35WinterDaysInTurkiye | Day1/9jan23/Part2| Istanbul | Now I Understand This Panorama of Istanbul
For a 7-night stay, I felt the need to know the "whatever" near my hostel. So, I checked out the neighbourhood of Kasimpasa, which is in the district of Beyoglu. Refik Saydam Cd. became so familiar as I had to cross it every single day to get to Sishane Metro station, which was my base metro station to go to anywhere. Istiklal Caddesi and Galata Tower were within walking distances. We've all heard the saying, "It's more about the journey than the destination." Well, in my book, both are equally important. So today, I had made it a point to see and experience as much as possible, on my way to the must-see Hagia Sophia. I walked along a less crowded Istiklal Caddesi. It was 11 am, Monday. So, no surprise there. I would be coming back when the street was its normal and crowded touristy self. I walked all the way to Taksim Square. The short furnicular ride from Taksim to Kabatas was itself an amusing time for me. I'm very much a geek when it comes to public transportation systems. Riding on different types of trains, trams, buses, teleferiks, and ferries would be enough for me to fall in love with a city. From Kabatas, I took a tram that crossed the Golden Horn on Galata Bridge and passed by the crowds waiting at the Eminonu Ferry Terminal. At this point, I understood this panorama of Istanbul that even a 3days2nights tourists could fall in love with. It smelled European, but the many majestic grand old mosques reminded you that it's not quite. A few hundred meters inland, you'd feel shadowed by the densely-built buildings with centuries old art deco facades and those unmistakably Turkish bay windows, as you huff and puff up and down steep lanes. Some other steep lanes abruptly lead you to the edge of lively and airy Bosphorus and The Golden Horn. About Istanbul City Layout: There are 39 districts that make up the area of Istanbul. There's no one particular city centre or downtown area. Districts regarded as the centres are Beyoglu, Fatih, and Sisli on the European side, in addition to Uskudar and Kadikoy on the Asian side. Most tourists wouldn't venture very far out from these 5 districts. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_districts_of_Istanbul About Istanbul As a Province: Apart from being a metropolitan city, Istanbul is also one of the 81 provinces of Turkiye. Read the link below to understand the different regions of Türkiye. You'd learn about the kind of landscapes you'd find in this country. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.propertyturkey.com/blog-turkey/provinces-in-turkey-that-earn-admiration-from-around-the-world%3ftype=amp #solotravel #wintertravel #goturkiye #kasimpasa #muskhostel #Istiklalcaddesi #Funicular #Trams #Taksimcami #Kabatas
For a 7-night stay, I felt the need to know the "whatever" near my hostel. So, I checked out the neighbourhood of Kasimpasa, which is in the district of Beyoglu. Refik Saydam Cd. became so familiar as I had to cross it every single day to get to Sishane Metro station, which was my base metro station to go to anywhere. Istiklal Caddesi and Galata Tower were within walking distances. We've all heard the saying, "It's more about the journey than the destination." Well, in my book, both are equally important. So today, I had made it a point to see and experience as much as possible, on my way to the must-see Hagia Sophia. I walked along a less crowded Istiklal Caddesi. It was 11 am, Monday. So, no surprise there. I would be coming back when the street was its normal and crowded touristy self. I walked all the way to Taksim Square. The short furnicular ride from Taksim to Kabatas was itself an amusing time for me. I'm very much a geek when it comes to public transportation systems. Riding on different types of trains, trams, buses, teleferiks, and ferries would be enough for me to fall in love with a city. From Kabatas, I took a tram that crossed the Golden Horn on Galata Bridge and passed by the crowds waiting at the Eminonu Ferry Terminal. At this point, I understood this panorama of Istanbul that even a 3days2nights tourists could fall in love with. It smelled European, but the many majestic grand old mosques reminded you that it's not quite. A few hundred meters inland, you'd feel shadowed by the densely-built buildings with centuries old art deco facades and those unmistakably Turkish bay windows, as you huff and puff up and down steep lanes. Some other steep lanes abruptly lead you to the edge of lively and airy Bosphorus and The Golden Horn. About Istanbul City Layout: There are 39 districts that make up the area of Istanbul. There's no one particular city centre or downtown area. Districts regarded as the centres are Beyoglu, Fatih, and Sisli on the European side, in addition to Uskudar and Kadikoy on the Asian side. Most tourists wouldn't venture very far out from these 5 districts. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_districts_of_Istanbul About Istanbul As a Province: Apart from being a metropolitan city, Istanbul is also one of the 81 provinces of Turkiye. Read the link below to understand the different regions of Türkiye. You'd learn about the kind of landscapes you'd find in this country. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.propertyturkey.com/blog-turkey/provinces-in-turkey-that-earn-admiration-from-around-the-world%3ftype=amp #solotravel #wintertravel #goturkiye #kasimpasa #muskhostel #Istiklalcaddesi #Funicular #Trams #Taksimcami #Kabatas