Spending Christmas in Istanbul

Istanbul is likely not the first place that comes to your mind when you think about where to spend Christmas. Yet, against all odds, this megapolis gave me and my family everything that Christmas is all about: warmth, kindness, love and of course - great food!

Nurusosmaniye Mosque as seen from Galata Bridge

Quicklinks:

Where to stay? How to move around the city?
City walks in Istanbul
History and Spirituality
Authentic Turkish Cuisine

If you’re wondering whether spending the winter holidays in Istanbul is a good idea, let me answer what you all might be asking:

Why would you spend Christmas in Istanbul?

Istanbul is a cosmopolitan city, home to over 15 million people. It’s the largest and most visited city in Turkey and it’s also home of a huge Orthodox Christian community, mainly from Greek origin. There are plenty of Churches together with the Mosques in the city - all standing side by side. That means nothing is missing if you want to celebrate Christmas in a traditional way.

In fact, I was surprised to see that all the big shopping streets in Karaköy and Eminönü were full of Christmas decorations. Even more, as soon as people learned that we come from Bulgaria, they wished us “Merry Christmas” and we received extra kindness for being “komshu” i.e. neighbours. We really enjoyed being in a country where Christmas is not commercialized and does not evolve around overconsumption. December is also the low tourist season in Istanbul, which means more space and freedom to enjoy the city for yourself. In short, there is nothing missing to celebrate the holidays peacefully and discover the city at the same time.

Where to stay? How to move around the city?

We stayed at an AirBnb near Galata Tower and I think this is the best location to stay at because of its proximity to the two other peninsulas in the city. From Galata Tower, you can easily walk to Karaköy Ferry Terminal which takes you to the Asian side of the city. Another memorable morning walk is Galata Tower - Galata Bridge - Mısır Çarşısı (a.k.a. Spice Bazaar). This is basically a walk from Karaköy to Eminönü, the southern peninsula of the city. For everything else, we bought an Istanbulkart which is cheap, rechargeable and valid for all public transports: buses, trams and ferries. You can buy the Istanbulkart from every machine public transport stops across the city.

Treasures of Istanbul

OK, Istanbul is a city for which you’ll find a ton of travel advice and city guides. Instead of repeating everything already available, here’s a list of my favourite treasures of the city.

Have a walk

Istanbul is the only city in the world which is based on 2 continents and 3 peninsula at the same time. This makes it a unique city to explore with endless possibilities for memorable walks. My top city walk locations are listed below:

Gülhane Parkı - This is relatively small park, but it’s in close proximity to the main historic landmarks in the very heart of the city. In December, the park was very quiet, with little people around to disturb your peace.

Balat & Balat parkı - Balat is, without question, the most Instagrammable place in Istanbul. It’s colourful, lively, full of hip cafes, clothing and jewellery shops. It is worth noting that outside the touristic part of Balat, you will actually find very poor neighbourhoods. The Bulgarian church St. Stephan is nearby, Cooklife Café is there for all artisanal coffee lovers, and Tekfur Sarayı Müzesi (Palace of the Porphyrogenitus) offers great views. For those of you who want to see Galata Tower from a different perspective, take a walk in Balat parki in the direction of Eminönü.

Kadıköy Moda Coast Parki - This is a little known park in Kadıköy with picturesque views of the Marmara Sea. Just before entering the park, you’ll find the charming neighbourhood called Moda which is a delight to walk around. If you crave a Western style coffee, go to Montag Moda espresso bar. For traditional Turkish coffee lovers, try Fazil Bey's Turkish Coffee - roasted and blended locally.

Galata Bridge - This is an iconic walk to make while in Istanbul. Whether you go early in the morning or during the sunset, fishermen will be present and joking around while throwing their fishing rods. It’s almost like they are an inseparable part of the bridge, bringing life to it.

Wherever you turn around, you’ll see tons of cats on the streets of Istanbul. Cats are practically everyone’s pet and lots of them are really really cuddly.

History and Spirituality

Centuries of history lives on the streets of Istanbul. I’m sure you’ll enjoy visiting all the monumental mosques and landmarks in the city: Galata Tower, The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Nuruosmaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace Museum… the list goes on and on… you know where to find information about all the popular tourist attractions ☺️

Now… I wanted to take the time to explain about the whirling Dervish, a Sufi ceremony many people want to attend to take that famous flowy shot of the white whirling robe of the performers. I recommend you to read about the teachings of the Sufi poet Rumi and understand the symbolism behind the Dervish dance. We went with Les Arts Turcs to a Sufi gathering where we learned about and witnessed the ceremony. This was a ceremony with religious readings and food offerings from the people who visit the Sufi center regularly. This was not a tourist entertainment show. If you want to take a picture, make sure to ask for permission in advance. Always be respectful of other people’s beliefs.

Authentic Turkish Cuisine

Let’s get to the point we all love about the holidays… food!

Breakfast

The classic Turkish breakfast is börek. It’s a crispy, salty pastry, traditionally full of cheese. You can also find börek with potatoes and meat which people have for lunch. If there’s a place that will make you lick your fingers and want to come back, it’s at İbrahİm Hakki Uğrak Börek. It’s a tiny shop with the best börek and the best master baker - uncle Ibrahim. Strong black tea is served along with the börek. We went there 4 times, no joke. Ibrahim was always super kind and seemed genuinely happy that we kept coming back to enjoy his börek.

Pickled veggies, dürüm kebabs & seafood

Yes, these not-so-sexy sounding foods are actually super common in Turkey. As a Bulgarian, I’m used to lots of crazy pickled foods, but this might be a trip in itself for those not used to the fermented tastes.

My favorite place to go shopping for pickled veggies and cheese is Mısır Çarşısı, or The Spice Bazaar. As its name suggests, you’ll also find plenty of spices here. The hustle and bustle around the Spice Bazaar can get so big that they stretch to the other iconic market in Istanbul, The Grand Bazaar. You’ll find the best dürüm kebabs and falafels all in the middle of the tiny winding streets of what seems an infinite market.

For a true authentic picked veggies experience, I recommend visiting the speciality shop Arıoğulları Petek Turşuları. You can even have pickle juice there. I personally love it, but yeah, I get that it sounds weird for some of you. In case it matters, pickle juice is great for your gut 😅

Moving on, many of you will want to visit the Kız Kules (Maiden's Tower), but did you know about Uskudar Fishermen's Market just nearby? Unsurprisingly, you can find plenty of seafood here. This is a market treasure for locals only. I didn’t see a single tourist there. I also found the best and cheapest Turkish ayran I’ve had in this market.

Desserts

Baklava is without question the queen of Turkish desserts. It has ∞ calories per piece… don’t even attempt to count, just enjoy getting fat in the most wicked way 😉 Another dessert to try is Künefe - thin semolina noodles soaked with syrup, layered with cheese, topped with pistachios and served hot… Yup. It’s the bomb, trust me! Alongside with baklava, Turkish delights are sold practically everywhere. All in all, top 3 favorite places for a sugar overdose in Istanbul are:

Hafiz Mustafa - His moustache says it all… I feel guilty to even count the amount of sweets we had from there… everything was simply DELISH.
Karaköy Güllüoğlu - This baklava taste is as authentic as it gets. There is only 1 shop in all Istanbul, located near Galata Tower. The baklava here has a rich buttery taste and is a favourite of many locals.
Koska - I’m not sure what is better here: the baklava, the halwa or the Turkish delights??? Whatever you seek, you shall find it in this candy shop!

While we’re at the topic of sweets, try also two of Turkey’s traditional drinks: Boza & Salep. Both are sweet, rich and creamy and the best place to try them is at Şekerci Cafer Erol in Eminönü.

And on that sweet note… here’s a few more photos of this magical city. I loved every part of Istanbul, mainly because of the playful jokes of Turkish people. Wherever we went, as Bulgarians, people were extremely welcoming and kind with us. Ah, man, Istanbul was a trip to remember! Güle, güle, till next time, my dear komshu!