Istanbul

Istanbul is a place where many Greeks have visited, and we felt a bit strange having traveled to so many places without ever setting foot in Turkey… It was time to tick this place off our bucket list.

The city is divided into two sides by a river. The north side is the modern Istanbul (where we stayed), and the southern side across the river is the old town. There’s a strong Greek influence everywhere (or should I say Greece has a strong Turkish influence? This place feels like the middle ground…).

Istanbul has a LOT of places to visit, and if you’re Greek, there are a few more must-see spots that are part of our heritage.

But there’s one big reason to come back here: the food. If you can skip the touristy places and dive into the real Turkey, the food exploration alone is worth making this a regular destination. We’ve done the churches, monuments, and museums, but have we eaten everything? The answer is no, and I definitely want to come back for more of that…