Istanbul Part 1

Welcome to Turkey! 

Bosporus Straight

 We left Casablanca and flew 5 hours and 3 times zones to Istanbul, Turkey, to begin our final stage of travel. Our first full day in Istanbul, we took a boat tour of the Bosporus, the straight that separates the European side of Istanbul from the Asian side. Istanbul, previously Byzantium and Constantinople, is the land bridge between Europe and Asia, a key strategic stronghold.

Asia on left, Europe on right

Bosporus Straight

Taxim Square

 Taxim Sqaure is one of the iconic tourist stops in Istanbul. The home to many a festival and protest, the square itself is lined with food vendors, flower shops, clothing stores, and restaurants. The road from the square is lined with high end shopping for about 30 minutes, than changes into small, trinkety shops, filled with some of the best and cheapest jewelry I've found in the Middle East (guess what you all are getting for presents?!) The famed red trolley car zips tourists up and down the main hill, weaving in between shoppers and passing cars. The street is always jam packed with people, and it makes for good people watching. Right off the square are the best sliders in the world, called wet burgers. Mini hamburgers, smothered in cheese and dunked in a spicy tomato sauce (Dad, you would LOVE them).

Taxim Square

Galata Tower

 Down the road from the square is Galata Tower, originally built by the Genoese in 1348. It has since been destroyed and rebuilt many times, with the current structure dating back to the 1870s. It is one of the most iconic landmarks of Istanbul, and visitors can travel to the top for one of the best views the city has to offer. We went up on a gorgeous sunny day and enjoyed 360 degree views of the city, the Bosporus, the Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque.

View from Galata Tower

Hagia Sophia left, Blue Mosque right

View from Galata Tower

Spice Bazaar

Another fun stop in the heart of the city is the Spice Bazaar, dating back to 1660. Inside, the halls are lined with shops selling every sort of spice, tea, dried fruit, nut, or Turkish delight you could imagine. The chefs in our group bought saffron, which you can apparently get much cheaper in Turkey than in the US. While overwhelming, the Spice Bazaar was one of my favorite stops in the city. The spices all lined up in rows are so vibrant, and they sell the best sesame roasted almonds I've ever tasted.

Grand Bazaar

No trip to Istanbul is complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar, another large indoor marketplace. The complex is a huge labyrinth, containing jewelry, clothing, shoe, scarf, luggage, art, and cosmetic shops. Its easy to get lost in there for hours, window shopping and bartering. Of course, prices are way cheaper outside of the bazaar, but its still fun to meander through the crowds.