Istanbul: Love at First Sight

Parik explores Istanbul near the Blue Mosque. Istanbul is an enigma. At various minutes, it left me wondering whether I remained in Europe, Asia, or North Africa. I am fascinated by places that are somewhat confusing, challenging, and mystical. And Istanbul was all this. Capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires for over 1,500 years, it has tremendous historical significance. It was the center of trade, politics, and religion, and during the Ottoman era, likewise a center of science, culture, and arts. Geographically, Turkey (or Türkiye as it is now understood) is at the center of the world. Partially in Europe and partly in Asia, Istanbul straddles two continents and, due to the fact that of its long history, is a true melting pot of numerous cultures and civilizations from Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Travelling from the airport into the city, my first impression of Istanbul was of a really arranged city with European facilities. However when I got to the Old Town, I saw a lot of street life and street food similar to Asian cities. < img width ="5189"height ="3377"src ="https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_70,f_auto,w_5189,h_3377,c_fit/enchanting-web/2025/09/shutterstock_1477391708.jpg"alt="Istanbul

: Love at First Sight”/ > A classic Istanbul street food experience. Among my preferred things to do when I travel to a new location is to choose a morning run. On my very first journey to Istanbul in August 2024, I was up at 6 am and ranged from my hotel past Taksim Square down to the bank of the Bosphorus Strait. I might hear the hauntingly lovely ezan contact us to prayer emerging from various mosques, drawing me into the heart of the culture. At the waterfront, I stopped to look around. I enjoyed the sun gradually increasing over this city with a lot history and listened to the attractive ezan in the distance– it all felt so really serene. As I ran back to my hotel, I witnessed the city slowly awakening.

View from the Bosphorus Strait, with the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque noticeable. The Bosphorus Strait divides Istanbul into the European and the Asian sides and links the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara in the south. On the European side, the old Sultanahmet district has some of Istanbul’s most popular websites. Many significant are the wonderful Hagia Sophia, as soon as a church and now a mosque, the Blue Mosque, renowned for complex mosaics, graceful arches, stained glass, domes, and minarets, and Topkapi Palace, the opulent home of Ottoman sultans for 400 years. Another time, I went to the Bosphorus and took a ferry from the European to the Asian side. My guide and I strolled on the Asian waterside and stopped at a local cafe for traditional Turkish coffee made on hot sand, frequently served with Turkish pleasure sweet. Unlike in the West, Turkish coffee is not filtered. The preparation and brewing techniques and abundant communal culture of Turkish coffee are listed under UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humankind. Once you complete consuming your coffee, you turn the dish over your cup and make a wish while rotating the cup and saucer clockwise three times. The cup is then turned over, and a falci (fortuneteller) reads the dregs and provides insights or guidance. This experience made me seem like I might easily have actually been in North Africa or Central Asia.

Remarkably, though, I found that regardless of coffee being an important part of Turkish culture, çay (chai) or tea is the most typically consumed hot beverage. I saw black tea served in tulip-shaped glasses (not cups) everywhere. While strolling through Istanbul’s architecturally mesmerizing Grand Fete, for example, lots of residents were sipping tea and chatting, while buyers wandered the labyrinth of streets and stores. Rize tea from Turkey’s eastern Black Sea seaside province is the most popular tea, with a sweetish fruity taste. However what was clear to me is that tea and coffee are more than just beverages and are important to Turkish cultural traditions and social interactions.

< img width= "4500"height="2942"src ="https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_70,f_auto,w_4500,h_2942,c_fit/enchanting-web/2025/09/shutterstock_451976446.jpg"alt=" Istanbul

: Love at First Sight”/ > A cup of tea with a couple friendly locals. One evening, we ventured to Çiçek Pasajı, a classy game in the courtyard of a 19th-century structure filled with lovely Turkish taverns. We consumed at Sevic Dining establishment, which serves mezze along with music, festivity, and a really social atmosphere. I highly suggest consuming family-style at a local establishment. In the same neighborhood, you’ll discover the Galata Istanbul Hotel M Gallery, in a beautiful structure going back to 1836, with a Turkish hamam on site. There are many other character-filled hotels I suggest for a distinct stay in Istanbul, from the Pera Palace Hotel, opened in 1895 to host travelers of the Orient Express, to the Ciragan Palace Kempinski, occupying a previous Ottoman palace.

Diners and travelers at Çiçek Pasajı. I think Turkey has an essential role to play in the world today since of its special position and the history of its civilizations. Not only is it a mainly Islamic country, it is also extremely European in nature, and it displays a strong tradition of religious tolerance that is so important in today’s world. There’s much to gain from this balance and mix. Istanbul was love at first sight for me, and I am certain I will keep returning. < img width="4032" height="3024" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_70,f_auto,w_4032,h_3024,c_fit/enchanting-web/2025/09/alex_parik_turkey.jpg" alt="Istanbul: Love at First Sight"/ > Charming Journeys’ Co-Founders Alex and Parik take in Istanbul’s history and culture together.