Experience Istanbul Like a Local: Insider Tips for an Authentic Visit

Be ready to wrap up the magnificent city of Istanbul with around 1700 years of history, 15 million incredible people, and 39 districts. Do you think dealing with a city of this scale is easy? 

You can get the maximum out of Istanbul only if you have an authentic insider view to figure out its bewildering mixture of culture and marks of every ruler in the metropolitan city of Turkey. The city has much to offer from the Galata Tower, and Roman Cisterns to Hagia Sofia. 

 

Let's begin to squeeze your tour of the city and experience Istanbul like a local that will help you to put your judgment on halt so you could simply go with the flow and don't forget to share your travel story on our write for us + travel page.

1.  Grand Bazaar of Istanbul 

Grand Bazaar contains more than 4000 stores and is spread over 60 streets of the city. It’s constantly busy with the crowd where you can see all types of shops, it somehow reveals the taste of the Turkish citizens about buying goods. 

Here you can find everything from Turkish lamps, a cup of tea, fabric, Jewelry, shoes, etc. It will be an amazing experience to stop at the shops and observe how Turkish bargain to buy things. 

2.          Travel by Dolmus

It is the minibus service in Istanbul and is considered one of the folk activities for tourists. It will help you to soak up the flavors of local Turkish citizens for transportation. Don’t be surprised by the fully congested bus and a little carelessness of the driver who typically likes to smoke and is always ready to fill your lungs with the same. 

It’s more like a passenger-oriented bus service that doesn’t have a fixed stop other than the initial and final point. Whenever the passenger's destination arrives, it become the random bus stop for the Dolmus. 

3.          Have Tea with Shopkeeper

Turkish shopkeepers are very open to conversation. You can have an hour-long discussion with them to know about the recent trends of Turkish citizens inclining towards new things. They will be generous to present you with their stance while providing supporting experienced-based examples. It’s really a common practice to have a cup of tea with any shopkeeper in Istanbul that will help you to avoid any sort of awkwardness to talk to anyone. 

4.          Have Turkish Breakfast 

Turkish cuisine never be completed without a Turkish classic breakfast, Kahvalti. You will get plenty of bite-size portions of multiple things that line up in a tray such as fruit preserves, honey, green and black olives, fresh cheese, and sweet butter. Don’t forget to brew black tea in a special Turkish glass. 

5.          Visiting Galata Bridge

Galata Bridge is the crossway for two different civilizations, in the east you will find Asia, and in the west is Europe. Mark Twain also mentioned Galata Bridge in his book “The Innocent Abroad”. The vibes of the bridge are so deep that it will stay with you like forever. You simply stand there without being noticed and experience the daily life of Istanbul with friendly fishermen, try street food, and cruise the golden horn section of the Bosporus. 

6.          Visit Hagia Sophia

You can summarize the history of Hagia Sophia just in three words, a church, a mosque and a museum that was built back in 537 B.C. It is the most interactive place because locals gather here for worship. You can easily talk with them and observe them while doing their worship. The building itself has an astonishing interior and exterior where you can see the Christian mosaics on the wall. 

7.           Go to the Spice Bazaar

The Spice Bazaar is also termed an Egyptian Bazaar because most of the spices are imported from Egypt to the Ottomans. It was built in 1660 as a part of the mosque by Turhan Sultan. The Bazaar has the most vibrant colors because of different spices with remarkable aromas and is fun to observe such as red sumac, pul biber, saffron, olive oil soap, etc. 

 

When you are in the Spice Bazaar, it’s highly recommended to try freshly prepared pomegranate syrup (Nar eksisi) that can be used with many foods such as fish, steak and salads.

8.          Get Crubbed in a Hammam

This is just like a local way of having a bath in Istanbul where you sit in the warm section and the attendant scrubs you with the Kese on special marble. You can visit Galatasaray in Beyoglu to experience how locals come to Hammam and have a bath. It is a place where locals gather and gossip about recent events. 

9.          Play Backgammon and Drink Coffee 

Backgammon is a board game that has been played in the West for the last 5,000 years. It’s a very simple game you just need a die with counters. 

Closer to sunset, it becomes more pleasant to sit on the edge of the golden horn and play backgammon while you are drinking coffee. It’s a fascinating local activity when you notice the whole sea water is simmering with sunlight and turned to golden. 

10.      Relaxed Vibes of Kadikoy

Kadikoy is located on the Asian side of Istanbul and has very relaxed vibes. You can explore the place in its style by riding Kadikoy Moda Nostaljik Tramway. It’s an active red wagon tram line that is typically used by locals for transportation. That line covers a 2.6 km circular loop with perfect scenic views. 

When you reach central Kadikoy, you will surprise by the bustling Istanbul where people stop at Turkish Coffee shops and have some coffee while listening to old nostalgic Turkish songs. There are a lot of shops and restaurants where you can enjoy Turkish cuisine while looking at the skyline of Istanbul at sunset. 

Conclusion 

Istanbul has a lot of travel places that don't feel real where you can interact with locals such as Spice Bazaar, riding Dolmus, or Hagia Sophia. 

The city is divided between East and West and nothing will astonish you more than a transition of culture that is so deeply felt when you move from one part of Istanbul to another. The same is observed by Mark Twain while standing on the Galata Bridge of Bosporus.