Turkey
Istanbul, a city for
all the senses
he first known name of the city is Byzantium while the most common name, until the 1930s, was Constantinople when Turkish authorities began to press for the use of ‘Istanbul’ in foreign languages. The name İstanbul is commonly believed to derive from the Medieval Greek phrase eis tḕn Pólin (εἰς τὴν Πόλιν) literally 'to the city', ‘Poli’ being how Constantinople was referred to by the local Greeks. I visited Istanbul early in 2024 (it was, actually, my first trip for the year) and being February, I was expecting all kinds of gloomy skies and winter weather. To be honest, the weather was fine, not too cold, just perfect for walking around the city comfortably.
It was the year I slowly started paying more attention to my bucket list, so I had three reasons to visit: Hagia Sophia, Dervishes and the well-known foam massage but, in the process, I realized one more thing you should seriously consider. We stayed at Wyndham Istanbul Old City which was close to everything, had a security dog at the entrance and an excellent spa, so my foam massage was set almost instantly (even though it was almost fully booked). The feeling is extraordinary as you feel the soft and light foam cover you, you feel all the tension leave your body.
I had three reasons to visit: Hagia Sophia, Dervishes and the well-known foam massage but, in the process, I realized one more thing you should seriously consider.
Hagia Sophia, now officially working as a mosque, was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I as the Christian cathedral of Constantinople for the Byzantine Empire between 532 and 537 and was designed by the Greek geometers Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. It was the world’s largest cathedral for almost a thousand years, until 1520 when the Seville Cathedral was completed. Even though its now a mosque, and despite the fact most artifacts were moved to a second location which works as a museum (you will need two different tickets, €25 each), you can still feel the awe when you wander around the building.
Right across it, you will find the Blue Mosque – officially the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The entrance is fee so expect big crowds, but the inner hall is a wonder to look at (you must take off your shoes to enter) and it instantly reminded me of a kaleidoscope.
What was not on my list, but it was more than worth it, was feeding the seagulls, believe it or not. If you go on a cruise in Bosphorus (mind you, its freezing cold in the winter) you will see countless seagulls flying along, probably craving bread that the passengers give to them. Honestly, its such a fun experience to hold out a piece of bread and watch a seagull pick it up. The whole cruise is worth it though, we paid €12 each to enjoy the Golden Horn, stunning city views and the Maiden’s Tower which is set on a small islet and looks like something out of a fairytale.
Speaking of towers, we also had to visit the one in Galata, the famous landmark of Turkey. The whole neighborhood is filled with stores and restaurants, near Taksim Square (about a 25 minutes’ walk, though you have to walk uphill). During our visit, the tower was closed for renovations we had to admire it from outside. Taksim Square is more modern, like a shopping center with the small red tram coming and going between the busy street. On our way back we decided to walk to our nearest taxi spot and ended up walking 6km, through the incredibly busy and crowded market.
On our last stop we had to visit Fener, the neighborhood with the colorful houses that is, really, a nice little break from the busy central streets. We had a delicious San Sebastian cheesecake on the roof terrace of a café (there are plenty) with the views of the colorful streets and Bosphorus. The weird fact about the cheesecake is that, as the name suggests, it originates from San Sebastian, in Spain’s Basque Country but it became widely popular in Istanbul.
Other than that, you have to try dondurma, the Turkish ice-cream, and the show that comes with it. In fact, ”dondurma” means ice-cream but the term is used to describe the specific mastic one. It is believed to have originated from the city of Kahramanmaraş and is known as maraş dondurma in Turkish. Its made from cream, salep, mastic and sugar.
If you are too keen of sweets though, Istanbul is your city. Among the dozens of sweets you can try, make sure to give knefeh a go. Its shredded filo pastry, melted cheese and syrup, and the taste is heavenly.
Lastly, if you want a spot for stunning views, go over to the Süleymaniye Mosque complex. I discovered it by accident when I passed through a cemetery to reach the exit, but the exit led me to a terrace overviewing the city and Bosphorus. Istanbul, honestly, is such a beautiful destination.
The mesmerizing dance of the dervishes is an experience I highly recommend to everyone. The muquabala – the whole dervish performance (the actual whirling is called the sama) begins with musicians, then the whirling dance is imbued with Islamic symbolism and spirituality. The movements of the dervishes represent the mystical journey of the soul toward union with God with each rotation being a metaphor for the inner quest and search for spiritual enlightenment. Between that, the landmarks and the delicious pastries, Istanbul destination that will leave you wanting more.
It already has so much to offer. From the most relaxing massages – and hamam – you will ever have, drool inducing sweets and snacks included in this post or not, sounds of seagulls flying by the boat and remarkable sights, it really is a city full of everything, there is no way you will be bored. I still hold that foam massage high in my best and favorite experiences, one you have to live to understand.
See below for the whole dondurma show and the foam massage.