What to do in Istanbul

Wander the cobblestone streets of Istanbul, Europe’s largest city, and you’ll see a community that cares about…cats. Food on doorsteps and makeshift homes in alleys, neighbors take care of Istanbul’s almost one million street cats.

Behind the street cat community are ancient churches-turned-mosques, spice markets, restaurants on hills, and ferries that disappear into the sunset. To see it all, spend years in Istanbul. Here’s what my wife, five-year-old daughter, and I did in seven days.

Eat:

Baklava from Karaköy Güllüoğlu, a shop with different kinds of baklava that first opened in 1843.
Breakfast feast at Van Kahvalti Evi, a small breakfast shop that some locals claim is the best in the city.
Fresh bread from Çeşme Bazlama Kahvaltı Nişantaşı 1, a popular breakfast spot where women make fresh bread in the front.
Lebanese breakfast feast at Arada Endülüs, which offers an unlimited breakfast of breads, dips, jams, and more.
Manti from Saloon Galata, a restaurant near Galata Tower with a diverse menu.
Takeout from Bombay Masala Indian Restaurant, an Indian restaurant with tasty butter chicken.
Turkish dumplings from 1932 Cihangir Doyum Mantı, a popular corner restaurant with a plate of fried and boiled dumplings topped with yogurt. Don’t sleep on their bulgar salad.
Turkish food at Lokanta Elina, a small restaurant outside the main tourist area.
Wraps from Basta! Street Food Bar, a small restaurant on Istanbul’s Asian side.

Drink:

Bubble tea from Monster Teashop– Kadikoy, a small teashop with custom bubble tea.
Cocktails at Fahri Konsolos, a tiny bar that serves nine unique cocktails made with Turkish flavors.
Latte from Coffee Department Nişantaşı, a small coffee shop with quality coffee from around the world. Another great latte is from Faw Coffee.
Salep from Roots Studio Cafe, a cafe on the top floor of a building with views of Istanbul.
Turkish coffee from Serpmece Kahvaltı & Tatlı, a tiny cafe that also serves breakfast with friensly staff.

Do:

Browse travel, design, architecture, and food books at Black Mustache Kitabevi, a basement bookstore with titles in English and Russian.
Explore the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest markets, finding its side markets.
Find the rainbow stairs near the Findikli tram station.
Ride public transportation from buses to the Metro to ferries
- It’s easy to navigate and cost-effective.
- For one of the best sunsets in the city, ride the ferry as the sun goes down.
Shop for authentic Turkish towels at Pera Family, a family-owned shop near Galata Tower.
Take your kids to Cihangir Park, a fenced playground on a hill.

See:

Cobblestone streets on hills in Balat, once known as Istanbul’s Jewish quarter.
Design-forward fish market at the Besiktas Fish Market.
Historic Ottoman houses in the Kuzguncuk neighborhood.
Light show inside the Cistern of Theodosius, ancient underground water storage that’s less crowded than the Basilica Cistern.
Murals throughout the city, but especially in the Kadıköy neighborhood.
View of the city is from Büyük Valide Han Cafe, a small rooftop cafe inside a 17th century building created as a hotel by a sultan’s mother. (The cafe is hard to find so use these directions.)