It’s important to fish responsibly, as commercial fishing is currently depleting Turkey’s stock of this precious natural resource. You should pay attention to the size/age of the fish; by throwing back young, immature fish, you will give them a chance to reproduce before being caught or eaten. Unfortunately, Turkish regulations stipulate minimum lengths that are well below those of mature adult fish. Greenpeace Turkey, through its campaign known as Seninki Kaç Santim (How many centimeters is yours?), provides a handy ruler showing the proper lengths for the following local species: hamsi, tekir (striped red mullet), istavrit, barbunya (red mullet), mezgit (whiting), lüfer (bluefish), levrek (sea bass), palamut (bonito), and kalkan (turbot). You can download a pdf version of this ruler from the campaign’s website (www.kacsantim.org) or pick one up at Greenpeace’s Istanbul office in Asmalımescit.

Take a walk over the Galata Bridge from Eminönü to Karaköy, in fair weather or foul, andyou can’t miss the fishermen standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder on the bridge’s pedestrian walkway, their fishing rods tied to the rails of the bridges. Here, at the city’s most well-known fishing spot, you will also see educational murals painted by the Istanbul municipality, showing the names and pictures of different local fish. Some of these you may already know from the dinner table: hamsi (anchovy), sardalya (sardine), and istavrit (horse mackerel). It’s likely you’ll also see live samples swimming around in the plastic containers the fishermen use to preserve their catch.

The geography of Istanbul – particularly the differences in temperature and salinity between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean – make the waterways surrounding the city especially abundant in fish. Schools of fish pass through the Bosphorus with great regularity, and those who spend a few hours fishing are unlikely to come back empty-handed.

If you’re tempted to purchase a rod and try your hand at fishing, you’ll be spoiled for choice in terms of places to cast your bait. The Golden Horn – the estuary that runs below the Galata Bridge – has seen a great reduction in pollution over the past few decades, and if you are set on fishing here, then by all means do so. If you’d like a spot with smaller crowds, and possibly cleaner water, there are many stretches of the Bosphorus, Marmara Sea, and Black Sea that are suitable for fishing.

On the Asian side, you could fish on the Marmara Seacoast (just be sure not to impale the rollerbladers in Suadiye or the couples making out in Moda with your hook.) Numerous spots along the Asian side of the Bosphorus are also suitable: the Kuleli Askeri Lisesi in Çengelköy, Kandilli a bit further up the coast, Kanlıca (in Beykoz), or Anadolu Kavağı, at the meeting point of the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. On the European side, you could try Yeniköy, Aşiyan, Arnavutköy, Tarabya, Büyükdere, Rumelihisarı (all on the Bosphorus); or Rumelifeneri, an underrated spot on the Black Sea, with a picturesque old castle, and cows and bulls milling about.

As a stranger (to Turkey, to the neighborhood, and perhaps to fishing), you can expect a mild sort of camaraderie from local fishermen, but don’t think they’ll drop everything (so to speak) and spend all their time helping you. You need to come prepared with your own fishing gear. A good place to buy what you need is Tahtakale, roughly definable as the part of Eminönü behind the Mısır Çarsısı and Rüstempaşa Camii. Similarly, the backstreets of Karaköy on the opposite side of the bridge, around the Yeraltı Cami, teem with shops selling fishing rods, hooks, sinkers...everything you need for an afternoon of fishing. As for bait, if you are fishing on the Galata Bridge you will see itinerant bait-sellers peddling their wares there all day long.

Don’t worry if you don’t catch enough fish to make up a full dinner. Go with a friend or two, take along some things to eat and drink, and enjoy the ambience of your chosen fishing spot – that’s half the fun.

Where to Eat

Fes Cafe: Located just outside of the bazaar by the Nuruosmaniye Entrance, the second branch of this gem of a café offers an extensive menu, including main courses and alcoholic drinks. Choices include salads, sandwiches, desserts, coffee, tea, juices, and cold beverages.

Aslan: Located just steps from the Bazaar, Aslan is an esnaf(tradesman) restaurant, specializing in Turkish home cooking. The selection of delicious hot and cold dishes changes daily in this casual eatery where the focus is on flavors rather than décor.

Havuzlu: A classic among Grand Bazaar restaurants, Havuzlu offers home-made meals, extensive vegetarian options as well as grilled meats and kebab varieties. Make sure you try their traditional Turkish desserts!

Where to Drink

Fes Cafe:When it’s time for a coffee break, head to Fes Cafe by the Old Bedesten, located in the heart of the Bazaar. This is the perfect place for a rejuvenating cup of tea or coffee, with tasty light meals to nibble away your exhaustion.

Şark Kahvesi:Revamp your energy with a cup of Turkish coffee at this traditional coffee house.

Whether you have your compulsive shopping under control or not, shopping at the Grand Bazaar is a must do in Istanbul.

With over 4000 stores under one roof, the Grand Bazaar is a retail-therapy dream come true! If you’re going to the Grand Bazaar to complete your list of “things to do in Istanbul” and not with the intention of shopping, we’ve got news for you: you’ve taken on an inhuman task: going to the Grand Bazaar equals shopping whether you like it or not.

So we’ve boiled it down to the best of the best, trying to save you some time and effort, and hopefully making your visit a little less chaotic and overwhelming.

But before we list our recommendations, here is what you need to know before you step in the Bazaar and start throwing your valuable dollars around.

First and foremost, don’t pressure yourself. Trying to see the entire Grand Bazaar in one afternoon is an unrealistic task. It’s more than likely that there won’t be enough time or you’ll get too tired. Once you accept this, you won’t rush from one shop to the next and you’ll get to enjoy the extraordinary shopping experience of the Bazaar.

And it’s not just the act of buying but the act of bargaining and chatting with sellers that make the Grand Bazaar experience so special and unique. You’ll see that the thousands of stores that are lined next to each other sell similar stuff; that’s why bargaining works and that’s why customer service is crucial. But it’s not for the sake of customer service that shop owners chat away with customers and offer them tea—that’s just the Turkish way of welcoming visitors.

Although the Grand Bazaar often feels like an overwhelming sensory-overload, especially for first-timers, there are a few ways of making the experience smoother. You’ll quickly notice that once you lay your hands on a product, regardless of whether you have the intentions of buying it or not, the shop keeper will “attack” you, trying to close the sale. This is a typical scenario on the main streets of the Bazaar, so we suggest you begin your trip on the side streets where things are bit calmer. Also, keep in mind that the shop keepers of the best shops won’t “harass” you to buy their products. Speaking of harassment, you’re more than likely to witness men bantering with bazaar-goers, especially women. Some do see this as harassment, but this is just the character of the place. If you hear anyone cracking a joke, just laugh it off and don’t take it seriously.

Keep in mind that light and playful bargaining is accepted but don’t get aggressive. If you change your mind or don’t like the way the bargaining is going, just leave and move on to the next shop.

Having digested all this information, you’re now ready to shop away. Even though we tell you the best spots in the Bazaar, you should still rummage your way through the Bazaar just for the fun of it. And remember that this list doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what the Grand Bazaar has to offer but it does steer you in the right direction.

Carpets & Kilims:With the new airport regulations, you’ll be pushing your luck if you try to squeeze a rug or kilim in your luggage. But that surely won’t stop you from buying one at the Grand Bazaar. We suggest you head directly to Şişko Osman. A fourth-generation family business, the store features a wide selection of carpets and kilims chosen from all over the country, at all price ranges. Another fourth-generation family business is Ahmet Hazım, featuring a good selection of patchwork kilims and rugs in addition to those with contemporary and traditional designs. Ethnicon stands for two things: ethnic and contemporary. And the store offers just that.You’ll find unique, hand-woven carpets and kilims made with a range of colors. Most designs are modeled on existing kilims, with special attention paid to details like tassels. Along a similar vein is Dhoku, another carpet & kilim store by Ethnicon’s owner, specializing in contemporary designs.

Leather:If you’re after high-quality leather goods at considerably reasonable prices (when compared to the stores in high-end neighborhoods), stop by Koç Deri. Prepare to spend a considerable amount of time trying on anything from classic leather jackets to chic fur coats. For a more minimalist take on leather, stop by Punto Deri.

Turkish Textiles and Goodies:Head to Abdulla for all-natural products, including towels, blankets from Southeast Anatolia, peştemals, and shawls. You’ll also find pure olive oil soaps and bath accessories, such as kese (scrub mitt). Similar to Abdulla is Derviş, whichboasts a colorful range of secondhand clothing that are in fact ‘sandık eskileri’—clothing from the treasure chests of people’s homes from all over Anatolia and, therefore, with a little history. You’ll also find soaps, olive oil, and necklaces made out of karanfil (cloves). Sivaslı Istanbul Yazmacısı features a lovely collection of scarves, stockings, gloves, and other ethnic goodies, mostly handmade and featuring Turkish motifs. Cocoon carries traditional weave hats, tops, accessories, rugs, and textiles from Anatolia as well as Central Asia and Persia.

Antiques:You’ll find tons of antiques and antique-looking objects at the Grand Bazaar. It’s standard practice to try to sell antique-looking stuff as antique, so you need to know that where you’re going is trustworthy. Sofa is one such store, a collector’s heaven, featuring antiques, books, art, furniture, sculptures, and much much more. Everything has a feeling of contemporary meets the not-so-contemporary, which makes the pieces even that much more beautiful and enchanting. Prints, maps, ceramics, miniatures, calligraphy, antique rugs, silver, and contemporary art are all to be found, along with books on Turkey, cookbooks, and CDs. It is like a mini Bazaar in itself, with less hassle! Khaftan Arts and Antique carries everything from ceramics, antique, and Ottoman textiles to old prints, maps, and rare books.

Jewelry:You’ll find loads of jewelry stores around the Bazaar and you will be tempted over and over again. For a blend of ancient art and modern influences, see Hilat's collection of handcrafted gold jewelry. If you’re after something chic and sophisticated, have a look at contemporary jewelry designer Örge Tulga’s creations. Using silver, gold, and a wide variety of semi-precious stones, Tulga designs simple and elegant pieces, often inspired by shapes in nature. But if you’re going for something over-the-top, jeweler Sevan Bıçakçı is your man.

Gifts and Souvenirs:Obviously, you can’t go back home empty handed. You’ll want to buy something to take back with you—either to give as a gift to a friend or to keep for yourself. A relative newcomer to the bazaar, Sasanna Tasarım carries a range of elegant and tasteful gift items. Home and office accessories are produced using high-quality natural materials, such as marble and copper, and embellished with traditional Turkish motifs, making this an ideal place to find gifts. İznik Art specializes in çini (traditional Turkish pottery and tiles)from the western city of Iznik. Iznik tiles are famous the world over, andare ornately decorated in turquoiseand coral-red floral motifs. This storeproduces a wide range of high-qualitytiles and decorative objects in traditionalpatterns, including bowls, jugs, vases, and even mosque lamps.

We’re definitely not suggesting that you shouldn’t visit Istanbul every year, but the second option is probably more practical and cost-effective. And that’s why a cooking class at ICI is must do!

An educational and vocational center that was established in 2008 by Hande Bozdoğan, Istanbul Culinary Institute (ICI) offers professional certificate programs as well as amateur cooking classes (taught by ICI instructor chefs as well as guest chefs) in their modern building in the heart of Beyoğlu.

Their monthly schedule includes several Turkish cooking classes. In June, there were two classes on offer by Guest Chef Pamela Deniz De Andria; one was Turkish Cuisine (where participants learned to make black-eyes peas salad and zucchini cooked in olive oil among other dishes), and the other one was Mezzes/Summer Appetizers (where the menu included sea bass ceviche with pink peppercorns and mashed broad beans with dill).

No need to worry if ICI doesn’t have a Turkish cooking class to your liking while you’re in Istanbul—you can book a private class or group class (of at least 5 people). In fact, that’s how most visitors go about learning the art of Turkish cooking at ICI.

If you’re serious about learning the tricks of Turkish cuisine, their 5-day crash course is a great option. Last year’s menu included mantı(Turkish dumplings stuffed with meat), artichoke cooked in olive oil,eggplant salad, rice pilaf with tomatoes, apricot compote, Turkish coffee, and much more! The crash course is likely to be offered again this August but if it’s not, you can arrange for such a crash course to be organized for you and your friends.

To give you an idea about how ICI courses work, The Guide team embarked on a cooking adventure of its own.

Here is what happened.

Taught by guest chef Laçin Behlil, the menu of the Impressive Dishes course included shrimp with garlic and feta cheese sauce, baked sea bass with olive and bell peppers, potatoes with bay leaf, and baked pears with sweet wine sauce. There were 5 participants, including the two of us from the Guide, and the atmosphere was very friendly and intimate. Don’t worry if you’re not experienced, this is not a competitive environment at all.

The 2.5-hour class kicked off with each person introducing themselves. In no time, we had our aprons on and were standing by our designated spots to get going. In some classes, participants form pairs to tackle the recipes. During our course, we didn’t work in pairs; instead, each participant was assigned a separate task, such as chopping garlic, cutting potatoes, or preparing the sauce. Certain time-consuming preparations, such as deboning the fish, were done by the assistants prior to the class starting time. All ingredients used in the class were high quality and fresh, including the impressively large shrimp.

It was surely a hands-on course and it was taught in such a way that even the most inexperienced cooks could keep up. As we cut, chopped, and mixed ingredients, the chef kept on giving us little tricks and tips on how to alter the recipe—which is probably one of the best aspects of taking a cooking class because most cook books will give you a recipe without offering you any varieties. If you like to play it safe, you can take a course to learn how to make a fantastic dish so that when you have guests over you know that you’ll be able to impress.

After we were done with the cooking, we all sat at the table, sipping our choice of red or white wine, chatting away, and waiting for the oven to do its magic. Once everything was ready and the food was served, silence took over for a few minutes: we were all very hungry but also amazed at how marvelous the dishes had turned out.

If you’re after a great learning experience and an enjoyable evening, the amateur classes are definitely for you. Call ICI when you’re in Istanbul (or even before you arrive) to book a spot at one of their cooking classes or reserve a time for a private/group class. You’ll see that it is a great investment—one that will pay off months after you leave as you’ll be able to cook great Turkish food at home.

The bookings depend on the availability of chefs and the ICI kitchen. Most instructor chefs can teach in English, but it’s safer to call in advance to let them know that you’ll be needing instructions in English. If the chef doesn’t speak English, there will be an assistant present who can translate. The prices for monthly courses are approximately 120 TL. If you’re after a private or group course, you will be given a separate price. Ask them about team-building, corporate cooking courses, and gift certificates. Call (0212) 251 22 14 for more information and to register.

A bit of history…

The Egyptian Bazaar, a.k.a The Spice Bazaar and Mısır Çarşısıin Turkish is one of the oldest bazaars in the city – second only to the Grand Bazaar or Kapalıçarşı. Due to the fact that many spices were imported from Egypt during the Ottoman period, the name Mısır Çarşısı was favored by the public. On occasion, the name has been incorrectly translated as “Corn Bazaar” as the word mısır in Turkish means both Egypt and corn. The Egyptian Bazaar was and still is the center for Istanbul’s rich spice trade.

Designed by Koca Kasım Ağa, the chief Ottoman court architect, it was later completed by architect Mustafa in 1660. The building itself is part of the complex of the New Mosque (Yeni Cami), with the rents collected from the shops originally intended to help pay for the upkeep of the Mosque.

The location…

Located to the right at the southern end of the Galata Bridge on the Golden Horn in the Eminönü district, it is located next to the New Mosque (Yeni Cami).

The complex…

The market is L-shaped, 5,000 square meters in size, with six entrances and approximately 100 shops.

The shops…

Spices, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, tea, coffee, lokum (Turkish Delights) along with other edibles (deli meats, cheese, caviar, etc.) fill most of the shops, although jewelry, clothing, handbags, souvenirs and other high-end goods are also available.

Some recommendatıons…

Arifoğlu was established in 1944. The repertoire of products includes spices, medicinal herbs and shampoos, oils (avocado, bitter almond, jojoba, rosemary, etc.), tea and honey among others.

Galeri Set is a gift shop selling handmade replicas of objects (cups, trays, bowls, etc.) from the Ottoman period (16^th to 19^th century) using the original gold leaf and colors of the period. The Ottoman-style handcrafted Turkish coffee cups are especially beautiful.

Güllüoğlu was established in Gaziantep in 1871 and is a major purveyor of baklava, but also carries a variety of other desserts (milk puddings, halvah, etc.). The Güllüoğlu brand is independently managed by three brothers and the branch at the Egyptian Bazaar is not affiliated with the branch in Karaköy. A wide selection of baklava (plain, nuts, carrot, etc.) is available but the favorite here is the chestnut (kestane)baklava.

Malatya Pazarı was founded in Malatya in 1932 and carries dried fruit, nut, herbs, spices and regional delicacies (carob, oleaster, mulberry paste) among others.

Sufi Art carries a very nice selection of high quality jewelry, artwork, porcelain and more crafted by a variety of Turkish designers, and includes Özlem Tuna’s Turkish coffee cups and trays.

The vendors…

The majority of the shopkeepers and their staff can converse with you in almost any language you can think of! Besides English, most can speak French, Russian, Italian and Spanish. Don’t forget, bargaining is ‘par for the course’ at most shops!

The neighbors…

When you enter from the main entrance and make your first right at the end of the street next to Malatya Pazarı to exit, the smell of freshly ground Turkish coffee wafting from Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi greets you. As you head right back towards the main square, both sides of the one-block street are covered with cheese shops, fishmongers and butchers. Open since 1901, Pandeli is a landmark and specializes in Turkish and Greek cuisine. Steps from the market is the 20-plus year-old Hamdi Steak House. The 3-story eatery specializes in meats and kebabs and has a lovely view of the Haliç Bay.

IDO (Istanbul Deniz Otobüsleri/Istanbul Sea Buses & Fast Ferries Co. Inc.) offers two types of tours to discover the Bosphorus: the Full Bosphorus Tour and the Short Circle Bosphorus Tour. The Full Bosphorus Tour, which lasts approximately six hours, departs from Eminönü going all the way to the tip of the Black Sea. You can get on or off the ferry at various stops along the way to explore sights of interest in detail. The Short Circle Tour, which lasts approximately two hours, departs from Eminönü and goes as far as Istinye on the European side and Çubuklu on the Asian side before turning back. (Visit www.ido.com.tr/en/ for departure times and fares.)

For a more luxurious option, rent one of Plan Tours’ yachts for a private lunch or dinner cruise. For a truly unique experience, cruise and dine on the elegantly-decorated, 33-meter wooden yacht Süreyya V.

For a sultanesque experience, explore the Bosphorus with Sultan Kayıkları (Sultan’s Boats), replicas of Ottoman-style boats that Sultans used to travel with. Powered by 12 rowers, these 31-meter-long boats are made of woodwork, golden embellishments, and feature imperial sofas covered with rich, red fabrics. You can choose to have a private tour or join a scheduled one up the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.