Browsing: Istanbul

Istanbul is a melting pot — Asia butting up against Europe, Byzantine symbols displayed along Muslim icons and a food lover’s mashup with diverse tastes from throughout the centuries.

The immense myriad of attractions means many visitors spend their days hoofing it from neighborhood to neighborhood, sometimes hopping on the local tram along the way, trying to see it all in just a few days. The result is often a sweaty end to the day, …

For millennia Istanbul has been recognised and admired as one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world. This unique metropolis was once the capital for three world-spanning empires: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. The hundreds of emperors and sultans that reigned over the city for more than 16 centuries have all left a legacy of valour and beautiful relics.

Istanbul, the guidebook said, is a melting pot of cultures, of hidden eateries and native food, melt-in-the-mouth pastries dripping with honey and hearty aubergine kebabs found in the city’s ancient backstreets.

As a child, foreign cuisine began and ended with spaghetti out of tins; back then ‘eating out’ entailed selecting from a slightly sticky laminated menu with pictures of food on it. Which is why, sitting in Mercan Café, a small, crowded eatery found along …