Istanbul: European Elegance Meets Middle Eastern Mystery

I was in my native the Netherlands. I was bored, uninspired and needed something. So I forced myself to book a trip. I was looking for something different. Something mysterious and adventurous. Istanbul came to mind.

Not as familiar as Paris or Rome and that made it so interesting. Maybe it was the old James Bond movies that put the city in my head: adventure, mystique, romance. A place you always want to go, but somehow never make it. This time I was going to do it. Would it get me out of my uninspired state and bring the excitement back?

I didn’t know what to expect. Would it be chaotic like Jakarta or Bangkok? Would it be safe? My mother even warned me about this.

So when a city feels full of unknowns, I fall back on one strategy: book a comfortable hotel in a good location. I chose the Ritz Carlton, solid reviews, decent price, and not in the overly touristy area. Beşiktaş, on the European side, felt more like where people actually lived.

So there I went. Into a potentially unsafe city, but still feeling safe. The start was good: my taxi driver even stopped at a gas station to offer me a drink. Suspicious at first, I realized it was genuine, my first taste of how alive and open people in this city could be.

After chatting mostly about football, I arrived at the Ritz. It was everything I hoped: warm, welcoming, impeccable service.

Taksim Square & Gezi Park: The First Stroll

I didn’t really plan much or do research. Sometimes that’s better; it takes away the “must see, must do” feeling you get when you just arrive. After checking into my hotel in Beşiktaş, I decided to just take a walk. I went up Asker Ocagi Street and ended up on Mete Street, a tree-lined road that leads to Taksim Square through Taksim Gezi Park (I love any kind of parks). It felt lively and local, and I started walking there every morning for a cup of Turkish black tea.

Behind Taksim Square is Sıraselviler Road, another lively street with shops and small tree-lined side streets that are worth checking out. On the square itself I saw something new for me: a big mosque, the first one I’d ever seen in real life. Impressive, and also a reminder that I was in a different world.

After that first day (a little exhausting but exciting) I was ready to see much more of the city.

Topkapi & Dolmabahce: Living Like a Sultan

There is something about the word Sultan. It feels like emperor or king but with even more opulence. I’m not sure what it is. Maybe it’s just my imagination. Or maybe it’s the word Harem ;)?

Well the closest I’ve ever got to feel like how it is to live like a Sultan is to visit palaces. I ended up visiting both the Dolmabahce Palace and the Topkapi Palace museum. They had about a room for anything. Some designs were beautiful and it really shows you how these people lived. And yes, there were Harem quarters. The most visited it appears. Apparently I am not the only one 🙂

The Bosphorus & Bebek: The European Vibe

In my hotel I was chatting with the staff and that person said. “If you do anything go to Bebek in the morning and just walk around”. So I went there in the morning. And I felt in Switzerland. Classy sophisticated cafes and restaurants, streets and more. So unexpected in Istanbul.

Then later that day I joined a boat tour on the Bosphorus. With President Erdogan being in the Besiktas stadium next to the hotel no cars were allowed and we had to walk to the boat at the river. It was a beautiful sunset afternoon and they took us everywhere on the beautiful Bosphorus. The highlight was certainly the guide with funny anecdotes and explanations. We saw villas worth over 100 million USD each, opulent nightclubs, Palaces, Mosques, history sites and more.

Then there was one place on my mind. I remember Sean Connery in From Russia With Love being in some underground water structure. Which was I now learned the Basilica Cistern. An underground reservoir from the Roman times. Yes Istanbul has so much history, from the Greeks, to the Romans to the Ottomans. It’s what makes this place fascinating. And it was fascinating. The beautiful Roman architecture with the magical lights. It felt like I stepped back in time.

Hagia Sophia & Galata Tower: The Letdowns

As they say in life; knowing what not to do is more important than knowing what to do. Hagia Sophia sounded grand in theory but felt messy in reality. The ground floor was closed, and the mix of church, mosque, and museum made it feel like it couldn’t decide what it wanted to be.

Galata Tower : Galata Tower didn’t have much to see, and everything was too modernly decorated

Not everything can be magical and that’s what makes the good parts shine even more 😉

Next up: not attractions, but food. Plant-based food, something I always try to hunt for when traveling.

Plant Based food in Istanbul 🌱   

To eat something other than hummus and falafel, I checked out the most popular vegan restaurant on Happy Cow: Vegan Dükkan Lokanta. Well, what can I say… there was a street cat sleeping on my table, and it clearly had no plans to leave. I’m a bit afraid of cats (thanks to my mother), and this one was covering the whole table. To my surprise, the restaurant owner didn’t seem to understand why I wasn’t too happy about it. A good start is everything, right?

After we got the cat to go somewhere else I ordered the Tofu Katsu (finally tofu, protein yeah) which was decent. I guess with a strong flavoured curry sauce you can never go wrong. The street and neighbourhood was charming so if you are into plant based do check it out. Just don’t mind a cat on your table ;).

How did Istanbul feel overall?

I would say a mix between European elegance and Middle Eastern mystery. It felt good. And much less chaotic than I thought. And as with every city with a river running through it, the Bosphorus strait gave it a special kind of feeling. Above all it felt lively and adventurous.

Also it was safe. My most scary thing was the cat on my food table so that says enough. And safety is what you need to enjoy the things I describe above.

Lastly the people felt welcoming and helpful. And full of life.

My Istanbul Pocket Guide

• Stay in Ritz Carlton in Besiktas or another hotel close to Taksim Square
• Go see Bebek, early morning
• Must do a boat tour on the Bosporus, Ritz Carlton has a great one
• Blue mosque over the Haga Sophia
• Visit the Basilica Cistern
• Visit vibrant Kadikoy on the Asian side if you’re curious
• Visit Dolmabahce Palace and the Topkapi Palace
• Check out the Galataport if you want modern shopping and dinner vibes

For a different take on the region, read my reviews of the Gulf cities:

• Dubai: An Honest 3-Day Review
• Doha: A City Gallery of Souqs & Skyscrapers