Honest Istanbul Guide Vol1: GALATA

LETS GET STARTED WITH MY HONEST ISTANBUL GUIDE

I am a fan of this city and I go out almost every weekend to discover some nice places, because to be honest, although there are like thousands of cafes and bars around in this huge city, just a few of them have a really good quality. Yeah I know, what a shame! But unfortunately, after searching and tasting and discovering like crazy I have to admit that most of the spots we see around have just spent the money on the decoration but have no idea about the quality of service and food!
And thats why I am writing to you right now! So that you won’t get dissappointed and just pick the right places with my help . İstanbul is such a great city but to see its real great beauty, you have to know the city pretty well, cause its way too big and complicated!!!

Thats why I am here to share my best discoveries, to share the most wonderful local spots that I personally enjoy ! So here are some tips from me:

We start with one of my favorite districts in İstanbul at the European side: GALATA 

Galata is full of little cafes, which are located in little tiny streets rather than the main street. So it is a little hard to find them , I am gonna try to describe where they are but I suggest you to check this internet site foursquare.com  , where you can find all the cafes and their exact locations I am gonna suggest you. You  just need to enter the name of the cafe or restaurant and it opens you directly its location on google map!

BUT I AM ALSO GONNA MAKE SOME SCREENSHOTS FROM GOOGLE MAP AND PUT IT HERE. 

Okay, lets take this famous GALATA TOWER as the center. Firstly I suggest you going up on this tower as the view is fantastic! This is of course a MUST DO thing in Istanbul! But be careful about the timing cause the line gets too big, especially in the afternoon after the dreadful sun gets less effective. So you better visit there in the morning for example. I know, the sunset view will be awesome too but dont worry, I will tell you another place very soon where you can not only enjoy the sunset but also maybe a beer or cocktail! So Galata Tower is just in the middle and there are lots of streets around it. At the towers right side, right at the corner there is a hotel ( ANEMON GALATA ) and there is a street going down right near it. When you go that street down, you will find a great wine bar on your right side: SENSUS WINE .

 Its a great place for the evening to taste some wine ( especially the turkish products are suprisingly good! ) but sometimes you need a reservation, but you will probably find place on the bar. The prices are fair. Normally in the restaurants if you order just one glass of wine they dont have many options and they charge you pretty much for a tiny glass of wine ( they usally fill the glass just a little ! I HATE THAT! ) 

BUT this Wine House, as they sell their own products, offer you about 15 different wines that you can order just as a glass . And the prices change between 9 Turkish Lira to 25 Turkish Lira. So that means you do not have to open a bottle and stick to one type of wine- Get their special menu for Glass Wines and pick what you want, try some several different options-! That was what I exactly did- of course I prefered the cheaper ones and they honestly tasted all good ! So this place is PERFECT for a cheap but definitely quality WINE TASTING!

Anyways, if you pass this wine bar and continue to walk down, there is a super sweet cafe called CAFE VELVET: great place to drink a cup of coffee or something refreshing such as their homemade lemonade! By the way, if you wanna try something authentic: TRY THEIR YUMMY TURKISH DESERT: “KAYMAKLI UN HELVASI”. I mentioned more info about this place already on my blog! So check the special post about this place !

Now lets go back to Galata Tower. At the left corner there is an authentic turkish cafe where people generally have turkish tea for about 1.50 or 2 turkish lira and chat and watch around and this time there is again a street going down full of cafes. At the beginning of this street there is a shop which sells some authentic turkish products.So when you start going down this street, the streets automatically turns right. Follow it and you will see a coffee shop on the right side: CHERRY BEANS. 

Its one of the most peaceful places for a cup of coffee, its really tiny. The coffee is really good and their homemade cakes go great together. This spot is definitely one of my favorite spots for a COFFEE-BREAK. Inside smells awesome ( a lovely tasty combination of fresh coffee and warm homemade cookiieess and cakesss ) 

What I secondly adore in this place is always the music playing inside: sometimes they often play easy listening classical tracks and it goes perfect while sitting in this cute cafe, watching outside and drinking your fresh warm coffee.

 http://www.cherrybeancoffees.com/

If you skip this one and keep going down, you will see CAFE KONAK at the left side. This cafe is a standard patisserie but they have this terrace on the top of the building and it has an awesome view! You can drink maybe a turkish tea and enjoy the view: Galata Tower right on your back , which seems so close like you can even touch it, and the amazing bosphorus on your front. 

Our New Internet Discovery: YELP

I have been a member to this great organisation: yelp ! let me give you some info about this community: This is a fantastic organisation that allows millions of people to discover places not only in their towns but also everywhere else in the world! First you sign up - and then you are allowed to write your comments about every kind of places : shops, cafes , clubs , restaurants.... or you can just read what everybody else wrote and these will give you lots of clues about these places !
So that means you do not have to worry about the places you wanna try but you can not decide. Check these hundreds of comments which people wrote on yelp website and these will make your desicion easier !

Besides these comments people download photos of the places. That is a super information for the spots which you are interested in too !
AND ONE MORE THING : Probably the BEST THING about yelp : Its EVENTS ! Every member is allowed to create an event - spontaniously ! For example:
Lets go to this new cafe and try some new dishes! OR
Lets go to this movie/concert/theater etc....
Lets do some sightseeing ! Lets explore the old city and take photographs...

You wanna do something or try something or go to somewhere but you need some cheerful company because you are maybe bored of your friends that you always hang out?? Create your event on YELP and let some lovely Yelp members find you and join you! Dont worry ! It is a serious organization and full of lovely members ! No dangers !
Well honestly I will create an event really sooon !

Another Option : Dont create - just join into Events. Just click on the events and see what the other yelp members created and join into some events that you are interested in - and GET SOCIAL !

So what I want to underline is that YELP is my new FAVORITE DISCOVERY as it allows me to discover more and more places around the city and also gives me a fantastic chance to MEET NEW PEOPLE - GET SOCIAL !

Gelsin Bir İnternet Keşfi : YELP

Eveet , blogumuzda da yeni bir İNTERNET KEŞFİMİZDEN bahsetmeden gecemeyecegim.
Biliyorum biliyorum bazen yayınları sadece ingilizce hazırlıyorum ama azcık da tembelligime baglı işte. Kimi zaman ingilizce kolayıma geliyor kimi zaman canım türkcemi özlüyorum kimi zaman ise her ikisini yazacak ' ah keske hep bulsam' dedigim enerjiyi buluyorum icimde !
 İşte bu sabah o enerjik sabahlardan birini yasıyorum ! Sabahtan beri su yeni internet keşfimizle oyalanıp duruyorum. Saatlerdir ekran basındayım, parmaklarım klavyede yazmaktan vallahi kırıldı kırılacak !

Neyse saadete gelelim : Evet işte internet keşfimiz : YELP 
Kısaca bahsedelim: Efendim, bu Yelp organizasyonu insanların hem kendi sehirlerindeki, ülkelerindeki hem de dünyanın daha bir cok yerindeki cafeler,publar,barlar,clublar kısaca her türlü isletmeler ve mekanlar hakkında yorum yazabilmesini veyahut sadece okuyup bilgilendirilmesini amaclayan bir kuruluş. Dünyanın pek cok önemli sehrinde popüler bu kuruluş. E tabi güzelim şehrimiz İstanbul da da eksik olmamalı !
Facebooka twittera üye olur gibi buranın da internet sitesine üye oluyorsunuz ve doguyor yeni bir YELPCI ! Sonra yaz anam yaz. Nereye gittiysen nereyi begendiysen ve lütfen nereyi de begenmediysen ( ki baskalarını oraya gitmekten kurtalabilesin! ) yaz, paylaş ! Aynı şekilde de merak ettigin neredeyse heryeri mutlaka bulabilecegin bu internet sitesinde arastırabilirsin: Sen de senin merak edip de gidemedigin - gitmekle gitmemek arasında kalmıs oldugun- , 'yahu güzel diyolar ama bir türlü emin olamıyorum' dedigin , ya da gazetede orada burada cıkan agız sulandıran fotografların gercekliginden süphelendigin bir mekanı yaz bakalım YELPteki ARAMA butonuna. Kesin cıkar! Kesin bir degil birkac tane hatta belki onlarca yüzlerce Yelper coktan oralara gitmis senin icin de yorumunu oraya yazmıstır. Sen de bir bak bakalım kimler ne demiş ne begenmiş ne begenmemiş. Sonra ver kararını !

Sizce de daha kolay degil mi ? İstanbul da şu durdurak bilmeyen restaurant-cafe-bar furyasında ' Ay nereye gitsek ' diye fır fır dolanıyor , bir o kadar da KAZIK YERİZ, BEGENMEYİZ, HAYAL KIRIKLIGINA UGRARIZ diye korkuyoruz.
Alın işte size fırsat. POTANSİYEL HAYAL KIRIKLIKLARINI ÖNLEYECEK bir fırsat! Bırakın YELP size yardımcı olsun, siz de mekanları ona göre secin. Biz sahsen öyle yapıyoruz!
E tabii yazmayı paylasmayı da severim derseniz buyrun siz de yazın ve insanlara tüyo verin ! Biz Lara ile onu da yapıyoruz - malum yazma işini pek seviyoruz ! Blog olsun bizim olsun .


Bir de unutmadan ! YELP in bir baska güzelligi - EVENT leri ! Her üye istedigi yere yorumunu yazabildigi gibi kafasına estigi gibi etkinlik de olusturabiliyor ! Canın sıkıldı - sinemaya gidicen, ya da yok biraz daha entel dantel takiliyim dedin , bir tiyatro veya konser buldun, veya icinde biraz da macera dolanmaca gezmece olsun dedin , haydi Balatta bir fotograf turu yapmaya karar verdin. Ama hep gezip tozdugun arkadaslarından daral geldi, farklılık istiyorsun , ya da günahlarını almayalım , belki de vakitleri hic yok gariplerin. Kaldın mı tek basına ?! Çare YELPTE. Ac etkinligini YELPe , yaz oraya ' Arkadaslar ben Sirkeci de bir köfte cekicem, ardından Balatta enteresan kareler kovalicam sonra da Karaköyüm'de güzel cafelerin birinde Cafe Lattemi icicem' , bak bakalım geliyorlar mı gelmiyorlar mı? Yelpin son derece icten ve sevecen üyeleri hemen seni bulurlar, zevkle de sana eşlik eder gününe nese katarlar ! Gecen Pazartesi aksamı katıldıgım Yelp etkinliginde bana aynen böyle oldu! Onu da cok yakında özel olarak paylasıcam! Yani anlayacagınız YELP yeni arkadaslıklar icin, sosyallesmek icin de harika bir alternatif! Siddetle tavsiye edilir !

Buyrunuz, Burada da internet sitesi: http://www.yelp.com.tr/

Cute Cafe with its SECRET GARDEN !

Before starting to post my travel guide, 
Here is another tiny spot for a small coffee break while hanging around in the city: CAFE LUMIERE

This place is one of my new discoveries and since I found this place it became one of my favorite spots for a little break- maybe a cup of coffee !

I generally prefer just to order a drink such as tea or coffee in such small cozy cafes but I just let you know: They have some pretty nice dishes too - I can tell this from what I saw. The dishes on the other tables looked pretty nice- especially I liked the salads. And when it comes to price: The dishes and the drinks are definitely cheaper than most of the restaurants and cafes around.

A generous cup of FRESH FILTER COFFEE: 5 Lira
That is fair enough!

What I loved about this place???
Definitely it's tiny sweet garden at the back!
From its front you can never understand that this tiny cafe has a cute garden at it's back which is definitely bigger than the cafe itself!

So I guess I should recommend you this place when the weather is nice :/
But actually I am gonna go and have a look in winter too and FIND OUT what they do with their cute garden in the winter ! Maybee they have already found a solution!

ACCEPTED !

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED ! 

Typical street look in Toulouse 

This was about the time for me to have a fresh start ! So I accept Revna's challenge to make a honest tourist guide for  Toulouse! 

I am not going to trow all the places I know in once because it would be so boring so I decided to give you little hints and my first impression about this beautiful city ! 

Canal du Midi

Toulouse also called as LA VILLE ROSE is the capital city of the department of Haute-Garonne, and of the region Midi-Pyrénées, in southwestern France. Toulouse is the fourth largest in France area after Paris, Lyon and Marseille.

There is large student population in this city which makes me glad because I will be studying in University of Toulouse 2 - Jean Jaures  as psychology  student for the next 3 years. I've been here for 2 weeks now but I already had chance to visit some of the parts of the city. What I really enjoyed about visiting Toulouse was the sight seeing.

 Now let's change the topic a little and give a little look at the places ;  

Garonne

Capitol

Place Capitol ; 

This is the center of the city. The big building that you see in the picture is the heart of the administration of the  Toulouse (18th century). There are a lot of shops and cafes around this place. You can imagine this place as a square which attaches other famous streets and places all together like Place Sankt Georges etc. I think it's better for me to give a little hint about the restaurants now; just one in a time ;) 

BRASSERIE LES ARCADES

Brasserie Les Arcades is located on the Place Capitol. I think it's the second restaurant from the beginning. 

I had grilled saumon and nice glass of wine. Prices a little higher then other places around because of the tourist attraction. It's nice to have the view of the Capitol. I enjoyed the freshness of the saumon and the vegetables but if you dont want to give more then 15 Euros for a plate I recommend for you try other restaurant around. 

Adress : Place du Capitole - 31000 Toulouse

Tel : 08 99 96 91 85* 

Transport in the city ; 

Vélos : Red Bicycles around the city! 

You can use them for free (first 20 mins) then you have to pay the fee. 

Bus : There are bus to all the places around the city including airport ! (Which can be really useful for the tourists because if you take the taxi it's around 35 Euros to come to the center  )

Metro : There are two lines ( Line A and B )

Line A  : It extends from the shopping centre of Balma through Toulouse with stations at Marengo ( Which connects the SNCF railway station ) 

Capitole,Place Esquirol and University of Jean Jaures. After its final station, Basso-Cambo . 

At total 18 stops. 

Line B : Goes on Ramonville direction.

At total 20 stops. 

Tramway : Runs between Beauzelle and Toulouse-Arènes passing through Blagnac. 

To be continued... 

My HONEST Istanbul Travel Guide

Last week my dad met some Italian tourists who were coming to Istanbul for a couple of days and as they asked for some advice , guess what my daddy told them?
He immediately gave my e-mail address - of course ! Cause I am the guide here !
Soo as soon as I heard this news I grabbed my laptop and wrote a LOOONG E-Mail to these guys and gave them some really good advice about the city.

As they were tourists I also warned them about some popular events-must do things or places , cause you know, MUST DO and MUST SEE things can be really disappointing! So what I prefer is to always tell the truth to these people who do not know the city and introduce the real city to them!

I guess that was exactly what I did in my e-mail. I recommended the places I prefer to go and the things I like to do and see - as a local.


As the mail is reallly long I am gonna divide it into a few posts and probably add some more info and PHOTOS about the places.
PLUS: Since one of the biggest problems in this city is the traffic and public transportation I am gonna solve that problem with some tips too!

 

SO WAIT FOR MY HONEST ISTANBUL GUIDE !

oh oh oh - and maybeee this project of mine can start another challenge with my dear friend Lara ;) What about creating an honest TOULOUSE GUIDE my dear?

A small break at Cafe Velvet

Nowadays cute little cafes open up at every corner in the side streets. They are usually really really small but that is actually the sweet thing about them :) People decorate these little places so creatively and fill the inside with lots of stuff that there is only space for a few steps maybe :D  They are such like little museums and I love this fact about them!
And here is one of those cute little cafes : CAFE VELVET
This cafe is in a side street in Galata : When you stand in front of this famous Galata Tower, there is this hotel right at the corner on your right side and there is a small street going down . Go down that street and you are gonna see this little cafe on your left side.

It is cozy.
It is cheap.
The music is super good. (slow and relaxing)
The owners are very kind.
Their products are tasty.

You just feel at home! Both the atmosphere and the products make you feel home. Because what they prepare is all homemade. The menu is just simple: hot drinks,cold drinks and some breakfast dishes and a few homemade pastry stuff.
I sometimes adore these simple menus cause it is just easier to pick something as the menu does not get you confused. What I picked was a homemade Turkish dessert called HOMEMADE UN HELVASI and that tasted AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!

You can also try their Breakfast options such as MENEMEN or HOMEMADE BOREK. For drinks I suggest you their yummy fresh homemade lemonade!

What I really liked was the way they serve the coffee: together with a little milk in a cute authentic glass and two homemade cookies.
Such little details are always important!

more info: http://velvetcafegalata.com/

FAST BUT NOT 'FAST FOOD': Cin Bufe

Here I got a super spot for you where you can get your stomach full really quick with some yummyy food. NO WORRIES! IT is definitely not a fast food spot but they serve EXTREMELY FAST !

But I recommend you this place only if you are a fan of Chinese food like I do : CIN BUFE
This spot is a super tiny restaurant in Beyoglu,Taksim. So easy to get there:
Is is at this famous İstiklal Street.
When you walk towards Taksim Square there is this Galatasaray Highschool right at the middle of the street.
Pass the highschool and turn into the second street on your right ! And there it is !

CIN BUFE with their yummy Chinese dishes! Prices are standard, but definitely CHEAPER than any other Chinese restaurant because the Chinese restaurants in İstanbul are usually so luxurious and expensive ( like eating chinese food is something luxurious! )

Service: EXTREMELY FAST
Atmosphere: very little but totally CUTE
Dishes: YUMMMMMYYYYYY

Here are our favorite dishes:
Appetizers: CITIR CIN MANTISI (dumplings) or CIN BOREGI or ORDEK DURUM (wrap with duck)
Main dishes: SEBZELI PILAV or MANTARLI BADEMLI PILAV (rice) or SEBZELI NOODLE (vegetable noodle) or TATLI EKSI SOSLU TAVUK or MANCURYA USULU TAVUK or ZENCEFIL SOSLU CITIR TAVUK (tavuk means chicken)

Here is their internet site for more info: http://www.cinbufe.com/#/home

OUR TIP: DO NOT ORDER ONLY ONE MAIN MEAL PER PERSON. IT IS MUCH BETTER IF YOU ORDER A FEW DISHES AND SHARE THEM. We think it is the best way to eat chinese food and YOU WILL TASTE LOTS OF STUFF+GET FULL+PAY LESS PER PERSON