PLAN YOUR TRIP
GETTING THERE
Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul from Joburg and Cape Town for about R6995. turkishairlines.com Also look at prices on Qatar Airways, Etihad, Emirates and Ethiopian Airlines.
GETTING AROUND
Explore neighbourhoods on foot, but to get between them you have many options, from buses and trams to a metro and ferries. Get an Istanbulkart (R25) from the yellow machines at stations or at street kiosks, and load it with cash. You’ll pay R7 per trip.
BEST TIME TO GO
It’s extremely hot in summer and icy cold in winter, all through April (spring) when the winds still sweep down the Bosphorus from Russia. On the other hand, when it snows in Istanbul it is a fairy tale.
NEED TO KNOW
Vendors in the Grand Bazaar will be very disappointed if you don’t haggle with them. Expect a good, long, sociable session including raki or tea. Currently the Turkish lira is worth R2,60 so Istanbul is a bargain. The cost of a carpet or a leather jacket depends on your bargaining skills, but restaurant prices are about 60% cheaper than Cape Town. Five dishes for two people at Demeti, for example, will cost around R280. Imported alcohol is expensive, but with delicious Turkish beer and wine at hand, this is a matter of complete irrelevance.
STAY HERE Vault Karakoy The House Hotel
is in a 19th-century bank building on Bankalar Caddesi below the landmark Galata Tower. It has a lovely rooftop bar. From R1 144 pp sharing B&B. vault-karakoy-thehouse-hotel.hotel-istanbul.net
Casa di Bava Stylish one- or two-bedroom apartments with balconies and kitchenette in a 19th-century mansion in the Çukurcuma area, minutes from transport. I’ve stayed there twice and love it. From R440 pp sharing. casadibavaistanbul.com
1001 Nights in Istanbul This two-bedroom flat in Cihangir may be my favourite apartment in the world. The terrace has views over the Golden Horn to the skyline of the Sultanahmet peninsula. R1 640, airbnb.co.za
DO THIS Admire glorious buildings.
Many mosques, churches and palaces are now museums, charging around R180 entry. The Blue Mosque is free, but it closes to tourists for 90 minutes for prayers five times a day. ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr, topkapisarayi.gov.tr, choramuseum.com
Cruise the Bosphorus.
The trip on a Sehir Hatlari ferry costs about R65. Buy a ticket at the Eminönü Pier; check that the ferry you take will be stopping at Andolu Kavagi (Rumeli Kavagi is the town opposite, on the European side).
Visit a grande dame.
The Pera Palace Hotel opened in 1892 – in addition to Agatha Christie’s room, it also has the Atuturk Museum Room, a patisserie and the Kubbeli Lounge for high tea. The Orient Bar opens in the late afternoon. To stay the night, in case you’re wondering, a room is from R2 875. perapalace.com
Take time out to sit and sip raki.
This aniseed-flavoured drink is similar to ouzo but arguably more sophisticated.
And take note, it’s a disgrace to drink raki and not nibble on meze – salty white cheese, olives, a smoky aubergine dip, fried meatballs and crispy warm borek (fried phyllo stuffed with spicy feta). EAT HERE Demeti Meyhanesi makes splendid, fresh, modern Turkish food at remarkably good prices. demeti.com.tr Next door is
Kasabim steakhouse, run by the Ethane family of butchers who've been in business since 1950. kasabim.com.tr
Karakoy Lokantasi is my other favourite restaurant. On the old docks (now very hip), it’s superstylish and combines the best of traditional and modern food. Order the hunkar begendi (beef and smoked aubergine) for lunch. karakoylokantasi.com
Inci Pastanesi is near Taksim Square, at 14 Mis Sokak. Profiteroles cost R25 a portion. For tavuk gogsu (chicken breast pudding), Ozkonak Lokantasi is at 46 Akarsu Caddesi in Cihangir. For Turkish ‘pizzas’, find Lahmacun Plus on the corner of Guzelbahçe and Haci Emin Efendi streets in Şişli.