K is
for Kadıköy
To
me, a ferry ride is a brief escape from the world. A chance to feel the cool,
salty breeze on my face. A moment to watch the seagulls chase the ferry and
admire the fading shoreline.
When
we lived in Istanbul, taking the
ferry from our neighborhood of Beşiktaş
to Kadıköy was one of my favorite
things to do. During these brief 20 minutes, I felt transported to a different
world – a beautiful, exotic world so different from my own upbringing in the
Midwest of the U.S.
Every
day, barring bad weather and government closures, the iconic white and yellow Şehir
Hatları ferry boats crisscross the Bosphorus Straight and will even take you
all the way to the Princes Islands. The ferries cross between Beşiktaş and Kadıköy
and back again twice an hour. Day time trips between the two neighborhoods is
perfect, but unfortunately, the ferries stop service long before your going out
hours are up and you’re stuck taking a dolmuş
(a shared minivan taxi) to either side.
Once
you arrive in Kadıköy, you can enjoy a pleasant walk along the Bosphorus
shoreline or head straight to the pedestrian-friendly market area. Guess where
I usually ended up?
In
the market area, you’ll find dozens of stall holders and shop owners touting
fresh fish, seasonal fruits and veggies, dried fruits, honey, nuts, cheese,
baklava and more. You’ll even find the odd sheeps’ head, offal and foreign pork
products for sale (a must for any displaced expat)
If
you’re in the mood for lunch or dinner, head over to Çiya, a fantastic local spot which has three cafés/restaurants on Güneşli
Bahçe Sokak. I visited this popular eatery many times while I lived in Istanbul
and during my visits. The Turkish food features typical homemade goodies such
as lentil soup, meat casseroles, mezzes and kebabs.
Just
thinking about Çiya has my mouth watering! Hopefully, we’ll be visiting and
eating here again later this year!
When
you visit Istanbul, don’t miss out taking the ferry ride to Kadıköy and
exploring this bustling neighborhood.
I’m
linking this post to the monthly travel guide link up organized by Fiona, a
fellow Australian blogger, at Tiffin Bite Sized Food Adventures.
Each month features a new letter of the alphabet. This month is the letter “K.”
Please pop on over to Fiona’s blog to read more travel stories!
9 comments:
Awww, this is just one of our favourite things to do ever! Travelling by ferry in Istanbul is perfect isn't it - and yeah, we hit the market on the other side, too. :)
I would love to visit turkey. It sounds so exotic and wonderful. The markets must be a great sight.
That's a beautiful looking ferry, nice to see a different part of the world through your post!
Oh - so you're heading back hopefully. Lucky you! I've caught that ferry a couple of times. Once on our arrival from Ankara and another time when we had some time to kill before we caught a train to Bulgaria. It's fantastic to approach any city by water, away from the traffic and congestion. I knew you'd find 'K' easy - so many Ks in Turkey
Definitely Julia! It's one if many things I still miss from Istanbul. Wonder if I'll ever stop missing it?
@Sherry, yes I certainly recommend a trip to Turkey. It's a place I really love!
Hi Lee! Thanks so much for your comment. Love being on the water!
Hi Fiona, thanks again for hosting the #linkup! We hope to go for a longer visit later this year. Fingers crossed! We've always wanted to visit Bulgaria, but we weren't allowed to take our car over when we lived in Turkey. So close!
I get terribly sea-sick but I still love the magic of a ferry ride.
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