One Year Later: Our Istanbul Food Adventure Begins!
It’s hard to believe a whole year has passed since this incredible trip, but today, the travel bug bit me again! I felt a sudden burst of motivation to finally dive back into writing my travel stories, and where better to start than the vibrant, unforgettable city of Istanbul?
Day 1: From Bangalore to Fatih and the Lahmacun Love Affair
Our journey started with a hop from Bangalore to Mumbai, where we got our first amazing stroke of luck: a surprise shift to a Turkish Airlines flight! While our friends joining from Mumbai had to stick to the Indigo flight, my husband and I were thrilled to enjoy the international flight experience right off the bat. The trip itself was mostly a blur of sleep and plane food (which was as disappointing as expected in economy class, let’s be honest!).
Seven hours later, we landed in Istanbul. After connecting our e-SIM and meeting our pre-booked logistics team, we headed to the Fatih area and checked into our hotel, Okda Hotel. It was perfectly located, putting us within walking distance of many eateries—the true priority for this trip.
A quick note that surprised us coming from India: Turkey doesn’t offer drinking water freely! Between the hotel, restaurants, and general walking, I felt constantly dehydrated and couldn’t believe how much we had to pay for simple water.
This trip was less about tourist checklists and more about a food pilgrimage ( atleast for me and my husband) . Our pattern was simple: stroll past the famous spots, find something delicious to eat, and relax under a tree. Our first food find was a charming local bakery in Fatih making fresh Lahmacun (often called Turkish pizza!). We couldn’t resist and ordered two kinds—the perfect, crispy start to our eating adventure.
Beyond the food, the city’s charming street cats immediately captured my heart. I decided to launch my daily ‘Cat Countdown‘ on Instagram stories right then and there! To end our first day, we kept it chill, figuring out our itinerary over a few beers at a fun, lively spot in Kumkapi where we had musicians sing to us some famous SRK Bollywood songs.
Day 2: Spectacular Views, Tricky Ice Cream, and the Mighty Kumpir
Day two began with a stunning surprise. We picked a random place for a quick breakfast near the Blue Mosque, which turned out to be the Lady Diana Hotel. Their terrace offered a spectacular panoramic view of Istanbul and featured a gorgeous Turkish-pillow-laden photo-op area. The food was excellent, albeit pricey—worth it for the setting!
On our walk towards the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, we encountered the famous Turkish Ice Cream street vendor. The ice cream was not so tasty, but the true highlight was watching my “man-child” husband get hilariously teased and tricked by the OG Turkish ice cream man. It’s an essential Istanbul experience!
After visiting the majestic Hagia Sophia, we took a much-needed food break to try Kumpir. This baked potato is no side dish—it’s a beast! It’s blended with cheese and butter right in front of you and then chilled with a massive array of fillings like meat, pickles, and more. My mouth is watering just typing this! We grabbed a few fun souvenirs before heading to a surprisingly cool “radio room” in Kabatas. The tiny, 20×20 foot space had a killer electronic music vibe and a photobooth outside—the perfect low-key end to a busy day.
Day 3: Chasing the Cheesecake Myth and a Sufi Night on the Bosphorus
Day three was all about checking off the famous foodie photo-ops. We made a beeline for the Galata Tower to queue up for the ever-so-Instagram-famous San Sebastian Cheesecake at Viyana Kahvesi. The verdict? They were just ‘okay.’ Honestly, I’ve had better.
The real star of the show, the true ‘fame builder,’ was the chocolate croissant paired with some killer Turkish coffee and tea!
We were killing time before our evening Dervish Show cruise, so we walked over to the Galata Port promenade for more riverside snacking by the Bosphorus. I checked out the shopping area, noting a Zara, but quickly realized the online rumors were false—everything seemed expensive (especially converting the price back to INR).
As the sun set, we boarded our cruise for a Sufi musical night with an all-inclusive meal and drinks. Standing outside, despite the cold, was amazing. We spent the evening gazing at the two distinct shores, a moment that always gives me pause: one side of the Bosphorus is in Asia, and the other is in Europe. Isn’t that just incredible?
That wrapped up our three-day, food-focused exploration of Istanbul!
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