Stage of the negotiations of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Istanbul (Turkey) has registered a drop in the number of tourists from these regions and, at the same time, sought to attract more visitors from other countries, combining contemporary culture with ancient traditions.
With one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, the ancient capital of Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire has the advantage of bringing together numerous monuments on its historic peninsula within walking distance of each other. It is a legendary city, but at the same time with the air, size and behavior of a capital, even without being.
Since last year, Istanbul has been undergoing a series of renovations that have brought new life to the art scene. One example is the reopening of the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), a large complex that brings together theaters, a museum, galleries, music halls, cinema and a library.
The main highlight is the Opera Hall, a giant sphere covered with 15,000 pieces of red ceramic that houses a concert hall with a capacity for more than 2,000 people. Created as a tribute to the ceramics of the former AKM building, the tiles were handcrafted by a women’s association.
The work is part of a larger project of the Ministry of Culture, which wants to create a “Culture Route” in the district of Beyoğlu. Also last year, Galataport entered the scene, a cruise port that has shops, restaurants, bars and a walking area along the Bosphorus Strait.
A week in Istanbul is desirable to see the main attractions, according to local guides, but in my case, it was only two working days. And, believe me, with a certain organization, it is possible to visit the iconic places of the city.
Starting with the area that houses the urban archaeological site of Sultanahmet, where the Hagia Sophia is, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. If you are a woman, remember to have a scarf in your bag to cover your head whenever you enter one of the 3,000 mosques that exist in Istanbul.
Built in the 6th century, it functioned as a church for 916 years. It then served as a mosque for nearly 500 years and then as a museum for 86 years. In July 2020, a Turkish court decision authorized the use again as a mosque. The monument remains open to national and foreign visitors.
This month, for the first time in 88 years, prayers for the period of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, were held there again, after a two-year delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Blue Mosque is very close to Santa Sophia. It’s under construction, but it’s worth going inside to admire the blue hue that comes from the thousands of tiles in geometric and floral designs that decorate the walls.
The Hippodrome is also a few meters away. Built under the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Septimus Severus, it functioned mainly as a sports center, where chariot races and circuses served as entertainment.
In the Ottoman period, the arena site became a public square and today it houses several monuments, such as the Egyptian obelisk and the serpentine column in the form of three intertwined bronze serpents.
A ten-minute walk takes you to the Bazar das Especiarias, one of the best places in town to buy typical products, such as spices, herbs for teas, dried fruits, nuts and sweets.
As with any shopping place in Turkey, it’s all about haggling. Without any skills for it, this reporter asked the guide for help and got a 50% discount on a tea set.
In the afternoon, one option is a boat trip across the Bosphorus Strait. But if the idea is to continue shopping, the Grand Bazaar is less than 1 km away. Opened in 1461, it has more than 4,000 stores, spread over 60 corridors.
Another recommended route is from Taksim square, where the famous İstiklal street is located, which is 2 km long. The site houses neoclassical arcades with a variety of shops, restaurants, patisseries and pubs.
Still on İstiklal street, the largest Roman Catholic church in Istanbul, St. Antoine. The original building was built in 1725 and its successor, the current design, between 1906-1912, in the Venetian Gothic Revival style. The church is run by Italian priests.
A short walk takes you to the Galata Tower, built in 1348 by the Genoese. It was the tallest structure in the city for centuries. Today, it offers an impressive 360 degree view of Istanbul.
Take an afternoon to visit Topkapi Palace, which was the Ottoman imperial home for nearly four centuries. Transformed into a museum in 1924, the site features a series of pavilions, immense courtyards, as well as a harem and an imperial treasury.
In the same complex is the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. There you will find rarities such as the world’s first love poem and the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great.
At the end of the day, try watching a Sufi dance performance by the Whirling Dervishes. Known as Sema, it is one of the most popular ceremonies in Turkey.
No balloon in Cappadocia, invest in the caves and carpet and pottery workshops
Balloon rides, which cost between 130 and 150 euros, are considered the postcard of Cappadocia, a region located about 700 km from Istanbul. But be prepared: up to 120 days a year flights can be canceled due to weather conditions, especially strong winds.
Therefore, the guides recommend that tourists book at least five days in the region if they do not want to leave without living this experience. If that’s not possible, which was my case, invest in the countless other attractions that this lunar-looking territory, which has already served as the setting for the George Lucas movie “Star Wars”, can offer.
Mushroom-like rock formations known as “fairy chimneys” are everywhere. The caves excavated in the rocks formed from volcanic lava house houses, churches, some with very well preserved Byzantine frescoes. Under the ground, there are entire cities hidden.
One of the main attractions is the open-air museum in Göreme, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. The region is home to a huge number of rock-cut churches and chapels, dating from the 9th to 12th centuries. The Dark Chapel (Karanlık) is one of them.
The lack of light meant that the site kept its biblical frescoes in excellent condition. In the chapel of Santa Catarina, there is a representation of Saint George, who would have been born in the region in 280 AD, fighting with what appears to be a gigantic serpent — not a dragon.
Uçhisar Castle is the tallest and largest “fairy chimney” in Cappadocia. There, the Romans built houses, warehouses, cisterns and tombs. Paşabağı is another must-see.
In one of the three-headed chimneys, there is a chapel dedicated to Saint Simeon and a shelter for hermits. They excavated the rock from top to bottom, creating rooms 10 to 15 meters high. They slept on beds made of stone and were fed by the locals from buckets lowered on ropes.
Located south of Nevşehir, Kaymaklı Underground City dates back to 3000 BC and is considered the largest underground city in Cappadocia.
It features a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms carved eight levels deep into the earth, but only four of them can be visited at the moment. These giant holes were inhabited by religious minorities who used them as a hiding place in times of persecution.
The Christians, for example, lived outside these caves and only went underground when they were attacked by the Romans. They had several compartments for storing food. As a result, refugees were able to stay autonomous for up to six months without leaving the cave.
Even animals were raised there. In Kaymaklı, the first floor was used as a stable, while the other levels include living quarters, a church and even graves.
If you have time, include a pottery workshop in Avanos in your itinerary. There it is possible to learn the art of molding clay and making handmade pieces, which are then colored in earthy tones and turquoise.
In the carpet workshops, also in Avanos, the classes teach everything from how to extract the thread from the silkworm cocoon, to dyeing, choosing the designs and weaving thread by thread.
There are products for all tastes and pockets, with rugs made with cotton, wool and silk threads. Some take up to two years to complete and can cost tens of thousands of euros.
Before you start exploring the region, pay attention to some important tips:
- Always have a bottle of water and lip balm handy. Between April and October, the heat is intense and the weather is very dry.
- Stretch enough. To enter the caves and discover the valleys, it is necessary to go up, down, climb, lower and walk a lot.
- Carry a flashlight. Some excavated churches have frescoes hidden in dark corners.
- If you prefer to avoid travel agencies, it’s easy to do it yourself, as long as you have a car. The roads are well signposted, the attractions have audio guides and they are concentrated in a relatively small area.
