The city that has everything - Istanbul

The City that has everything – Istanbul

One of the first places I was really looking forward to on my 2^nd contract at sea was Istanbul. Having visited when I was a child whilst cruising it was always somewhere that I wanted to go back to.

There is something about this multi-cultural, vibrant place that literally is where east meets west as it’s the only city in the world to straddle two continents (Europe & Asia). There has always been a lot made about Turkey and the one thing that I have always been asked is how safe is it for tourists? Istanbul is no different to any other major city in the world, I never once felt unsafe or threatened at anytime. Yes like in other destination I would recommend staying vigilant for pickpockets and if you’re going ashore to always as a group of at least 2 of you.

Arrival into Istanbul is something that I would highly recommend getting up early for if you have never arrived by ship. If you have a balcony on the portside, otherwise make your way up on deck for a good vantage point, relax whilst sailing past the Blue & St Sophia Mosque’s, watch the ferries busy shuttling people back and forth across the Bosphurus as you make your way to the cruise terminal situated in the heart of the city.

The terminal itself is situated in Karakoy and couldn’t be in a more perfect location for exploring Istanbul on your own. Its a stone throw away from the Galata Bridge at the mouth of the Golden Horn, giving you easy access to Sultanahment district (the historical quarter). Going in the opposite direction is Taskim (the newer, modern district of Istanbul).

After completing my morning duties and having breakfast we headed ashore to visit our must-see sites – the Blue Mosque, St Sofia Mosque, The Grand Bazaar and the Basilica Cistern, but due to time we prioritised the Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar (luckily I was able to come back again to see the other sites). The greatest thing about all of these places is that they are all located close to each other in the Sultanahment district.

Once out of the terminal we had a choice of 2 options to head over to our first stop, The Blue Mosque & St Sophia Mosque. Head to the main road and turn left to follow it to the Galata Bridge, from here if you follow the tram tracks round to the left towards the train station where the Orient Express used to terminate, follow it up the hill and it will take you directly outside the both Mosque’s & the Grand Bazaar which took around 30-45 minutes to walk. However if you’re not feeling that energetic then just to the right hand side is the Findikli -MSU tram stop which will take you directly there, which shouldn’t take long (depending on traffic) just remember to have cash with you to be able to get the tram tokens.

Heading in to the Blue Mosque is something that just takes your breathe away, the stunning architecture in the central square with the four minuet towers rising in each corner combined with the peace makes you forget that you’re even in a city. However, remember that you are in a sacred place of worship so ensure that you cover your shoulders & legs. Once inside the first thing you must do is look up at the stunning blue mosaic dome that reflects the light down illuminating the whole space.

From here we headed straight toward the world famous Grand Bazaar which was only a short walk away. As we approached the entrance the place was a hive of activity traders haggling with customers, its easy to get overwhelmed by it all. The best advice is to not point at any of the stalls/shops, if you don’t wish to be harassed to buy their goods. If you go around the bazaar it is actually well organised & go back it to the stalls you wish to purchase rom it will make your trip much more enjoyable.

One misconception that people make of which I admit myself I was one of them, is that it just full of knock-offs and fake goods, boy I was wrong! There is so much more to it with rug traders, jewellery stores, silk materials, small cafes (a must is Turkish delight & apple tea) to just name a few. It is a great place to for Christmas presents if you’re struggling for inspiration or can’t quite afford the real thing but I would avoid items such as electronics and aftershaves/perfumes as 9 times out of 10 they are empty or don’t work.

We had to start heading back towards the ship to ensure we got back in time to start work. On this occasion we all decided to walk back via the train station where the Orient Express used to come in as we didn’t get the chance to pop in on the way through, however we got distracted by local food stalls lining the banks near the Galata Bridge, where I had one of the best chicken shish kebabs I have ever tasted.

Although our time was short, Istanbul definitely left a mark with me as one of my favourite destinations and I couldn’t wait to come back and explore more of it.