4 Amazing Things Not Everyone Knows about Istanbul

Eat seafood under the Galata Bridge

If you want to eat dinner in Istanbul with a unique view, you can’t beat a seafood dinner under the Galata Bridge. Here, you’ll find a throng of slightly overpriced seafood restaurants that aren’t afraid to hassle you to get you through their doors. Skip these establishments and head straight to a local vendor, grab a fish sandwich, and enjoy unbeatable views over the shimmering Bosphorus river.

Visit a traditional Turkish Bathhouse

To truly immerse yourself in the culture of a country you sometimes have to get out of your comfort zone, and visiting one of Istanbul’s Hamams is the perfect way to do this. Hamams have been a Turkish tradition for thousands of years, used as both a place to socialize and a place to cleanse. Most bathhouses are separated by gender, and yes, it is normal for everyone to be walking around naked, or at least topless. A traditional Hamam experience involves transitioning through different rooms of varying temperatures, including a hot steam room and cold and hot pools. Once you reach the end, you generally receive a brisk scrub down by an attendant. Yep, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t forget in a hurry (plus, you’ll never feel cleaner)! If you are still hesitant about visiting a Hamam, check out Lonely Planet’s Guide to Istanbul’s Bathhouses. 

Drink Turkish Apple Tea with a shop owner

Tea (or çay) is a very big part of Turkish hospitality and you will find it in virtually every café, restaurant and house you go to. Along with regular cay, Turkish Apple Tea is a popular specialty and is a very sweet, delicious drink that resembles warm apple juice. Often, shopkeepers will offer tea to customers, a sign of friendship and hospitality. Make sure you say yes to the offer- doing so will give reveal to you the warmth and kindness of the Turkish people and allow you to gain a glimpse in to one of Turkey’s strongest traditions.

Have Dinner with a local family

To understand the true meaning of Turkish hospitality, you can’t beat having a home-cooked dinner. Obviously, the most authentic way to experience this would involve getting invited over to a local’s house. However, if this isn’t possible, you can book in to enjoy a home-cooked feast with a local family in the historic neighborhood of Sultanahmet and get a deeper insight into the Turkish culture.

 

Retrieved from polkadotpassport.com