Wanderlust Istanbul

Istanbul in Turkey is on most people’s bucket list and it is often listed as one of the top travel destinations year after year and for good reason. It is an exotic melting pot of cultures that straddles both Europe and Asia as well as the modern and ancient worlds. It is this culture, the landmarks and the food (of course!) that makes my travel wanderlust for Istanbul so strong.

If it was April or May (the ideal time to visit because it is Spring in Turkey) and I had a pocket full of Turkish Liras (1 Lira = 50c AUD) I would learn how to say hello (merhaba), yes (evet), no (hayir), please (lutfen) and thank you (tesekkurler) and jump on the plane to Istanbul. I’d probably take about 2 weeks to travel around Turkey, but for today, I want to focus on the city of Istanbul and all that it has to offer.

Eating in Istanbul

I love the idea of mezze style of eating where you have lots of little dishes of everything that you all share. As far as I can tell Turkish food is un-obnoxious and is simply good local food that is a magical fusion of Asian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. I would try the ubiquitous doner kebab and turkish delight, order lots of teas, have salami, cheese and olives for breakfast, look for the honey topped cream that people rave about, gobble up pide, borek and I would indulge in fresh baklava and generally eat a lot.

Shopping in Istanbul

With my pocket full of Liras and a few key phrases for haggling I would visit the Grand Bazaar buy a carpet (magic or not), some pretty lanterns, handmade shoes, linen and towels and perhaps some ceramics too. If I was going to be able to get them home I’d stock up on spices, teas and other delights.

Sightseeing in Istanbul

Istanbul conjures up some wonderful images in my mind and while I was thinking of all the places I would love to see I couldn’t help but think about Dan Brown’s book Inferno and his references to this city. While I was there here are a few highlights I would love to see:

Suleymaniye including the mosque and grand bazaar despite it’s touristy feel

Hagia Sohpia Museum - once a cathedral it is now a museum

Basilica Cistern - the largest of the hundreds of cisterns underneath Istanbul

Blue Mosque - aptly named for the beautiful blue tiles inside the building

Topkapi Palace - the Sultan’s royal residence from the Ottoman era

Emirgan Forest - 117 acres of parkland enclosed with high brick walls and luckily the tulips would be in bloom when I visit in Spring.

Last but not least I think I would just have to experience a Turkish Hammam where you are bathed, massaged and scrubbed in a steamy hot room.

That is my Wanderlust Istanbul. Have you ever been, do you want to go?

You can join in this weeks group therapy session #wednesdaywanderlust by commenting below or join in on Facebook and Twitter.