Istanbul
Hagia Sophia at dawn. Bosphorus ferries at sunset. A €0.50 commute between two continents.
Premium without the price tag.
Istanbul is overwhelming, magnificent, and the best food city in Europe, full stop. I stayed in Karaköy (the cool side, across the Golden Horn) for €70 a night in a design hotel with a Hagia Sophia view from the rooftop. Hagia Sophia is free now (it's a mosque again, be respectful, dress modestly). I went at 8am, had it almost to myself. Crossed the Bosphorus by public ferry (€0.50, not the €25 tourist cruise) and ate fish under the Galata Bridge for €8. Grand Bazaar is a maze; don't buy, just wander. Four days, €480 including flights from Thessaloniki (often via Bucharest). The lira keeps falling, which means right now Istanbul is the best premium-feeling city in Europe for your money.
What to do, where to go.
- 01Hagia Sophia at 8am (free, dress modest)
- 02Blue Mosque & Basilica Cistern (€20 total)
- 03Public ferry to Kadıköy (€0.50)
- 04Galata Tower at sunset (€30, queue early)
- 05Spice Bazaar + fish lunch under Galata Bridge
Places most tourists never see.
Pierre Loti Hill at sunset
Take the cable car up to a café over the Golden Horn. Turkish tea €1, view priceless.
Çukurcuma antique district
Where Pamuk set Museum of Innocence. Vintage shops, no tourists, real coffee.
Balat neighborhood
Rainbow houses, hipster cafés inside Greek-Ottoman ruins. The new Istanbul.
Honest numbers, no hidden fees.
- Flights from Thessaloniki€120
- Hotel Karaköy (4 nights)€280
- Food (street + 2 dinners)€55
- Transit + ferries + entries€25
