Istanbul Where East Meets West

Caroline Piccaver on 28 October 2015
"Sell Turkey” they said. I said “no problem, it sells itself”. That was how I ended up being one of 15 lucky Travel Counsellors to win an educational trip to Istanbul. My love of Turkey paid off and I ticked another box on that ever growing bucket list.

We travelled from Birmingham with Turkish Airlines into Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport which is on the European side of the waterway the Bosporus. Turkish Airlines have direct flights from London, Manchester and Birmingham and with Istanbul being a very busy hub, Turkey really is the gateway to the rest of the world so twinning Istanbul with other places is so easy to do with a really great airline, not to mention that they have the best business class lounge in Europe with everything from a cinema to a golf simulator to keep you amused between flights.

Anyway, I digress! Our hotel was centrally located making it easy to get out and about seeing the sights. Although we weren’t staying directly in the old city, it was only a stone’s throw away. Staying in the Sultanahmet area you can literally step outside the front door of your hotel and be surrounded by beautiful historical buildings. There is just so much history here. I hadn’t quite appreciated the age of some of the buildings. Our guide from the tour company, Karavan Travel, gave us an excellent insight into how it would have been back in the day. Fascinating learning about the history of the Hagia Sophia, for example, which dates back to the 6th Century whilst the Sultanahmet Mosque (otherwise known as the Blue Mosque), was built in the 17th Century. A spectacle with its 6 minarets and massive dome. As well as the Mosques I would definitely recommend visiting the Topkapi Palace. Incredibly interesting learning about the Sultans and their Harems and the Ottoman Empire.

Aside from a wealth of history and architecture, there is a real fun side to Istanbul too. Everything is colourful and there is nothing more exciting that visiting the Spice Market or the Grand Bazaar for some bartering and bargain hunting. Whether its leather goods, ceramics, carpets or simply some delicious Turkish delight or fresh spices, you will lose yourself in the hustle and bustle. We only had an hour or two but I still managed to pick up a few bargains.

Another great reason to visit Istanbul is to sample the cuisine. You can’t not love the mezes, the wonderful fresh vegetables, fish and lamb or the very sweet baklava, all syrupy with nuts and pastry. You also may be surprised to know despite being a Moslem country, Turkey produces some excellent wines.

I definitely recommend Istanbul for a city break. Visit April to June and September to October for the best experience.

If I have tempted you to try a little Eastern promise, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.