Istanbul: An Awakening of the Senses

A city as stimulating as Istanbul forces you to use all of your available senses. It is a city of constant invigoration and uses sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste to draw out your emotions, tease them, and then leave you with an experience you won’t soon forget.

Sight: Your First Awakening

By night, the city skyline is simply stunning. Lights sparkle for as far as your eyes can see and let you know that even though the sun has gone down, Istanbul is alive. This vibrancy, this raw energy is something that you will no doubt feel in the air, but the best way to realise its potential is to open up your senses and explore.

One way to appreciate Istanbul by night is from the Galata Bridge, a historically symbolic link which, in the past, bonded the two distinctive cultures inhabiting the districts to the north and to the south of the Golden Horn waterway. From this night-time vantage point your eyes can drink in the beauty of the glowing minarets rising above the Ottoman imperial Süleymaniye Mosque. This mosque, built in 1558 with blended Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements, dominates the hillside view of the historical district of the city.

Commanding attention as it towers above a sea of lights on the opposite bank of the Golden Horn is the medieval stone Galata Tower. Constructed from wood in 507, it functioned as a lighthouse tower, but was rebuilt by the Genoese in 1348 using stone and was called the Tower Of Christ. In the centuries that followed it was used as a dungeon, a fire tower, and a sign tower. It is topped with a distinctive conical dome, and day or night, the observation deck on the Galata Tower offers unparalleled panoramic views of Istanbul.

While Istanbul is certainly breath-taking by night, your sense of sight will not be disappointed by day. The Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque is beautiful when bathed in morning sunlight, and the thousands of intricate İznik tiles which adorn the inside walls give the Blue Mosque its name.

A return to the Galata Bridge during the day will allow you the opportunity to observe all ages of amateur fisherman casting their lines off the bridge and into the blue waters below. Hundreds of fishing rods are propped against the railing and these men are an oasis of calm in the middle of a bustling city; relaxing on low-slung chairs, napping, smoking, and all the while waiting for a nibble at the end of their line.

Sound: The Auditory Delights of Istanbul

The call to prayer, adhen, is recited in Arabic and resonates through the air five times per day. The timing of the prayers is calculated according to the movement of the sun and changes with the seasons depending where one is in the world. In Istanbul, the clarity, tone, and religious significance of the adhen envelops you as it echoes through the streets of the historical district, calling the faithful to worship.

The ritual of drinking tea, çay as it’s called in Turkish, is also music to one’s ears. The sugar cube offers a muted plop as it’s dropped into the tulip-shaped glass, the spoon clinks as you swirl the piping hot liquid to dissolve the sugar, and you sip gently, yet audibly, as the çay passes from the glass through your lips.

Smell: From Roasted Chestnuts to Freshly Ground Coffee

Carts selling roasted chestnuts are dotted throughout the city. They are located on almost every corner and give off a smoky, pungent aroma. Smiling street vendors use tongs to turns the chestnuts over the hot coals and old-fashioned balance scales to weigh paper bags full of their wares. Slightly burned fingertips are a small price to pay for peeling off the shells and enjoying this delicious street food while it’s still piping hot.

Your sense of smell will surely lead you through the delicately perfumed Spice Bazaar and its array of dried spices, teas, and Turkish confectionaries, but if you follow your nose outside of the bazaar and around the corner, you will find Mehmet Efendi (Tahmis Sokak 66). It is the oldest coffee roasting company in Istanbul, in operation at the same location since 1871, and fills the entire street with the rich aroma of freshly roasted beans. The line to purchase Mehmet Efendi coffee is often long, but it moves briskly, and the prize for your patience is a package of freshly roasted, ground, and still warm coffee. All you need is a cezve and you can make your own Turkish coffee at home.

Touch: Let Your Fingers Tell the Story

Textiles spill from the stalls which line the labyrinthine streets of the Grand Bazaar, colourful and inviting to the touch. In the Spice Bazaar your fingers will soon become sticky from sampling the many sweets available. Burma kadayif, a confectionary made from golden strands of shredded wheat wrapped around chopped pistachios will leave thin threads of syrup stretching from your lips to your fingertips.

The best times can often be had doing nothing but relaxing and enjoying the warm afternoon sun as it caresses your face. In Üsküdar, on the Asian side of Istanbul, there is a café along the Bosphorus that was made for just that. Located somewhere between the Şemsi Paşa Mosque and where the Maiden’s Tower stands in the Bosphorus, it may not even have a name, but there is no better place in the city to pass a sunny afternoon. Low benches are built into the banks of the river, strewn with rough cushions, and covered with the tangled limbs of the city’s sun seekers, sipping çay and Turkish coffee.

Taste: The Cherry on Top of Istanbul

And what would Istanbul be without taste? Start your day with bal-kaymak for breakfast and savour the fragrant, flavourful honey soaked up with soft Turkish bread. Refresh yourself with freshly pressed pomegranate juice as you wander the small, twisting streets, and when that is finished, try an orange juice too.

Lahmacun make a perfect lunch; an oven-fired crust topped with a delicately spiced meat spread and a handful of crisp, fresh lettuce will fortify you for an afternoon of sightseeing. For dinner, your choices are endless. Kebab is not just one dish, but an array of meat-based dishes in Turkish cuisine, and includes not only grilled and skewered meats, but also stews and casseroles. Vegetarians are also well-cared for with a wide selection of meze, salads, and main-course vegetable dishes.

Everyone uses their senses in a different way which ensures that each experience in Istanbul will be wonderfully unique.

  Coffee, Food, Travel, Turkey