Heybeliada: Naval Cadet School and Defunct Greek Seminary in the Middle of the Sea of Marmara

A while ago, a Turkish friend of mine had had the fortune (or the misfortune?) to do his mandatory military service at the Naval Cadet School of the Turkish Navy on the island of Heybeliada, one of the Princes' Islands about an hour away by ferry from the harbour of Kabatas. While this friend constantly complained about his wasting six-months of his life performing army duties on this island, I joked that at least he got to stay on this famous holiday island for six months, all free-of-charge.

Indeed, many people from Istanbul and other parts of Turkey have to pay to spend their holidays on Heybeliada. Possibly the second most well-known island of the Princes' Islands after the crowded Buyukada, Heybeliada is much less crowded than Buyukada, even on weekends. 

Kızkulesi: the Most Scenic Landmark of Istanbul

Kizkulesi (Maiden's Tower) is among one of the most iconic landmarks of Istanbul. Although this beautiful tower is visible at close range on ferry rides across the Bosphorus between Kadikoy-Besiktas, Besiktas-Üsküdar, as well as Üsküdar-Eminonu, very few foreign tourists actually make the effort of going there because of the lack of direct ferry access from the tourist enclaves of Sultanahmet and Eminonu. 

Actually it is fairly straight forward to get to Kizkulesi from the European side of the city, it takes only some patience and a little bit of walking. The most direct way of arriving at Kizkulesi is to take a ferry to Üsküdar, then walk along the waterfront towards the direction of Harem and Kadikoy, until you see the tower and  a small kiosk selling tickets for the shuttle boat between Üsküdar and Kizkulesi. Price per person for a return ticket on a small shuttle boat costs 5 TL in 2011.

Grocery Shopping in Kadikoy: Feast of Colours

With the opening of Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport and the arrival of numerous budget carriers to Istanbul from various parts of Europe, Kadikoy, which has long escaped the radar of millions of tourists that visit Istanbul every year, is gradually becoming one of the must-see places in this metropole with more than 20 million inhabitants. During my latest visit I notice a lot of hotels - some of them recently opened while others have been tastefully refurnished to cater to a more discerning clientee - have sprung up in the district right across the Kadikoy-Eminonu ferry pier and the airport bus terminal. And one now frequently encounters foreigners with cameras and guidebooks in their hand around the streets of Kadikoy, exploring this part of Istanbul.     

But the nice thing about Kadikoy is, in spite of its rising popularity amongst foreign visitors, it is still by a large a place where locals live, shop, dine, wine, chill out and enjoy themselves. And for whatsoever reasons, shops and restaurants and cafes stay open in Kadikoy much longer in the evenings than in Sultanahmet or Eminonu, which makes Kadikoy a much more fun and enjoyable place to stay in while on a visit to Istanbul. One can still find something to eat at 1am in the morning along the busy waterfront and the cafe and bar zone in the district of Moda.

Haydarpasa Gar: Beautiful Train Station on the Shore of the Bosphorus

Anyone who is a fan of rail travel in Turkey would certainly be impressed by the beautiful trains stations of Istanbul - Sirkeci on the European side and Haydarpasa on the Asian side. Haydarpasa is the terminal from which trains from Istanbul to Iran, Syria, Southeast Anatolia, Central Anatolia and Eastern Turkey departs. It is easily accessible by ferry from Eminonu and Karakoy on the European side of the city.

The current station building of Haydarpasa Terminal was designed by two German architects in neo-classical style and was open to rail traffics in 1909. Since then it has been one of the busiest train stations in Eastern Europe and Turkey.

Take a Stroll along the Bagdat Caddesi: Suadiye / Kadikoy's Premier Shopping Mile

One thing which suprised me somewhat is that prices in the posh suburbs around Kadikoy are sometimes more expensive than the supposedly more touristic areas of Eminonu, Sirkeci or even Taksim. Most people not familiar with the city would think that prices are lower across the Bosphorus, but on more than one occassions I found out by personal experience that this is not necessarily so. If anything, going out for a meal at a up-market restaurant in a trendy parts of Istanbul's Asian side, where the presence of foreign tourists is definitely not the norm, can cost more than a dinner at some decent restaurants in Istanbul's tourist areas.

If you spend a few hours strolling down Suadiye's premier shopping street, the Bagdat Caddesi that stretches all the way from Kadikoy to Kartal, you get a glimpse of the purchasing power of the rich and affluent Istanbulites living in this part of the city. Along the main boulevard of Bagdat Caddesi are expensive designer boutiques such as Burberry, Vakko, Louis Vuitton, Escaa, DKNY and other global brands. In the side streets you will find plenty of expensive-looking jewellery shops, bistos, cafes, restaurants and more shops catering to the upper class.

Kadikoy, Istanbul: Auf der anderen Seite

First-time visitors to Istanbul often choose to stay in the tourist enclaves of Sultanahmet and Sirkeci, or the trendy shopping districts of Taksim and Besiktas, as these areas are packed with famous sights and are full of accommodations catering to all kinds of clientele. Only those who are relatively familiar with this huge metropole would consider to stay overnight on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Due to the popularity of Sabiha Gokcen airport as a hub for international budget carriers flying from Europe to Istanbul, Kadikoy is now becoming an increasingly trendy place for travellers to stay at during their time in Istanbul.  

Actually, Kadikoy is a very interesting district and is certainly worth a visit in its own right. Its streets are lined with beautiful nineteenth century wooden bunglows, graceful grand mansions with hidden courtyards and gardens, while in the side lanes one will find plenty of chic, fashionable cafes, wine bars (known as meyhane in Turkish) and al fresco restaurants specialising in fish dishes and high-end Turkish cuisines. The elegant  art deco building of the Süreyya Operası (pictured above), built in 1924, acts as the centre of Kadikoy's cultural scene.

A Charming Little Tea House in Kabatas, Istanbul

Across the road from the Kabatas ferry landing is a charming little tea house located in an equally charming small Ottoman era building with a marble fountain. I am not sure if this place has any name, since there is no sign post or name boards outside, but from what I gathered (I might be wrong though, so please excuse me if my  rudimentary Turkish has let me down), this beautiful building was part of a historical mosque complex  (the Findikli Molla Çebeli Camii) dated from the mid-16th century. 

The small tea and coffee house is being run by two friendly old gentlemen who speak a little bit English. Conveniently located just a few steps away from the Kabatas tramway station, it is a nice place to have a few glasses of Turkish tea if you are on your way from/to Taksim, Besiktas or Eminonu. 

Faros Hotel and Cafe Bar, Sirkeci, Istanbul

It seems fashionable modern-looking bars and cafes are now appearing on the dining scene of Istanbul at such ferocious speed, it reminds me of the sight when countless mushrooms spring up all over the fields after the summer rains. Nowadays there are so many trendy and stylish eating places in and around the district of Sirkeci in Istanbul, sometimes it is really difficult to decide which place to go to for a drink.

During my latest visit to Istanbul, the weather was not being very kind to visitors, so instead of venturing outside in the face of freezing winds and heavy rain, I decided to sit out the chilly winter days in a nice, comfortable cafe instead.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 5): Bebek

Of all the suburbs on the European side of Istanbul, Bebek is probably my favourite. It is one of the most affluent seaside residential neighbourhoods in all of Istanbul, with beautiful tree-lined streets along the Bosphorus and pretty wooden houses, exclusive villas and modern penthouse apartment with balconies which offer splenid views of the Bosphorus Straits.   

Like all other exclusive leafy suburbs of Istanbul, Bebek is devoid of foreign tourists, but its marina is full of expensive yachts, while its elegant streets are a good place for some serious shopping for fashion-conscious visitors. 

The House Cafe, Bebek: Central European Flaire in the Middle of Istanbul

The House Cafe is a fairly well-known bistro-cafe chain in Istanbul. Aimed at the city's affluent middle-class consumers, the House Cafe has opened up shop in some of the most fashionable shopping malls (e.g. Istinye Park, Canyon Shopping Mall) and exclusive residential districts of Istanbul (Bebek, Etiler, Sisli). 

Prices are not cheap, almost on par with major cities in western Europe, but when compared to similar establishments in other parts of Istanbul or major coastal resort towns such as Antalya, the House Cafe actually offers quite decent fares at comparatively reasonable prices.

One of my favourite House Cafe venues is the one in Bebek, a petite yet elegant leafy suburb of Istanbul. The decor reminds me of those stately fin-de-siecle Kaffeehaeuser in Central Europe, notably Vienna.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 4): Istinye

The neighbourhood of Istinye is not very well-known amongst foreign visitors, but locals flock to the little waterside village, about 40 minutes by car on the European side of the Bosphorus, for its restaurants and views.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 3): Rumeli

Most people know about the famous Rumeli Hisari (Rumeli Castle) on the European shore of the Bosphorus, but few have bothered to spend more than just an hour in this scenic little quarter and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of its traditional waterfront tea gardens and European-style roadside cafes.

Just like in the neighbouring suburb of Arnavutköy, there are also many beautiful Ottman wooden mansions in Rumeli. Rents in this part of Istanbul are certainly not cheap, but the elegant apartments and houses which dotted the hills and slopes overlooking the Bosphorus are among some of the most sought-after real estates in the country.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 2): Arnavutköy

Arnavutköy, 'Albanian Village' in Turkish, is a small suburb in the European shore of Istanbul, famous for its colourful wooden houses that lined the waterfront of the Bosphorus.

Before the great fire of 1877, Arnavutköy was predominantly inhabited by Jews, followed by ethnic Greeks and Muslims. Nowadays Arnavutköy is a chic district with many up-market fish restaurants and bars frequented by affluent Istanbulites.

Along the open marina that lined the waterfront promenade, one could spend a leisurely afternoon strolling along the Bosphorus and admire the beautiful sceneries along the way.

Picturesque suburbs of Istanbul (Part 1): Beşiktaş

It is a pity that most of the foreign visitors to Istanbul choose to stay within the tourist ghettos in and around Sultanahmet; as a result of which, few of them have actually managed to venture outside of the  Holy Golden Tourist Triangle of  Sultanahmet - Taksim - Eminonu. Being a city that straddles both Europe and Asia and surrounded by water on almost all sides, the city of Istanbul has so much more to offer  in terms of tourist attractions than just oriental bazaars, Ottoman mosques and museums. Both on the European and the Asian shores are plenty of beautiful leafy suburbs, full of tree-lined streets, picturesque marinas with lighthouses, waterfront promenade, 19th century European-style villas, mansions, and grand public buildings, which remain relatively unknown to foreign visitors. Be it Kadikoy and Fenerbahce on the Anatolian side, or Istinye and Bebek on the European side, these marvellous little neighbourhoods of Istanbul, with its diverse architectural, cultural and historical heritage and offering postcard-perfect views of the Bosphorus, are worth at least one full days' visit.  Virtually all of them are easily accessible by bus or boat from downtown Istanbul.  

Buyukada: Rubbing Your Shoulders with 10,000 other Istanbul Residents

Buyukada is the biggest of the groups of islands and islets in the Marmara Sea, collectively known as the  Princes' Islands or the Red Islands.
If possible, try not to visit Buyukada on weekends. It seems at least 10,000 other Istanbulites are with you on this small island, about 30 minutes journey by IDO fast ferry from Istanbul's Kabatas Ferry Pier. If the weather is good and the sky is blue, you might be rubbing shoulders with several thousand people on the steep streets of this pedestrian and cyclists - only island. Due to the promoxity to some of Istanbul's biggest residential areas, the Buyukada is a popular destination for Istanbulites looking for a sunny picnic and a swim in the Marmara.

Shopping in Istanbul: Beyond the Usual Tourist Haunts

This is not about shopping in the Grand Bazaar or in the Sultanahmet areas, but a discussion of some of the up-market shopping areas in Istanbul where fashionistas of both sexes can torture their credit cards to their hearts' desire and don themselves with the latest fashion from Milan, Paris and New York. Welcome to High-End Shopping in Istanbul!!