Istanbul - The second helping

I went back to Istanbul in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit India. Talk about good timing. I went for 10 days, and it was a much-needed vacation. I booked Indigo tickets, with a layover at Delhi, for as cheap as INR 20,000. But I would probably skip Indigo for international travel next time, because not only do the budget airline rules still apply (no meals, no leg space), but they also lost our baggage on the way back. With the visa cost shooting up, I spent about INR 80,000 in total. For details about the Turkish visa, local currency and where to exchange, where to stay, the basics, etc., you can refer to my earlier blog post here.

Istanbul

Where to stay:

We stayed at Ottoperra Hotel, near Taksim Square, it was decently priced and had a warm room. Remember to request a room on the basement floor (it stays warm) if you are travelling during the winter, like I was.

Things to do:

This was the first time my boyfriend was visiting Istanbul, so we spent the first day going back to all my favourite places. But first, we got lunch at a local kebab corner place below our hotel - Feridiye Kebap Salonu, cheap, delicious food. We had the Adana and Urfa kebabs.

Then we walked up and down Istiklal Caddesi, of course. Ate midye dolma, kokorec and meatballs at Sampiyon Kokorec.

We walked along the Galata tower and towards the sea to build our appetites for again. And finally, we ended our walk at Hafiz Mustafa Hakkizade, only the best baklava place on this side of town. There is no better feeling than eating more baklavas than you should.

We visited Selçuk and a couple of nearby towns before coming back to Istanbul on the last leg of our trip.

Things to eat:

In and near Beyoglu:

For menemen (Turkish breakfast), we went to Lades Restaurant and Van Kahvalti Evi. I cannot describe to you the inexplicable joy my stomach and I felt going back to these places after 2 years.

Lades also serves up a mean Tavuk göğsü (milk pudding made with shredded chicken breast) which you must have. Of course, we kept going back to Sampiyon Kokorec and Hafiz Mustafa. We stopped at Mandabatmaz for coffee. I love their coffee and always pick up extra to take home.

While walking around the Galata bridge, we had balik ekmek (Turkish fish sandwich) from one of the many places under the bridge. Try and have raki wherever you go, it's a sweetened, often anise-flavoured, alcoholic drink to be had with water. I'll admit, it's not for everyone, but it grew on me.

Sultanahmet:

Şehzade Cağ Kebap - no-brainer. It's only natural to eat here when you visit this side of town. Last time I came here, I found it overrated, but this time, it was so good! Maybe it was a one-off. We had çorba (Turkish soup) and ezme (spicy tomato dip) with the kebabs.

Kral Kokoreç is another place you should look out for, for some yummy kokoreç this side of town. They're all within walking distance of each other.

While we were waiting for our Dervish show, we stumbled upon a long line in front of a durum (Turkish wrap) stall, and decided to check it out. Best decision ever. I Googled it later, and it was the famous Çiğköfteci Ali Usta.

Things to see:

We saw the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and the Dolmabahçe Palace.

We strolled around Grand Bazaar, which I find expensive, but it's nice to window shop while walking off your meals. It's a little bit like a fancy grocery store, you always end up walking out of there with something or the other. I mostly like walking around there to truly be reminded that cats own us.

What I did LOVE, were two things - the Museum of Innocence (Beyoglu) based on Orhan Pamuk's novel by the same name, and the Dancing Dervishes show at Hodjapasha (cultural centre at Sultanahmet). You can book the tickets for the show on the website itself. The museum was a fascinating experience, it was like a rabbit-hole. You will not walk out of the museum the same person you walked in.

Things to do:

After you're done walking and exploring, keep a morning free before you have to leave. And go to a hammam (Turkish bath). It is the most spiritual spa experience I've ever had, and I'm dying to do it again. We went to Tarihi Galatasaray Hamamı and paid about 230 liras without the extras like massages and bubble baths. They give you disposable underwear, a locker and room for your belongings, you don't have to worry about a thing. You just have to show up and relax.

Selçuk

The next morning, we took a flight to Izmir (about 1 hour), and a train from Izmir airport to Selçuk (about 1.5 hours). Oh, this is such a precious town, a cosy little thing tucked away on the way to Ephesus. With its nectarine-lined streets and quaint eateries, it's definitely a place you want to visit for that laid-back, no-to-do-list vacation time.

Where to stay:

We stayed at Saint John Hotel. With a pool and all of its amenities, it would be amazing in the summer, but in the winter, it is a budget hotel. This is a relatively small, can-be-covered-in-a-day town, so you don't really need to worry about what area to stay in and such. And the station is walking distance!

Things to eat:

Like always, food first. We stopped at the famous Ejder Restaurant, which really lives up to its reviews. But I'm not sure it needs to be that expensive. We a bunch of stuff as you can see, and Efes beer to wash it down with.

The eggplant was our favourite dish, must order that. Selçuk is more of a stopover town for tourists so there isn't really much to see here, except shops and such. But there's a lot you can eat. Over the next couple of days, we proceeded to slowly learn what delicious, yummy and delectable actually mean.

Right across from the bus station, is Petek Çöp şiş (chop shish). I recommend a meal here at least once a day. Çöp şiş is a type of lamb kebab. Fresh bread, fresh orange juice, fresh salad, you see where I'm going? The kofte is bomb here too. This was the most wholesome meal I had in Turkey.

And not far off from there is Selçuk Pidecisi. I have yet to have a better pide. We loved coming here because we always got something complimentary, a salad, a small dessert, anything. The owner was a sweet fellow, the coffee cups, large and the pides had us looking for synonyms for yummy.

Emir Pamuk Büfe - my best breakfast yet. Savoury grilled deli meats topped off with a fried egg and cheese served in a buttered baguette-like bread, tempered with tomatoes and pickles. This is soul food. He prepares it before deftly you, it is a theatrical performance over a grill. And while it comes to you as fast as fast food does, it is nothing like it.

Things to see:

There's a castle in the town and a mosque, both of which were beautiful. And you can do some shopping - Ejder Restaurant's owner's relative sells junk jewellery and the zultanite stone - check it out. Zultanite is a precious stone that changes colour with the light. This is obviously not the real deal, but it does change colour.

But people usually visit Selçuk on their way to Ephesus, Şirince, Izmir, etc. If you're a history buff, you'll love Ephesus. You'll need a day to see it. It is an ancient city with excavated remains from classical Greece to the Roman Empire. It was once an important trading center and survived multiple attacks from various conquerors. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

We also took a day trip to Şirince, which we found a little overrated. It's famous for wine tasting, so we did that. Everything from blueberry wine to chocolate wine. It was a revelation. Nothing much to see, except walk around getting drunk and stuffing yourself.

So this was the second helping. I can't wait to see what the third will have in store. Whatever it is, I know that chonky cats, yummy food and happy people will be a part of it.