20 Unique Experiences YOU CAN'T MISS in Istanbul! 🇹🇷

If you only have a day or two to see Istanbul, chances are you'll hit the classics. The top 10 I'll call them postcard activities. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, a stroll down Istiklal Cadesi Street all the way down to Taksim Square, climb Galata Tower maybe, though once is enough at $35 a pop, get lost in the Grand Bazaar, grab yourself one too many samples in the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, visit the stunning Topkapi Palace, go underground to explore the 336 columns of Basilica Cistern, and of course, indulge in the food. You'll knock most of these out in Sultanahmet, the core tourist area of the Fatih District, as well as in Biyolyu, the more modern center of Istanbul on the European side. And sure, they're iconic, they're beautiful, but they're also crowded, catered mostly to tourists, and in many ways exactly what you'd expect. But if you can stick around a little longer, and I recommend at least a week, the city really starts to crack open. You start seeing Istanbul, not just visiting it. And even if you're here for a short time, there are so many lesser known activities and more authentic experiences that you can do that locals also love doing. So here's my list of the top 20 things you should do to get a more well-rounded experience of the real Istanbul that most tourists overlook. And if you're looking for a comprehensive map highlighting our favorite food, coffee, and activities you can't miss, we'll have that linked below. Take the ferry just to take the ferry. Besides the food, Istanbul's ferry system is our favorite thing about this city. For about one US dollar, you can take a ferry to get to many of the different Istanbul neighborhoods and districts. The views are outrageous, we would sometimes just get on the ferry for the experience itself, and many locals do the same. There are three major ferry operators in the city. The municipally owned Şehir Harları, which translates to city lines, which operates traditional vapors, the privately operated İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri, which translates to Istanbul sea buses, which operates high speed urban and inner city services, and the privately owned Turiyel, which operates mostly urban services. Taking a ferry between continents, especially in the early mornings or late evenings during sunset, is magical and the city glows at golden hour. Visit ferry terminal library cafes. Another interesting thing locals did that we loved was hang out at one of the many different ferry terminal libraries and cafes. Yes, can you believe it? Their ferry terminals have their own subsidized library and cafe with reasonable prices and incredible views right on the waterfront. Something we never knew about but were stoked when we discovered it. Everyone knows how hilly Istanbul can be, especially the Biyoliu district on the European side. But what not everyone knows is that there's an epic shortcut that skips the big hill and takes you straight to Istiklal Street. All right we are heading now to take the Tunel, which is the second oldest underground railway in the world. It's basically a 90 second ride on this funicular that'll take you from the bottom of Karaköy all the way to Istiklal Street in Biyoliu. So it's kind of like a shortcut to save you from that ginormous hill, which is honestly so clutch because on a day like today I would be drenched by the time I would get to Istiklal. And it's very affordable so it's a great way to save yourself that hill. Even exiting a steep hill. Yeah, this got us to the Istiklal-Caddesi Street. Galata Tower is only like 400 meters away. Explore the best coffee shops and antique stores in Cihangir. Cihangir is probably the coolest sub-neighborhood in the Biyoliu district. It's known for its cafes, antique stores, bohemian laid-back culture, and abundance of street cats. The only downside of this area is its hilly AF. The streets are steep. Olivia's struggling dude. Don't listen. He's already a workout. This baby's like 17 pounds. So yeah when you add hills it's a lot. To get to the heart of it I recommend typing in Birol Antique in google maps to get you there. Maybe pop into Juma to try Jalbir, a popular breakfast dish that's delicious. But honestly there are so many good spots to eat and drink you can't go wrong. And like I said, when it comes to great coffee shops Cihangir has them everywhere. Here's a list of our personal favorites. Visit the Kuzguncuk neighborhood in Üsküdar. Kuzguncuk, nestled in the Üsküdar district on the Asian side, is a picturesque cobblestone neighborhood blending history, culture, and tranquility. It has a very mellow village-like neighborhood-y vibe. We stopped several times to grab some truly outstanding coffee and had what we thought was the best mantı in the whole city, made by a very sweet older woman. Walk along their main street, İcadiye street, and you'll find many artisan bakeries, cozy cafes, antique shops, and unique stores capturing that old world vibe. I also recommend taking a stroll along the Üsküdar coast walkway, especially during golden hour, where you can enjoy views of the Galata tower across the water and get an up-close look of Maiden's Tower. Walk along the shore of Bebek. Bebek is an elegant, upscale neighborhood on the European shore of the Bosphorus in Istanbul's Beşiktaş district. Known as Boğazın Göz Bebeği, the apple of the Bosphorus's eye, it has long been one of the city's most prestigious residential areas dating back to Ottoman times. This area has great coffee shops and restaurants, but what I like most about it is its coastal walk right along the waterfront. This is hands down one of the best running routes in the city. You can literally run all the way from Ortaköy Mosque to Bebek Park. And if you want to take a dip in the Bosphorus, this area in front of Bebek Park is literally the best place near the city center that's safe and protected from boats. From there, you can also walk south to a very charming area called Arnavutköy, which translates to or even head north to explore one of the many fortresses. They're absolutely stunning and another reminder of Istanbul's long history. Do a street food tour on the Asian side. A street food safari with a guide is a must here in Istanbul, but I particularly recommend doing one on the Asian side in Keziköy. Having a local show you around can definitely give you valuable insider information that you wouldn't otherwise know and also give you a good foundation to base yourself off of to explore on your own. Some top foods I 100% recommend you try are midye dolma. They're classic stuffed mussels that come either regular or spicy and somehow taste even better when they feed it to you. Tantuni dürüm, stir-fried lamb, beef, or chicken served in these long skinny snorkel-shaped wraps. Lahmacun, one of our favorites. A delicious flatbread topped with minced meat, vegetables, and herbs. Pide looks like a boat-shaped pizza made with wheat-based dough and topped with cheese, tomatoes, and the meat of your choosing. Mantı, this is a type of dumpling found a lot in Turkish cuisine typically coated with a yogurt garlic sauce. So so good. Tursu, Turks know how to mix an acid into their meals. These pickled vegetables are often offered alongside dishes. The famous and very strong Turkish coffee served with finely ground coffee beans still in it that settle to the bottom. Do not consume that part. And of course try baklava and so many of their other desserts. And if you're more independent and want to go at it solo, consider doing a self-guided route which I will be also making a video on in the weeks to come. On a side note, for those looking for great shopping in Istanbul, Kadıköy in my opinion has the best shopping and the best prices in the city. And fun fact, Zara and H&M actually make a lot of their clothes here in Turkey. Have a rakı and meze night at a meyhane. Istanbul is synonymous with meyhane. A traditional local drink house that's the go-to spot to drink alcohol with meze. This is a must-do local experience. Long dinners with various small plates, sampler style, Turkish music and the national spirit rakı. It doesn't get any better than that. You can either go to a more traditional meze bar or more modern new wave meyhane. Most tourists commonly go to rooftop bars in Sultanahmet. Locals go to meyhanes. And don't forget to dilute your rakı to your preferred level. Have a Turkish breakfast experience aka the sultan special with locals. If you want to know what it feels like to eat like a sultan and experience all the gluttony and hedonism that comes with it, have an abundant Turkish breakfast called kavaltı with some locals and have them lead the way. I recommend going to either the charming Cihangir neighborhood that I just mentioned or go to the main breakfast streets in Beşiktaş. Finish it off with a nice cup of Turkish coffee or çay. Get lost in Balat and Fener's colorful streets. One morning we chose to take the ferry from Kadıköy to Fener. The journey took us about a half an hour and the views as always were incredible from the ferry. As you get to go a bit deeper into the Golden Horn and go under Galata Bridge as well as under Atatürk Bridge, it was nice to be able to get that unique macro view of Fener and Balat from the water before actually getting to visit it on foot. Known as the Jewish and Greek quarters of Istanbul, these neighborhoods give you a true window into Istanbul's layered past from Byzantine to Jewish to Greek and Ottoman. Here you'll find lively cobbled streets, rainbow-colored Ottoman houses, probably what it's best known for, charming coffee shops, lots of vintage stores, antique stores, and small tastefully curated boutiques. We sat down to enjoy the AC at a really good independent coffee shop called Coffee Department. This area of the city deserves at the very least its own afternoon to explore. We did notice as soon as we arrived that there were a lot of tour groups that come here. It can feel a bit Instagram-y. Stuff like this feels a bit tourist-trappy to me but the neighborhood itself and its buildings are very charming and you can just explore it at your own pace and skip stuff like this. But it for sure has a good selection of restaurants and coffee shops to choose from. Here's where we stopped for lunch. Teşekkür ederim. Perfect, thank you. Just sat down at the spot called Köfte Budur. They specialize in meatballs. It came with all these toppings. You got some spicy onions, eggplant, tomatoes, grilled green peppers. Olivia went with the köfte meatball wrap. Came with some of this flatbread that looks amazing and then on the side I also ordered an içli köfte. Oh my god, look at the meat in there. Real spicy, ground beef, onions, perfectly crispy on the outside, oily, rich, delicious. Get a full service traditional Turkish barber experience. The most insane barber experience I've ever had was in Istanbul. It was a roller coaster of surprises. The actual haircut and shave took all of about 15 minutes but what followed after was the real treat. Facial steam, exfoliation, ultrasonic, microdermabrasion, nose wax, flame ear hair removal, yeah that was a bit of a shocker, face and hair masks, some kind of spray, some kind of aftershave, some shampoo action, head massage, face massage, neck massage, more head rubbing, that claw head massage tool that makes your toes curl, and the guy even gave me a back massage to finish it all off. I walked out feeling like I'd been reborn. Only in Istanbul, only at a Turkish barber. For the full experience ask for a komple bakım which means complete care which will include cut, shave, wash, and aftercare. Play or watch a traditional game in a local kahvehane or cafe. A kahvehane directly translates to coffee shop but is essentially a place where older people go to play board games for hours and drink Turkish tea. The younger generation usually just plays games at regular cafes but this is one thing that immediately stood out to me and I just loved observing. So many people would play games with each other, no phones, just actual real connection. The two most popular games we saw being played were tavla which is baggammon and the tile based game called okey which is part of the rummy family. If you're bold enough maybe ask a local to teach you one of the local games so you can join in. I chickened out but I wish I had. Here are a few bonus recommendations I'll rapid fire through lightning round style. Have a traditional tea garden experience. Çay is everything to Istanbulites and such a big part of everyday life. They seriously drink so many every day. That's why I recommend you visit a traditional tea garden like Moda Aile Çay Bahçesi for a very local way to enjoy çay sitting in white plastic chairs while sipping tea and looking out at the sea of Marmara. You've got accordion players and some meat sellers nearby. It's a vibe. Got my sea meat? Book a weekday morning slot in a hamam for the most tranquil experience. When visiting Istanbul I recommend you go to at least one hamam. This one was great but probably not the most authentic but it was the only one that allowed us to film. Don't forget to also check out the Arasta Bazaar right behind the Blue Mosque. We have made it to Arasta Bazaar. It has a lot less people than the Grand Bazaar or Spice Bazaar and the offering is overall better in my opinion. I recommend going to Jennifer's Collection for the best selection of towels, blankets, and robes. And when you go to the Grand Bazaar, instead of sticking to the main corridors, ask shopkeepers or follow side alleys to discover some of the hidden courtyards. Type Zinzirli Han in Google Maps to get directions to one of our favorites. Some have Don't forget to visit the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, the Dolmabahce Palace, and the Ortaköy Mosque. Walk up to Çamlıca Hill for a great viewpoint of the city. If you have more time, check out one of the Prince's Islands. Burgazada is the biggest one and swimming friendly but can get busy. Kinalyada has narrow pebbled beaches lined with white wooden houses. And Hebelyada is the second biggest island and the one I was recommended the most by locals. If you do want to visit the underground Basilica Cistern, consider visiting it at night doing what's called the night shift experience for a surreal ambience with fewer crowds. The place takes on a haunting magical feel after dark with lighting and music. I also recommend doing a quick vintage tram ride down Istiklal Caddesi Street but I especially recommend doing it also at night. Rolling through the glowing chaos of Istiklal Street on the old nostalgic red tram is an iconic experience. And lastly, one of my personal favorite free things to do is to just hang out with the fishermen on Galata Bridge while soaking in the stunning views. We did this when we were there in winter and really enjoyed it. I hope this video was helpful and gave you some unique ideas of things to do in Istanbul. I will be linking our full map below with every single food spot and coffee shop we recommend. Istanbul is truly an incredible city that I hope everyone gets a chance to visit at some point in their lives. And if you want to support our channel, please subscribe and like this video to boost that algorithm.