Even in my wildest
dreams I never imaged having something in common with Mehmed the Conqueror.
Yet here I was in
Istanbul, celebrating his conquest of the Turkish city in 1453 and his
contribution to culinary traditions at the Ottoman Hotel Imperial’s Matbah
Restaurant.
Overlooking the Cafer Aga Medresse, the call to prayer echoing
in the cooling night air, I was
savouring, the delicious Ottoman Palace based-cuisine.
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| Ottoman Hotel Imperial |
Like Istanbul, the enchanting city that bestrides Asia and Europe, it is a
heady mix of flavours, from a wealth of ancient and modern cultures, topped
with a hint of spice that makes it sizzle.
This was my first visit to Istanbul, but thanks to the
charming Ottoman Hotel Imperial, a luxury boutique hotel, once a 19th
century Ottoman school and hospital, I had already found a sense of place. Here
history pushed up against modernity. The warm and friendly staff provided
excellent service.
Whatever you read or hear, nothing prepares you for the
enormity of the city that was the former capital of the Byzantine and the
Ottoman empires. Reputedly, more than
18 million people live here and, apparently, the population is
growing daily, so I arranged for a guide to help me unravel the layers.
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The Bosphorus
Courtesy of Turkish Culture and Tourism Office
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The next day I was up bright and early to meet Yavuz, my
guide, to do the mandatory day, or so I thought, of running round mosques and
palaces of Sultanahmet.
The tour began at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the
Blue Mosque because of the gorgeous blue tiles inside. You have to queue for
ages, so go early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the queues – ensure
you avoid prayer times.
Arguably more exquisite is the Hagia Sophia built for Emperor Justinian in the 6th
century. Originally Christian, the Ottoman Turks converted it into a mosque and
today is a museum. (Closed Mondays.)
Not to be missed is the opulent Topkapi Palace bursting with
relics from the Ottoman Dynasty. You could while away hours here conjuring up
pictures of Arabian nights. If you are short of time make sure you see the
Imperial Treasury, the Harem and the Chamber of Holy Relics where you will find
a staff, which is said to have belonged to Moses, and some hairs supposedly
from Mohammed’s beard. (Closed Tuesdays.)
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Haiga Sofya Museum
Courtesy of
Turkish Culture and Tourism Office
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After a visit to the mysterious, 6th century
cavernous Basilica Cistern, which appeared in the James Bond movie, From Russia with Love, Yavuz
showed me that Istanbul is not only charged with history, it is also a
shopper’s paradise.
The Grand Bazaar (closed Sundays) is regarded as the oldest
and largest covered market in the world. From soap to leather to diamonds,
there is practically nothing you will not find here. While competition may be
hot, don’t expect to find too many bargains, unless you have excellent
bartering skills and can tell your jewels from your coloured stones or have an
excellent guide as I had.
Only a short walk away is the spice bazaar, Misir Carisi where
irresistible aromas waft through the air. Develi Spice Centre is the place to
go for mouth-watering dried fruits, tasty nuts and delicious Turkish Delight.
For rose oils, walk across to his brother’s stall.
A ferry ride on the Bosphorus over to the Asian side of the
city was the next surprise Yavuz had up his sleeve. The views of Istanbul from
the water are so smoulderingly magnificent that no picture or painting really
captures the essence.
Once there, I was whisked around and had lunch at a local restaurant.
Afterwards, Yavuz took me to visit his mother Saba, an accomplished dressmaker
working for the likes of designer, Philipp Plein, and also an expert in the
Turkish tradition of reading coffee grounds.
I soon found myself emptying out my coffee cup. What was
spooky was that she was amazingly accurate. She told me that I was going to
move. How could she have known that I was contemplating selling my apartment?
After a whirlwind
tour of the upscale shopping area Bağdat Caddesi, a pretty
tree-lined boulevard teeming with
chic boutiques and stores of renowned global brands, we boarded the ferry back
to the European side.
From Taksim Square, the beating heart of modern Istanbul,
and home to the monument of the Republic (worth noting that there are currently
works here), it was on to the pedestrianised Istiklal Caddesi. One of the most
renowned streets in Turkey, it is peppered with interesting buildings, shops,
restaurants, bars and clubs. However, Sortie and Reina on the bank of the
Bosphorus are the hangouts where the rich and famous party. Both have
first-class restaurants.
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| Taksim Square |
We spent hours sauntering around and soaking up the
atmosphere. To get a taste of old Istanbul, we paid a quick visit to the Pera
Palace Jumeirah, whose impressive guest list includes Agatha Christie.
Nişantaşi is Istanbul’s answer to Knightsbridge.
It was now getting late and Yavuz wanted to take me for a
stroll along the Bosphorus and over the Galata Bridge where fishermen crammed
into every centimetre of space.
Over a rather late supper at the cute Pudding Shop Lale
Restaurant, which became known as a meeting and message centre for tourists
after it opened in 1957, I pondered on what to do on my last day. I decided to
get up close and personal with the city.
There is not a really convenient way to get to grips with
Istanbul. The street patterns do not appear to have any regularity to them and
the transport system is a mix of trams, buses, metro bus and funicular, which
sometimes have to be used in conjunction with each other.
It could all have been rather chaotic, had it not been for
the amazing helpful and friendly Turkish people I met. No pointing or telling
you where the station was, they took you and one lovely man actually bought a
ticket for me. In all my travels, I have never experienced anything quite like
it.
On the streets that are charged with history, urban grit
pushes up against glamour. New York leaves you feeling energised, hip Istanbul
enriches you.
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
easyJet (www.easyjet.com) offers a good and affordable service from London Luton to Istanbul -
Sabiha Gökçen (www.easyjet.com). Its new online check-in system is marvellous.
It saves a great deal of time queuing. Seats are assigned. Also
appreciated is the fact that the crew were
helpful and pleasant and not pushy sales people (as with some airlines)
I stayed at the excellent Ottoman Imperial Hotel, (Great
Hotels of the World, www.ghotw.com). This jewel of a hotel is the perfect
location for exploring the historic centre
The five-star Wow Istanbul Hotel (Great Hotels of the World,
www.ghotw.com) is the hotel you should stay at if you have an early morning
flight from Atatűrk Airport. Traffic is notoriously bad in the city and
crossing the city may take you a lot longer than you think. Rooms are
comfortable and spacious and there is also a health centre
For more information about Turkey and Istanbul as well as
arranging sightseeing tours and guides visit the Turkish Culture and Tourism
Office (www.gototurkey.co.uk)
