Istanbul is magical – in a long weekend you can only begin to scratch its surface. The Hagia Sophia is dwarfing and breathtaking, the Cisterna Basilica a magical grotto of reflections, and the Grand Bazaar a double espresso for the senses.
First Visit and Return
In 2018, the author visited Istanbul for the first time with a Turkish friend who had spent endless time there. They landed late and vividly remember weaving through the streets in a taxi, with all the lights and hills of the city glowing a deep orange. Nearly a decade later, they went back for another chance to soak up this alluring city.
Soho House Istanbul
For staying in the heart of the European side of the city, Soho House Istanbul is highly recommended. A stranger on the plane deemed it “the most beautiful” of the collection, and he was right. The hotel has transformed the old American embassy in the heart of the Beyoğlu district, and each room comes with a stunning hand-painted traditional Turkish tea set, which the author spent the next four days hunting for around Istanbul – to no avail.
On arrival, the author took the best post-flight shower in the gorgeous turquoise-and-black-tiled bathroom, using all six different Cowshed shower gels and body scrubs. Instead of heading out at 10pm to a dimly-lit cocktail spot like Tavern, they donned a towel robe and settled in for very reasonably priced room service: a delicious falafel pitta with zesty mint yogurt, pickles and skinny fries – all for the equivalent of under £20.
After a heavenly night’s sleep, the author and her sister headed downstairs to breakfast. Sitting outside in Soho House’s dappled courtyard garden was incredible. They started with a hot black coffee, followed by fruit salad and a Turkish breakfast plate: two boiled eggs, tomatoes, chilli, parsley, cheese, butter, honey, olives and feta, wolfed down with brown toast and a green juice.
Exploring Çukurcuma
About 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel is the favourite area of the city, Çukurcuma. Once out of the busy streets near the Galata tower – stopping to drool over everything in stock at Vitruta Pera – visitors emerge into winding walkways packed with vintage clothes shops, furniture emporia, bookshops, and even a whole store, Caretta Vintage, dedicated to vintage sunglasses.
Grazing around, the author stumbled across the magical antiques and jewellery shop Marto (no website; Kuloğlu, Ağa Hamamı Sk. 33/A, 34443 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye). The man who runs it makes the jewellery by hand from brass, with striking designs from carved chakras to golden fish. Both the author and her sister bought a pendant from him for under £40.
There are also a host of antiques shops selling hand-painted crockery, and a whimsical second-hand bookshop called Salpa Sahaf, which looks as though it could have been transplanted from a different century. For a caffeine boost, try Faw Coffee, a gorgeous sun-drenched spot on the steepest road where you can people-watch the neighbourhood.
Four Seasons Istanbul at The Bosphorus
Alternatively, visitors can stretch their wings and try a slower existence on the edge of the Bosphorus. In 2018, the author came for breakfast at Ciragan Palace Kempinski, a former Ottoman palace that from the outside looks like lace. This time, she and her sister opted for its storied next-door neighbour, Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at The Bosphorus. There are two Four Seasons in Istanbul, the other in a former prison, but on this occasion they wanted to take in the boats sailing between the Asian and European shores.
Their room overlooked the waters, with huge decorated ceilings and a bed nearly the size of the author's London flat. They were marvelling at the view when the doorbell rang and they were delivered a handmade easel and a painting of Istanbul – all made out of chocolate. The bathroom was stocked with Diptyque products, making every bath an exciting prospect.
One of the highlights was the traditional Hammam experience, which the author recommends anyone visiting the city to try. They started off lying on warmed marble slabs covered in linen sheets, and bowls of warm water were thrown over them. Next, they were exfoliated head to toe with just a glove before being massaged with clouds of bubbles formed inside what looked like pillowcases. Finally, they had their hair washed before a cool shower from more bowls of water. The author has never felt cleaner or calmer.
For dinner that evening, they ate on the water at Aqua. They watched the sky turn pale pink then deep orange as they ate just metres from the bobbing boats. They tried sea bream ceviche, alongside rich tuna carpaccio with a sweet umami red pepper sauce. Next were homemade sushi rolls, grilled sardines on a bed of sweet vinaigrette, pine nuts and herbs, and homemade tagliolini pasta with crab, washed down with a bottle of Turkish rosé that was sweet and light, but with slight acidic depth.
There are endless versions of Istanbul and on any visit you can witness just a tiny fraction. On the way back to the airport, the whole trip felt as if it had been a dream, and they made a pact that they must return.
