Rumeli Hisarı, photo by Mike Dunphy
Speak to anyone returning from a trip to Istanbul, and you can most likely guess where they’ve been: The Blue Mosque, Galata Tower, Taksim Square, Hagia Sophia,Topkapı Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. Such sights are popular for good reason but unfortuately stay firmly on the well-trodden tourist track, often at the expense of Istanbul’s lesser-known wonders. On your next visit, make a point to step off the beaten path and visit these lesser known sights in Istanbul, many of which can be seen on a private half-day tour.
Setsütü Tea Garden
If you make your way past the tourists and young Turkish couples sneaking romantic glances under the plane trees in Gülhane Park, at the very tip lies one of the most charming tea gardens in the city. The views of the Bosphorus flowing into the Sea of Marmara are panoramic and exceptionally enjoyable over tea served in traditional double teapots. Keep one eye out to water as it’s not uncommon to catch dolphins riding the waves.
gold mosaic in the Chora Church, photo by Mike Dunphy
Chora Church
Although modestly popular with tourists, this Byzantine church only attracts a fraction of the numbers at the main sights, partly due to its location in Fatih neighborhood. Built in the 12th-century, the Chora Church is home to the city’s, if not the country’s, best gold mosaics, which cover many of the interior domes and walls alongside almost equally impressive frescoes, all of which remained covered until the church’s conversion into a museum in 1945.
Patriarchal Church of St. George
Few visitors to Istanbul know that the city is also home to the Greek Orthodox Church’s version of the Vatican. Located in the neighborhood of Fener, the Patriarchal Church of St George has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. The current neoclassical building, home to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, dates to the early 19th-century, but many of the artifacts inside are from Byzantine times, including mosaics, relics, and the ornately carved patriarchal throne inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl.
Yedikule
In Ottoman days, the last thing anyone wanted was to be sent to the “seven towers” on the outskirts of the old city. Built immediately after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 to give the city additional protection, Yedikule fortress eventually became a Tower of London-style prison, from which many did not emerge. Turned into a museum in 1895, the rather barren, but large fort remains mostly quiet apart from the odd tourists and occasional concerts in the central courtyard. From the top are nice views of the Marmara Sea and Theodosian walls.
view from Pierre Loti Cafe, photo by Mike Dunphy
Pierre Loti Cafe
Named after French novelist, naval officer, and Turkophile, the Pierre Loti Cafe offers fine views over Golden Horn from its perch on the hills of Eyüp . The the massive cemetery just below adds a degree of tranquility found few other places in Istanbul’s intense urban environment. Supposedly, it marks the spot where Loti found inspiration for his novel Aziyadé, written during his stay in 1876. While it is possible to climb the hill on foot, it’s much better to take the funicular up the steep slope and walk down.
Cihangir
Istanbul’s most Bohemian neighborhood lies just southeast of Taksim square. Home to the largest concentration of the expats, artists, and intellectuals, the Cihangir neighborhood is known for its groovy cafes, wine bars, and restaurants, as well as some beautiful apartment buildings. Always well worth a stroll.
Sade Kahve and Rumeli Hisarı
Istanbul’s best breakfast can be had at Sade Kahve just under the walls of Rumeli Hisarı fortress built in 1452 by Mehmed the Conqueror to choke the last life out of the Byzantine Empire, which fell the following year. Seats can be hard to come by on weekends, especially in good weather, when many are filled by Turkish celebrities, politicians, and business moguls. Afterwards, work off the meal by climbing the walls and tower of the fort, if only for the glorious Bosphorus views.
deliciousness at Ciya Sofrasi, photo by Mike Dunphy
Kadıköy
The Asian side’s Bohemian enclave is well worth an afternoon visit, if only for the pleasant cruise across the Bosphorus. Kadikoy is home to dozens of cute and quirky cafes, pubs, open markets, and bookshops to explore as well as fabulous restaurants like Çiya Sofrası. It’s also home to Turkey’s main train terminal, the handsome Haydarpaşa built in 1908. A bit further inland, Bağdat Street becomes Istanbul’s Rodeo Drive, lined with upscale boutiques, restaurants, and leggy shoppers.
Vefa Bozacısı
Boza is definitely not for everyone, but the thick brew of fermented wheat has been popular in Turkey for centuries. When Atatürk got a hankering, he often came to Vefa Bozacısı near the Valens Aqueduct. In fact, his drinking cup proudly displayed proudly on the wall under a glass cover.
Beylerbeyi Palace
Dolmabahçe and Topkapı palaces get the sultan’s share of attention in Istanbul, but cross the Bosphorus to Üsküdar to visit the comparatively demure Beylerbeyi Palace, opened in 1865. Once serving as a summer residence for the sultans and a guest house for foreign heads of state, the palace is now open for visitors, who come to marvel at the sumptuous rooms and halls as well as the surrounding terraced gardens, pavilions, and kiosks.
entrance to French Street, photo by Mike Dunphy
French Street
In the early 2000s, Cezayir Street, just below and behind the elite Galatasaray High School at the midpoint of Istiklal Caddesi, received a total makeover. As a tribute to the French legacy of the area, the stepped, pedestrian-only street was given a distinct Parisian flavor and renamed French Street, with cobblestones arranged by French architects, century-old gas street lamps installed, art nouveau murals painted on buildings, and more than a dozen cafes, restaurants, and pubs opened.
11 Lesser Known Sights in Istanbul from Istanbul Things to Do
