Spanning two continents and with a fascinating history stretching back to prehistoric times, it’s no wonder that Istanbul, a city of around 15 million people, has a plethora of unusual activities.
Want to explore Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar? Book Culture Trip’s 12-day TRIPS small-group tour to haggle for souvenirs and sip Turkish tea in one of the world’s largest indoor markets.
Visits to the iconic Hagia Sophia and the monumental Blue Mosque are a must, as is exploring the magnificent Topkapi Palace Complex. But make time between the biggies to enjoy Istanbul’s more idiosyncratic charms: doves flying past Byzantine palaces, monks circling at Orient Express stations, dawn rowing on the Golden Horn and Trotsky’s former home on the picturesque Prince’s Islands. Terry Richardson, author of the Rough Guide to Istanbul, lists his favourite offbeat activities to do in the city. We’ve picked out some fantastic experiences you can book now.
Watching monks circling at the end of the Orient Express
Followers of the Mevlevi sect, a Sufi sect founded by Mevlana (also known as Rumi) in the 13th century, are better known in the West as spinning dervishes. Watching them spin in sync to focus more clearly on God is a mesmerizing experience, especially with hypnotic traditional Sufi music playing in the background. The incongruous venue – the waiting room of the late 19th century Sirkeci train station, once the terminus of the legendary Paris-Constantinople-Orient Express – adds to the quirky charm. Terry Richardson
Rowing on the Golden Horn
While most tourists leaving Istanbul don’t board the city’s iconic ferries to cross Asia or cross the Bosphorus Strait that separates the continents, a select few get closer to the waters that run through the historic city centre. There’s something magical about paddling a lightweight rowboat along the tranquil waters of one of the world’s great natural harbours and watching the domes and minarets of the city’s skyline emerge from the darkness into the pink light of dawn. Find out how with Istanbul Tour Studio. Terry Richardson
1. Istanbul Hodjapasha Rhythm of the Dance Show
Historic monuments
Experience an exciting evening at the Rhythm of the Dance show at Istanbul’s Hodjapasha Cultural Center. This lively performance features belly dancers, harem dancing, folklore shows and glamorous costumes, enhanced with live music and 360-degree video projections. Held in a 15th-century hammam converted into a cultural venue, the show combines rich history with dynamic entertainment for a fun-filled experience that the whole family will enjoy. Book your tickets in advance to ensure you don’t miss out on this captivating show.
Become a culture tripper!
Sign up for our newsletter
Save up to $1,395 on our unique trips.
2. Ottoman Style Istanbul Hammam Turkish Bath with Drinks
Historic monuments
Experience a traditional Turkish bath in a 600-year-old hammam designed by the renowned architect of Topkapi Palace. Enjoy the luxury of a private room sanitized for your safety. Steam and scrub services are also available. Relax further with an optional massage and enjoy the convenience of round-trip private transport. This setting is perfect for architecture lovers and offers a customizable schedule for a stress-free, historic spa experience.
Go Underground in Istanbul’s Byzantine Cisterns
Of Istanbul’s remaining Byzantine (330-1453) cisterns, the most special is the cavernous and atmospherically illuminated Basilica Cistern, in the heart of the tourist-filled Sultanahmet district. For a slightly different experience, head to the recently renovated Selefiye Cistern, a forest of beautifully carved marble columns exquisitely lit and free to enter. Further afield, in the Fatih district, is Sultan Sarnici, whose brick vaults, marble columns and intricately carved capitals come to life on weekends with a variety of events. Also free to enter, just opposite is the enormous Aspar Cistern, once the city’s reservoir and now a bustling park. Terry Richardson
Sample fresh fish sandwiches by the Galata Bridge
Spanning the Golden Horn, linking the historic peninsula’s tourist sites with the bustling entertainment districts of Karaköy and Beyoglu, Galata Bridge and its surrounding areas are a microcosm of the city itself. Get to know its colorful inhabitants in Dutch author Geert Mak’s The Bridge. No visit to the city is complete without sampling a street fish sandwich: a charcoal-grilled fillet of mackerel tucked into a half loaf of fresh white spread, seasoned with onion, tomato, arugula and sumac. They are sold on boats and street stalls on the Eminönü and Karaköy sides for around €2. Terry Richardson
3. Turkish Mosaic Lamp Workshop by Mosaic Lamp Artist
Historic monuments
Create your own Turkish mosaic lamp at this creative workshop in Istanbul. Your instructor will assist you as you choose from over 50 glass colors. The experience includes unlimited tea and Turkish treats, so you can soak up the cultural atmosphere while you create. Choose from a variety of time slots to suit your schedule, and take home a unique, self-made lamp, beautifully packaged for transport.
Pigeons fall down, not walls.
Few pigeon markets in the world offer a more spectacular backdrop than the one in Istanbul’s Fatih district. Pigeon fanciers gather every Saturday in a dusty square next to the 5th-century Theodosian Walls (perhaps the largest and most successful of all time) and the once-grand Byzantine Palace of Porphyrogenitus. Prospective buyers carefully inspect their favourites. Not surprising, as these birds are mostly working-class men, and pigeons can sell for hundreds of dollars. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see the pigeons come into their own – not racing, but flipping through the air and performing other aerial acrobatics to the beat of their owners’ handclaps. Terry Richardson
Cigarette butts and Nobel Prize winners
He came into conflict with Turkish authorities for his outspoken views on Armenians and Kurds, and received death threats from ultranationalists for them. In 2006 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. It’s unclear what the mild-mannered Istanbul intellectual Orhan Pamuk makes of all this, but he certainly maintained a controversial record when he opened the quirky Museum of Innocence in Beyoglu’s trendy Cukurcuma district in 2012. Based on items featured in his page-long novel, The Museum of Innocence, hundreds of cigarette butts smoked by doomed lovers, the museum is a bold statement in a city that is much more conformist than it might seem at first glance. Terry Richardson
4. Two markets, two continents and a gourmet alley
Historic monuments
Take a full-day gourmet journey through Istanbul. Explore hidden gems and local favorites on both the European and Asian sides, including Karakoy, Kadikoy and Moda. This intimate small-group tour is limited to a maximum of seven people, ensuring a personalized experience. Discover the diverse flavors that define Istanbul’s rich food culture as you enjoy two meals, a variety of snacks and unlimited tea and coffee. Take a full-day gourmet journey through Istanbul. Explore hidden gems and local favorites on both the European and Asian sides, including Karakoy, Kadikoy and Moda. This intimate small-group tour is limited to a maximum of seven people, ensuring a personalized experience. Discover the diverse flavors that define Istanbul’s rich food culture as you enjoy two meals, a variety of snacks and unlimited tea and coffee.
5. Turkish Coffee Making and Fortune Telling Workshop
Historic monuments
Immerse yourself in the rich tradition of Turkish coffee on this interactive experience in Istanbul. Start with a cultural presentation on the history of coffee, then take part in a hands-on workshop where you’ll use a cezve to grind your own beans and brew your own coffee. Enjoy a coffee talk and a fortune-telling session based on the powder in your cup. At the end of the session, you’ll take home a Turkish coffee set with everything you need to recreate the experience.
Find Trotsky’s house on the “Big Island”
Many are familiar with Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky’s years in exile in Mexico (and eventual assassination), due in part to his association with artist Frida Kahlo. But what is less known is that he spent four years on Büyük Ada (literally “Big Island”) in the Sea of Marmara. Today, it’s just an hour’s ferry ride from Istanbul, a hilly, pine-covered island known for its fin de siècle houses, horse-drawn carriages and bathing beaches. Yanaros Mansion, where he wrote A History of the Russian Revolution, is currently vacant and crumbling, waiting for a buyer. It may one day become a museum. Identifying the house is an adventure in itself. Terry Richardson
