Istanbul is one of my favorite cities in Europe, mainly for two reasons – because of it’s atmosphere and the food that is very similar to the best one in the world – the Bulgarian (yeah, really!).
One month ago I hopped on the plane from Dubai with my travel companions from The Travel Hub. The flight is just four hours and flydubai made it a seamless experience, as their usual. I have already mentioned why I love flying with them here but I could never stress enough that they are the best low cost company I have ever flown it. After choosing another company, just for a matter of dates, the last time I went to my hometown Sofia, I am even more convinced of that.
Once we arrived in Istanbul we headed to our first hotel, Ajwa, on board of a super luxurious mini van. The five starred Ajwa is situated in Sultan Ahmet area, an old neighbourhood, always buzzing with life. It’s furnished in traditional Ottoman style and even the bathrooms are irresistible with their colorful tiles – see the prove below. The hot bath tube was de rigueur and after that I was ready to sleep but not before choosing a pillow from the pillow menu that I found on the bed. Where have I lived until now??
Ajla also boasts a spectacular panoramic view from the restaurant, which took our breakfast and Azerbaijani dinner to the next level. And as if this wasn’t enough, my one hour retreat in the Afiya Spa made me rediscover how relaxing the hammam experience could be. Generally I don’t like to be touched by anyone else who is not my husband (I could be so picky sometimes!) so I was a bit sceptical at the beginning but I changed my mind as soon as I laid on the warm marble. The ritual included a mixture of scrub and foam with brown sugar, honey, Turkish coffee, and aromatic oils. No surprise my skin and hair were glowing after this and I was more than ready to explore the bustling city.
Nestled in the narrow streets going up and down, the hotel is walking distance to must see attractions like the Blue Mosque, Agia Sophia, the Grand Bazar and the Basilica Cisterns. We used Istanbul Travel Pass which helped us get ticket discounts, skip the queues and stay connected all the time thanks to the mobile internet modem they provide.
We walked for more than 20.000 steps which we considered as a sign that we deserved a break in one of the roof top restaurants close to the Blue Mosque. Thanks to the above mentioned internet we checked several places on Google and opted for Seven Hills. It doesn’t have the most attentive service but the view is probably the best in the area.
After two busy days in the vibrant Sultanahmet neighbourhood we headed to Park Hyatt which is situated in Macka, a luxury district that has a completely different vibe compared to the old town. It’s much more tranquil, with many parks, upscale boutiques, trendy restaurants and Parisian style cafes.
The hotel itself occupies a neo classical building and boasts a rooftop pool with sun deck, huge rooms ( some of them have even a traditional Turkish bath) and a steam shower that made me forget about all the air conditioning induced cold I had accumuluted. The breakfast was exceptional, with one page menu just for all the types of eggs they could prepare. It took me five minutes to make a decision the first morning but I don’t mind this kind of challenges.
Talking about the food … Park Hyatt is the perfect starting point to indulge into the local street delicacies on Istiklal road. When you travel with The Travel Hub you do it as a local and as you can see from the photos, we tried quite a few things. Everythings was extremely delicious but my highlight is the stuffed mussles rith rice and lemon. I would literally fly back to Istanbul only for that.
From Macka district we also reached Galata tower and bridge quite fast. The latter is a must stop by spot for those who like to observe the local life. They are plenty of shoeshine gues, street vendors and fishermen. For the always hungry like me there are a few floating kitchens that serve sandwiches with the freshly catched fish. Yumy!
Time flies fast in Istanbul an our adventure came to an end but before I move to my next destination I want to share with you my:
Top 11 tips for Istanbul, which I learned during the four days I spent there:
- Spend a day in Sultanahmet area – walk through the narrow streets, drink a Turkish coffee, sit on the tiny chairs, buy a freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.
- Enjoy a traditional hammam experience at Ajwa Hotel
- Bargain at the Grand Bazaar and have lunch at Havuzlu inside the bazaar.
- Try one of the many roof top restaurants in the area
- Go to the spice souk, not just for the spices but also for the loads of different teas they have.
- Have a posh dinner in Macka district
- Take the Bosphorus hop on hop off ferry
We walked by foot from Park Hyatt to the ferry stop ( right behind this mosque) - Hop off at Emirgan and have a lavish Turkish breakfast at Emirgan Sutis
This is what I am talking about 
- Go on a street food tour on Istiklal street. The best place for stuffed mussles an kokorec (the intestines sandwich) is Sampiyon Kokorec
- Use Istanbul Tourist Pass for discounts and limitless internet
Checking how to get to the next spot with Istanbul Tourist Pass - If you fly from Dubai check out flydubai – they go daily.
