A Perfect Day: Istanbul in One Day

For me, the best place for breakfast is the Lokma restaurant on the Bosporus in the Rumeli Hisarı district. I like to sit here with my Istanbul friends at one of the tables right by the water, eat menemen (omelet with tomatoes, onions, and peppers) and sucuk (spicy sausage), drink Turkish tea, and watch the ships sail under the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. My tip: Be sure to try the freshly baked bread with honey and kaymak, creamy fresh cheese!

Every time I walk along the Istiklal Caddesi promenade in Beyoğlu, I think: This is Istanbul! Because people from all over the world and from all areas of the 16-million-strong metropolis cross paths on the one-and-a-half-kilometer-long Independence Street. You can really feel the multicultural flair of Istanbul here. I like to go shopping in the area or to eat baklava with walnuts and vanilla ice cream in the 150-year-old dessert restaurant Hafiz Mustafa 1864.  

The Galata Tower offers a wonderful view of the city, but you have to wait a long time in the queue. I therefore prefer to go to the other side of Galata Bridge. There I treat myself to a delicious lunch in the 360-Panorama-Restaurant and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Of course, you should also take a closer look at the two places of worship – a must for anyone visiting Istanbul for the first time.

From the restaurant, it’s just a few steps to Istanbul’s famous Grand Bazaar. Here I let myself drift between thousands of stalls and stores. Everything imaginable is on offer: handmade carpets, mosaic lamps, olive oil soap, ceramics, and bath towels. The latter is very useful if you want to visit a hammam, a Turkish bath, afterward.   

Very close to the bazaar is the historic Hürrem Sultan Hammam, which dates back to 1556. Here I escape the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse myself in the soothing atmosphere of the traditional bath. Surrounded by fine wood and marble, I immediately relax with a foam massage. At the end, the staff there even wash and comb your hair – a moment that makes me feel like a princess from the Ottoman era.

In the early evening, I like to stroll through the alleyways of the former fishing village of Ortaköy with its many cafés, stores, and food stalls where you can get baked potatoes filled with various ingredients. Kumpir is the name of this typical Turkish street food. A must-see in the district is the magnificent Ortaköy Mosque, which was built in a mix of Ottoman and baroque architecture.  

The best time for a Bosporus cruise is after sunset. When the lights of the city are reflected in the water at night, Istanbul is a dream. The excursion boats depart from Ortaköy harbor.

If you still have energy left, you can end the day in one of Ortaköy’s many bars and restaurants. For example in The House Café, where DJs play on the terrace at the weekend – and you can enjoy the view of the city’s sea of lights.

Purser Kadriye Araci has been working for Lufthansa since 1993 and has explored half the world thanks to her job. Whether in South America, Europe, or Asia – Kadriye loves to discover new countries and cultures. She is particularly fond of Istanbul, a city with a unique energy that never ceases to surprise her.