Istanbul, a bustling city of 15 million people straddling the Bosporus Straight; the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is the most populous city in Europe, and the most visited city in the world. It is easy to see why, Istanbul is a bastion of culture, food and sights. We are staying in Kadikoy; a hip, eclectic part of town with the most amazing food scene. I am already lamenting my departure for I could easily see myself living here long term. Kadikoy is relaxed and has an amazing vibe, all times of the day the numerous cafes and cozy restaurants are full of people having a good time with friends. As large as the neighborhood is, it seems like everyone knows everyone else; people stop to exchange warm embraces with fellow neighbors along the way. The people are uniquely stylish, probably due to some of the greatest thrift shopping in the world. On every street is another trove of fashion treasures waiting to be discovered.

Getting here from Dubrovnik was a long 12 hour journey from start to finish; the only direct flights to Istanbul are from Zagreb, so we had to take a quick flight there first. The Zagreb airport was nearly empty upon arrival. Once again we were solo through security, although I am sure during peak season this small airport would be packed to the gills; another reason to enjoy the more touristy towns off season. We touched down after midnight in Istanbul, then having to take a shuttle from the airport to Kadikoy, another hour to our lodging. Fortunately our host arranged self check in, asking his neighbor to leave the large door to our building unlocked until we got there at 3am. I would highly recommend the airport shuttle, it is only 40€, the taxis from the airport will be three times that for an hour ride. The shuttle was spacious and comfortable, we opted to use this same service when we left for Cyprus.

Our small apartment was on the fifth floor in an old 10 unit building. The place itself could use some TLC, but the greatest part was the location itself. Kadikoy is bustling at all times of the day and well into the night. We were spoiled to have some 24hr establishments open too, great to grab a late night Borek or pide after a night on the town. Despite the cold we spent as much time as we could outside; the cafes, restaurants and bars all have heaters and copious amounts of chai or coffee, so it is easy to keep warm in the winter weather. Most days were around 10c (50f), though nights were a bit chillier. I bought a couple sweaters from the local thrift shops for 30€, there are at least 10 in the Kadikoy neighborhood alone. There are also tons of hat stores with scarves and gloves; I picked up a scull cap for 4€ which kept my head toasty on the wet and windier nights.

Istanbul is a paradise for food lovers, especially vegetarians. Turkish food has to be one of my favorite cuisine, particularly mezze; a smorgasbord of flavors served with fresh pide. Kadikoy is filled with quaint family owned places that serve home-style Turkish food cafeteria style; you can customize your plate however you like. We are also fortunate enough to have ramen, curry, and an incredible noodle shop just down the street from our place. Above photos in order: (mezze at ACT, (also best durum in town)/ homestyle turkish food at Mudavim/ Turkish breakfast at Kuff/ falafel and chicken bowl at Fit Mill/ custom ramen at Paitan Ramen and Gyoza house/ curry with veggie biryani and garlic nan at Spice Corner/ pistachio kebap and mezze at Food Palace 1981/ loaded curry veggie and spicy chicken potatoes at Pattos Hermanos/ Turkish coffee at Mu/ Turkish breakfast at Mujgan Yeldegirmeni/ avocado bowl and garlic parmesan chicken at Public House). Needless to say, there is something special for all tastes in this magnificent city. If you come to Istanbul just to eat you will be more than happy. It was the holidays so we justified our eating ourselves silly; it is impossible not to in such a culinary haven.

The night life here is equally awesome. In the center of Kadikoy are a staggering amount of bars, each offer their own vibe. Sarlo is at the top of the list, where you can get an ice cold Bomonti and listen to some local music. We came here for some celebratory New Years drinks and accidentally ordered a flight of shots; it was a great start to our festivities. I wished I had a photo of my favorite local, Merkan pub. It was a small hole in the wall with cheap beer and shots. You could order outside food if you wanted, but we always went there for the music and friendly barkeeps. There was always a diverse crowd too, which I appreciate. The young kids would play cards or board games, the older gents smoking cigarettes and sharing newspapers and conversation. It was a great neighborhood joint, we always felt welcomed despite being non-locals.

Kadikoy is an excellent choice for New Years, especially if you like to hit the streets and listen to the buskers and observers sing along. The waterfront is the best place to hang out for the countdown; there is impromptu dancing throughout the streets, kids waving sparklers on their parent’s shoulders, and street vendors selling roasted chestnuts and simit (a Turkish style bagel coated with sesame seeds). On our way back to our neighborhood we were surprised to find a block party on our street, music blasting from a mobile dj out the back of a van with an MC backing him up. The street was packed with people enjoying the festivities late night.

An absolute must when visiting Istanbul is the Grand Bazaar even if it is just to window shop. If you are looking for leather goods there are a lot of vendors that will even make you something bespoke, from handbags to jackets, belts and shoes. I enjoyed looking at all the antique stalls in the old part of the Bazaar, it is overflowing with curiosities, vintage jewelry and furniture. Since I was only browsing we didn’t stay long, the massive halls were jam packed with thousands of people even on Christmas Day, when we were visiting the European side of Istanbul.

Another must see is the Hagia Sophia, a stunning mosque (once an Eastern Rite church, Latin church and museum throughout its history). Completed in 537 AD, it was at the time the largest interior space created, also the first fully pendentive dome constructed. The Hagia Sophia changed the history of architecture, it is considered to be the epitome of Byzantine design. It is important to know beforehand that women will need to cover their hair; you can purchase an head covering at the mosque if you don’t have a scarf. I just tucked my hair into my hoodie, which seemed acceptable. All guests will remove their shoes; there are cubbies to store them during your visit, I just walked around holding mine as they were my sole pair of shoes. It is beautiful to see, but doesn’t take much time to appreciate its grand beauty.

There are a million things to do in this enormous city. Even being here a month it was impossible to even make a dent in what Istanbul has to offer. We swore we would return soon to be able to explore and experience more our next time around. I now know why it is the most visited city in the world, it is one of the greatest places I have been. The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable, the food is exquisite and thoughtfully prepared and the sights and sounds of Istanbul are mesmerizing. Goodbye for now Istanbul, we will be seeing you again soon.