Istanbul Nightlife
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I have an outstanding think about Turkey and I'm not talking about a passing feeling.
Something that makes you think, make you follow an ideal of stylistic perfection that only great
writers was able to convey. Reading Istanbul by the Nobel Prize winner for Turkish
literature Orhan Pamuk and the Istanbul Secrets by Corrado Augias is
undoubtedly the best way to imagine the journey not pretending to fully understand a
so complex reality that is also difficult to try to tell in only one page.
The web is fast, nothing to do with book pages that take time before to start.
We must therefore begin to speak about a 1000 years empire long as East Roman Empire
life years which with the name of Byzantium first and Constantinople
resisting until 1454 when Ottomans led by Muhammad II conquested the city closing the Byzantine empire and starting a new era that will last until 1922.
Istanbul has an Asian and a European part divided in by the Bosporus river.
The two parts are connected both by road bridges and by fast boats in a short time.
Istanbul has two airports
Ataturk (beloved Turkish political leader in vogue after the end of the Ottoman
Empire on 1925, liberal and with a broad democratic politician view) on European side just 20 km
from the city center and connected by metro line where Turkish Airlines mainly lands.
Sabina Gochem (from the name of the first Turkish aviatrix Ataturk daughter)
on the asian side 45 km from the city center, connected only by buses and where
the Turkish low cost Pegasus fly and with the strong limit of a very intense traffic
especially during peak times which may take up to 3 hours.
Who cames for the first time in Istanbul has the clear feeling to overall a
time space, to fall into something completely new and that now exists because
such is the surprise when we are face to face for the first time with so much history
and beauty.
The tourist searching for simple emotions go streight to Sultamanhet, the beating heart
of the city, where, facing each other, Hagia Sofia Mosque
and Blu Mosque challenge each other in terms of attraction, inviting visitors to visit
since the first sight but only after removing shoes and women covered the head as a sign
of respect and dedication.
Do not miss a visit to Topkapi Palace, Unesco world heritage, once the
Ottoman sultan residence and built on the voluntary of the same Muhammad II.
Mandatory passage to reach the mosques Galata Bridge built on two levels, at the bottom
fish restaurants and pedestrian walkway, at the top vehicles road always attended by fishermen
taking part of the landscape, who spend whole days waiting for a conspicuous
fishing into Golden Horn waters.
Before the bridge up a flight of stairs on an uphill, Galata tower,
visible from everywhere, in the evening turning into an emerald green that
enchants the eyes, improving security and confidence as well as transmitting beauty and
perfect symmetry.
But what makes Istanbul unique in the world is the Grand Bazaar, a maze of covered
streets where spices, aromas, bright colors, silver and gold shine everywhere together
with clothes and bags in search of a useless similarity to the original.
In the evening the Beyoglu district, once Pera, comes to life, with many people
on the street and restaurants always full.
which looks like a big party, with different live music at high volumes as a collective ritual
that no one can give up especially during the weekend.
Same atmosphere in Karakoy, a district close to the Bosphorus to the left of the Galata
bridge near the pier where boat connections to the Asian side leave.
The trendiest restaurant in this area is undoubtedly the Lusyen where live music begins
after dinner.
Street tables, simple setting and live music at the delightful Levanten.
Another Istanbul nightlife reference point is Cihangir district,
not far from Taksim square, known for the presence of the Innocence Museum
inspired by the famous Orhan Pamuk novel and where in the evening in front of the Hayat
and Getik bars, one opposite to the other, hundreds of guys join in search of interesting
conversations.
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