Much to experience while holidaying in Turkey

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This was published 9 years ago

Much to experience while holidaying in Turkey

By Denise Gadd
The Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque.

Turkey is the destination du jour for travellers. Australians especially visit in droves, their interest piqued as much by events at Gallipoli in World War I as by grand bazaars, exotic spice markets and Byzantine architecture.

The Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque.

Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, straddles the Bosphorous Strait which divides Europe and Asia. Technically, the water is in no-man's land but it belongs to Turkey. Formerly known as the Strait of Constantinople it connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and remains strategically important having been the subject of many contentious land disputes and wars dating from the Ottoman Empire.

The continents are connected by two suspension bridges and the Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn which separates the historic old town of Istanbul from the cosmopolitan part of the city.

The inclination, when visiting Istanbul, is to stay on the European side in the old town of Sultanahmet where the historic sites are within walking distance – the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern.

The cruise boat on the Bosphorous, likened to the African Queen.

The cruise boat on the Bosphorous, likened to the African Queen.

While the old town is fascinating with its charming boutique accommodation, much of it restored Ottoman wooden mansions, the pace is frenetic. Many opt for the area around Taksim Square, the heart of modern Istanbul and scene of many protests over the past few years, with its upmarket restaurants, lively bars and high fashion boutiques. Others prefer hotels on the shores of the Bosphorous which offer five-star luxury.

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My husband and I opted for Kadikoy on the Asian side because we'd heard it was quieter, plus we found a five-star hotel (admittedly it was a Western hotel but the rate was terrific) with the added bonus of a rooftop pool giving us panoramic views of the old town from the terrace, the perfect refuge on a hot afternoon after doing all the tourist hot spots on the other side.

There's a perception, especially on internet travel sites, that the Asian side is boring and plays second fiddle to its European counterpart but it has a laidback charm. During the day you can walk around Kadikoy with ease and enjoy the ambience of the district with its many restaurants, tavernas, funky bars and cafes, second-hand book stores, antique shops and bric-a-brac stalls selling everything from old record players to vintage crockery, vinyl records and music posters from the 1950s.

The Grand Bazaar.

The Grand Bazaar.

On Tuesdays the local market sets up with a tantalising smorgasbord of mezes from anchovies to the local organic cheeses, olives, spices, teas, fresh fish, fruits and vegetables. At night the relaxed atmosphere changes pace as the restaurants, cafes, tavernas and rooftop bars in the winding cobbled streets and squares fill up with locals returning home from work on the European side creating an energetic buzz.

Tourists are something of a novelty. One night at a courtyard restaurant with entertainment the singer came over, shook our hands and said "Welcome", then asked where we were from.

"Ah, Australia" he said then went back to the front and broke into the Doris Day classic Que sera, sera and The Last Waltz by Engelbert Humperdinck. What those songs had to do with Australia we had no idea but it was a welcoming gesture!

The Spice Market.

The Spice Market.

The affluent suburb of Moda is a 10-minute walk from Kadikoy along the seafront or you can take the "nostalgic" tram which runs along the main street near the ferry terminal.The home of many Turkish intellectuals, poets and literary figures Moda has a fine display of Ottoman-style small houses. Moda Cay Bahcesi, the famous tea garden, fronts the Marmara seafront and is a refreshing place to visit on a warm afternoon.

It's only a short walk from Kadikoy to the ferry terminal for the 20-minute boat ride to Eminonu on the European side. Once there catch the tram through the old town and visit all the major landmarks. While the Egyptian spice bazaar is popular with tourists, a visit to the spice market in Eminonu Square, opposite the tram and ferry terminal, is a must. Bustling with locals doing their daily shop, exotic smells from myriad spices pervade the air.

A visit to Istanbul should include a ride on the Big Bus Tour where you can hop on and hop off at different stops along the way so you can take in all the sights that this divided city has to offer from Taksim Square to Beylerbeyi Palace.

A cruise around the Bosphorous is another way to see the two continents but beware. A young spruiker touting for business at Eminonu terminal showed us a brochure with a flash-looking boat but when we arrived at the dock it was more evocative of the African Queen than a sleek cruiser! There was no commentary and no beer, which annoyed the many Germans on board!

You need an entry visa for Turkey (unless you're a New Zealander) which can be obtained online through the Turkish government website (www.evisa.gov.tr) Visas cost $60 but we paid double because I mistakenly used a broker whose website was almost identical to the Turkish government's site.

THE FACTS

Fly

Etihad Airlines from Melbourne to Doha/Istanbul from $1480 or Qantas from $1572.

Eat

Sarnic Suits Kitchen, Caferaga Mah. Dumlupinar Sokak No:12 Kadikoy Asirlik restaurant, Caferağa Mah., 34710 Kadıköy.

Stay

Asian side - DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul-Moda, l Caferaga Mah Albay F Sozdener Cd 31.

Old town - Hotel Empress Zoe - Sultanahmet Istanbul. To book www.emzoe.com.

European Side – Grand Hyatt Istanbul.



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