put inside including vegs, meat etc...Its also very good)
Drink definately :
Turkish Tea, Sahlep, Turkish Apple Tea(u can buy this also like lokum), Turkish Coffee (good for digestion after lunch or dinner), Ayran
Places to See
Haghia Sophia http://www.hagiasophia.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia
Sultan Ahmet Mosque http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Ahmed_Mosque
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/Sultanahmet/
Sultan Ahmet is also a district which are many things to see. After the end of Istiklal street. There is a metro going down to “Kabatas” called finukuler. Use that. After that you will see that there is a tram to Sultan Ahmet. You can either walk or take the tram.
Blue Mosque
To eat there are a lot of stuff. First go to taksim square. A lot of action there. Before you enter from Istiklal street which is right on the way, you should take a look at your left. Near burger king. There are a lot of small fast food restaurants which have a lot of quick and different food like doner both chicken and meat, wet burger, durum(rolled meat inside) I definitely recommend this place. People usually go to eat quick or right after drinking outside. If you stay until for instance you will see that those places are still crowded.
After you enter from Istiklal, you will see many shops and restaurants. Restaurants are a little bit more expensive than the fast food ones but a lot of choices of food. You look and decide. I mean for me it is very difficult to recommend you stuff apart from very special ones.
Eat Definitely:
MANTI (Turkish Ravioli) Any good restaurant
MIDYE TAVA(Mussel on Frying Pan) Served half bread, quarter bread, rolled bread with sauce. Good with Coke or Beer.
KOKOREC(roasted sheep's intestines) It is delicious. If you would be willing to eat. It is with spices. Especially pepper.
PROFITEROL (Inci Profiterol) On the way to the end of Istiklal street, right hand side, close to greek embassy, a small shop. Ask anyone will show :) People are friendly. Youngsters know english. Do not hesitate to ask for anything.
LOKMA (Syrupy Friedcake) In some restaurants + there is a place called Bodrum Lokma as I remember on Istiklal Street.
SIMIT (A kind of stuffed bread with sesame on it. Roll shape. Usually consumed during breakfasts. You could see in many places, small shops on the middle of the streets, selling these, different kinds, cheese, eggs, tomatoes, peppers etc...)
KUMRU (A kind of stuffed bread with sesame on it. Toast shape :))
KUMPIR ( A big Baked Potato. You can ask for more than 20 things to be put inside including vegs, meat etc...Its also very good)
Drink definately :
Turkish Tea, Sahlep, Turkish Apple Tea(u can buy this also like lokum), Turkish Coffee (good for digestion after lunch or dinner), Ayran
Places to See
Haghia Sophia http://www.hagiasophia.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia
Sultan Ahmet Mosque http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Ahmed_Mosque
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/Sultanahmet/
Sultan Ahmet is also a district which are many things to see. After the end of Istiklal street. There is a metro going down to “Kabatas” called finukuler. Use that. After that you will see that there is a tram to Sultan Ahmet. You can either walk or take the tram.
Blue Mosque
Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar) http://www.kapalicarsi.org.tr/eng/index.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Bazaar,_Istanbul
http://www.kapalicarsi360.com/en.html
The places above are all close to each other.
Bosphorus Bridge (Pass from Europe to Asia by ferry than back to Europe around sunset)
Kiz Kulesi(Maidens Tower) http://www.kizkulesi.com.tr/en/Default2.asp (A small tower on the middle of bosphorus) Can drink beer and enjoy the 360 degrees view.
Places to Drink
Cicek Pasaji ( A place where there are many restaurants to drink Turkish raki, eat fish, a lot of appetizers, Turkish art music plus some places with belly dancers)
http://www.tarihicicekpasaji.com/history_cicekpasaji.html
Things to Buy and Taste
Baklava(Gulluoglu Brand ) http://www.gulluoglu.com.tr/en/((http://www.gulluoglu.com.tr/en/magaza/these are the locations. They are not in Istiklal but in many locations, maybe you can ask for the closest place to the Turkish people you will meet there???),
Lokum ((Hacibekir Brand http://www.hacibekir.com.tr/eng/asayfa.html ((http://www.hacibekir.com.tr/eng/iletisim.html- This is the address. There are 2 locations both on the left side when you walk to the end. You can write the locations to google map and check with people also. Many people know this also )) Helva (Halva) KOSKA brand. Easy to carry. Ask to taste before you buy. They all are eager to give you from all kinds to taste. (Also on Istiklal Street, after Taksim Square)
CHECK THESE LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLUS SUMMARIES
Things to Buy and Taste
Baklava(Gulluoglu Brand ) http://www.gulluoglu.com.tr/en/((http://www.gulluoglu.com.tr/en/magaza/these are the locations. They are not in Istiklal but in many locations, maybe you can ask for the closest place to the Turkish people you will meet there???),
Lokum ((Hacibekir Brand http://www.hacibekir.com.tr/eng/asayfa.html ((http://www.hacibekir.com.tr/eng/iletisim.html- This is the address. There are 2 locations both on the left side when you walk to the end. You can write the locations to google map and check with people also. Many people know this also )) Helva (Halva) KOSKA brand. Easy to carry. Ask to taste before you buy. They all are eager to give you from all kinds to taste. (Also on Istiklal Street, after Taksim Square)
CHECK THESE LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLUS SUMMARIES
| 1. 20 great things to do in Istanbul - Time Out Istanbul 6 Nov 2010 ... Read about 20 great things to do in Istanbul- Time Out Istanbul. ... The best way to see Istanbul is from above, as Istanbul's nightlife ... |
(Time out is usually the best source of information I have seen until now)
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/Turkey/Istanbul_Ili/Istanbul-1837624/Things_To_Do-Istanbul-TG-C-1.html
http://www.essortment.com/travel/topthingsis_tucl.htm
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/Turkey/Istanbul_Ili/Istanbul-1837624/Things_To_Do-Istanbul-TG-C-1.html
http://www.essortment.com/travel/topthingsis_tucl.htm
http://istanbuleats.com/category/advice/ (Some good advices also for food)
