If you\u2019re a foodie, you\u2019ll be in gastronomical heaven in Istanbul. There is literally nothing you cannot find. If you want to eat more authentically, avoid places like Sultanahmet or Taksim. The restaurants will tell you that they\u2019re serving authentic food, but it\u2019s so touristic that you\u2019ll end up paying a considerable amount more, and the taste just won\u2019t be the same \u2013 still good, but lacking that special something.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re far better off heading away from the tourist streets, over to Besiktas, Uskudar, or perhaps spots in Fatih. If you\u2019re unsure, simply ask someone in your hotel where they eat and go there! You\u2019ll pay much less and have a more authentic experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Be sure to check out chicken shish, Adana kebab, Urfa kebab, sarma beyti, and lahmacun as just a few dishes to add to your list. Of course, you have to wash it all down with a glass of Turkish cay (tea)<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a seafood fan, the fact that Istanbul is on the banks of the Bosphorus makes for some fantastic experiences. You can eat the famous Balik ekmek, which is basically a fish sandwich in Eminonu. That will cost you just 10TL, and it\u2019s just as fresh and delicious as the sit-down restaurants under the Galata Bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those restaurants are ideal for a special evening if you want to eat freshly caught fish (a huge range) and drink the local raki. Beware \u2013 it\u2019s powerful!<\/span><\/p>\n

Head over to Taksim, and you\u2019ll find international food at every turn. There are some fantastic Italian restaurants on Istiklal Street, and you\u2019ll also spot Chinese, Indian, and Mexican food. For a more upmarket take on Mexican dishes, head to Nisantasi, just above Besiktas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, we can\u2019t talk about food without talking about the world-famous Nusr\u2019et. This restaurant has now gone global, and everyone\u2019s talking about Salt Bae. This is where you can buy the iconic gold steak, but a word of warning, it doesn\u2019t come cheap!<\/span><\/p>\n

There are three Nusr\u2019et outlets in Istanbul \u2013 with the main one in Etiler. If you want a book a table, you\u2019re best doing it weeks ahead of time; otherwise, you\u2019ll be disappointed or have to queue for hours. If you prefer a lower cost and still high-quality steak, there are some other great steakhouses in Etiler, Ortakoy, and around the Bebek area too.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Things To See And Do In Istanbul In Winter<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

There is so much to do in Istanbul in the winter months that it\u2019s impossible to mention it all. Of course, as before, the only thing that winter stops you from doing is swimming, but if you\u2019re desperate for a dip, there\u2019s plenty of hotels with indoor swimming pools!<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a few recommended places to visit in Istanbul in December, January, and February.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
• Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet<\/span><\/li>\n
• Hagia Sofia, Sultanahmet<\/span><\/li>\n
• Basilica Cistern, Sultanahmet<\/span><\/li>\n
• Grand Bazaar, Sultanahmet\/Fatih<\/span><\/li>\n
• Suleymaniye Mosque, Fatih \u2013 Wear comfortable shoes, it\u2019s a bit of a hill climb, but the views are so worth it!<\/span><\/li>\n
• Bosphorus Bridge, Ortakoy<\/span><\/li>\n
• Balik ekmek in Eminonu and the Galata Bridge<\/span><\/li>\n
• Galata Tower, between Taksim and Galata<\/span><\/li>\n
• Dolmabahce Palace, Besiktas<\/span><\/li>\n
• Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet<\/span><\/li>\n
• Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Sultanahmet<\/span><\/li>\n
• Gulhane Park, Sultanhamet \u2013 Stunning park for a chilled-out walk, a little like Narnia!<\/span><\/li>\n
• Istanbul Aquarium, Florya (Bakirkoy)<\/span><\/li>\n
• Mall of Istanbul, Cevahir Mall, the list of malls goes on!<\/span><\/li>\n
• Istiklal Street, Taksim<\/span><\/li>\n
• A football match at the stadiums of either Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, or Besiktas<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  If you\u2019ve never been to Istanbul, you\u2019re missing out. If you\u2019ve been to Turkey\u2019s largest city before but have never seen Istanbul in the winter months, you\u2019ve missed a huge chunk out of your experience! Winter in Istanbul is a veritable feast of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4970,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exclusivetravelturkey.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}