A Journey to Istanbul Savoring a City of Two Continents

Yet this is also a city that never truly rests; ferries continued on the ebb and flow of the Golden Horn River at the point it meets the mighty Bosphorus while trams rumbled in front of Eminonu Pier close to the entrance of the intriguing Spice Bazaar.

From here a flotilla of vessels were constantly despatched across the Bosphorus strait, bridging the gap between Europe and Asia that divides this magical city of two continents.

At one time this was the only link between Istanbul’s Asian and European areas but now there are two suspension bridges – a third is under construction - and tunnels.



Despite this, the boats are still busy as many citizens prefer this method of travel using the crossing as a time to contemplate, chat with friends and sip strong Turkish cay (tea) from small glasses as they journey.

And as a visitor to one of the most historic cities on earth, the water is a perfect platform from which to admire it.

We’d booked a private charter – through the new Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Golden Horn where we were staying – and set off from our berth into the Bosphorus, with a delicious lunch of calamari and chicken Caesar salads, risotto, fine wines, canapes and salmon.



Passing beneath the new Galata Bridge, with its restaurants and rows of fishermen, the spectacular vista of Istanbul came into full focus: the minarets of the Sulemaniye Mosque and the New Mosque (actually built in the 17th century); the distant dome of Aya Sophia and the legendary Blue Mosque; while on the promontory the Topkapi Palace – the former sultan’s palace - stood proud.

As we sailed on sipping a superb Sevilen, a premium Chardonnay from Izmir, the modern façade of European Istanbul appeared; the Dolmabache Palace, hotels and cafes, bars and restaurants, and then before us on the wash from the criss-crossing vessels, a shoal of dolphins rode the shimmering surf. Breath-taking.
We’d earlier booked into the new Mövenpick Istanbul Golden Horn, which opened in March.



Set along the Golden Horn River a few minutes from the older parts of town and with regular shuttles to the trendy Taksim district, it is a contemporary 137-room hotel overlooking the waterway with views across a city rich in culture and history and one where all who have invaded, conquered or passed through over the millennia have left their imprint.

As the company’s second in Istanbul and the fourth in Turkey with others in the capital Ankara and the port of Izmir, the decor of the Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Golden Horn reflects this Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history through naval motifs such as compass designs and interlinking chains, wave wood paneling, the soft application of watery blues, white marble, black and white harbor photographs and lavish historical maps.



All rooms, including the hotel’s seven suites, enjoy panoramic views of the city or the historic waterfront, while the Pruva Swiss Grill Restaurant features an open show kitchen, a 20-seat private dining room and terrace. The hotel also hosts the innovative Skydome Meeting Room, the Serenity Wellness Centre with fitness center, Turkish Hammam, saunas, a steam room, relaxation zone and massage rooms.

It is a perfect retreat from which to explore Istanbul, which over the last two decades has evolved into a large, modern conurbation with a new tram and metro network, road systems and bridges.



Traffic can be heavy, though we did take to the roads in a vivid green 1955 Chevrolet and crossed the towering suspension bridge to the Asian side. An eye-catching form of transport and remnant of the large vehicles, which for decades acted as the dolmus or the communal taxis, it is now somewhat of a novelty but one which still stir memories in the older citizens.



The old city around Sultanahmet, retaining its charm, character and mystery, is best explored on foot.

The majestic centerpiece, the incomparable Blue Mosque with its six soaring minarets and tiled interior, is faced by the ancient Aya Sofia. Once a cathedral, before transformed into a mosque, Aya Sofia had the highest dome for 1,000 years before the construction of St Peter’s in Rome in the 16th century, sitting between the two mosques is the Hurrem Sultan Hammam, and a the chance to immerse yourself into a Turkish bathing experience as old as the city itself: hot and cold geysers fill marble basins to wash followed by a ritual lathered scrub on a large marble plinth by skilled attendants before relaxing engulfed in warm fluffy towels…traditional, luxurious, refreshing and cleansing.



You can pause to enjoy strong Turkish coffee or cay in the many cafes along Divan Yolu and watch the passing street scene before the lure of shopping in the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of retail with stalls selling gold, leather, souvenirs and everyday wares, complementing the spices, tea, fruit and perfumery of the smaller Spice Bazaar.

Savor, also, Turkish Delight or traditional baklava. Learn how it is made and you’ll admire the honey-sweet and pistachio flavor even more.

The process starts daily at the Gulluoglu family baklava house in the Karaköy district in the early hours with the dough constantly rolled and re-rolled until it is thin enough for you to read through it.



Murat Gulluoglu explained that for each piece of baklava, there are 40 delicate slices of dough, flavored with pistachio from Gaziantep and honey before being baked and sold in the family’s shops.

"It is a very skillful job," he tells me as he shows me where the delicious sweet is made, amid a haze of flour and the thump of pear-wood rolling pins on slabs of marble. "These men train for six or seven years before they can perfect the art of making baklava."



Dining is a mesmerizing experience in Istanbul – from street stalls of roasting chestnuts and sweetcorn to the finest restaurants serving fresh fish. Try the Surbalik restaurant at Arnavutkoy, directly on the Bosphorus with, or traditional Turkish meat dishes at the Surplus Kebap restaurant near Eminonu with views across the Golden Horn towards the Galata Tower to match the superb food.



It is this incomparable skyline of Istanbul - the cascading domes of the Sulemaniye mosque, the minarets of the Blue Mosque, the Bosphorus dividing two continents - that creates a city which never ceases to surprise and enthral.

For more information on Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com