Istanbul off the beaten track

When I took part in a summer school on the topic of “scarcity” in London last autumn, there were also two very nice Turkish girls among the international participants. Since traveling is twice as much fun when you can cultivate friendships on the way and immerse yourself in other cultures thanks to the local advantage, I got in touch with the one who lives in Istanbul before my trip to Istanbul. I was pleased to find out that she lives on the Asian side and can therefore show me Istanbul totally off the beaten tourist track. Most tourists take a Bosphorus boat trip (we didn’t have time for that), but rarely set foot on the Asian side of Istanbul.

Early in the morning we headed for the ferry port Eminönü. For breakfast, like a real local, I bought the popular simit snack – a ring-shaped sesame dough made of yeast dough – from a mobile simit seller. Well, that was more of a dry affair, but it felt good.

The ferry ride took us past the historic Haydarpaşa railway station. From here, trains depart for Anatolia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Oh, how I would have loved to take a ride on one of the trains to the Far East (another time…).

At the ferry port Kadikoy our colleague was met by my colleague (we ;) forgiven her for the delay of about an hour with Turkish serenity). First, we walked along the beautiful waterfront and explored the diverse alleys of Kadikoy, of course with an obligatory tea break in the beautiful Moda Park overlooking the Marmara Sea. We noticed that it is much quieter on the Asian side – almost contemplative.

Strengthened, we drove north along the Bosphorus with an “illegal” taxi variant. Honestly, these are exactly those experiences that I would otherwise never experience as a “normal” tourist. It was exciting! The destination was the forests in the Beykoz district. If you are not afraid of the ascent to the heights, you can enjoy a great view over the Ottoman summer palaces. We didn’t meet any tourists here, only a few couples in love who were looking for the silence of nature.

Afterwards we walked back towards Üsküdar. The area is not pedestrian-friendly, no. I felt queasy a few times on the 50 cm wide pavement. Shortly after passing the old castle complex in Anadolu Hisan, we took a taxi to the next coffee stop in Kuzguncuk. Kuzguncuk exudes almost village charm and has countless old wooden houses lining the streets. The Cinaralti Cafe, which is located directly on the Bosphorus, was crowded with locals at this late hour of the afternoon and there was a great atmosphere. The exciting thing about tea gardens in general is that many Turks take their own food with them and then just order a mocha or tea and spend the afternoon socializing. We then tried the famous dumplings – Börek-Pogača – just around the corner with our coffee.

Last but not least, we marveled at the opposite European side from the Maiden’s Tower (Kiz Kulesi) in Üsküdar. Over the years, the tower has served as a lighthouse, optical telegraph, quarantine station, customs station and retirement home for sailors. Today it houses a restaurant and a viewing platform at the top. This great evening atmosphere around the tower will remain in my memory for a long time.

Here our eventful day with my dear Turkish colleague came to an end ♥ and my tip to you: Yes, visit the Asian side, you will love it just as much!

Have you ever had the opportunity to experience a place from a completely different perspective thanks to local acquaintances?