Nothing beats wandering the streets of Istanbul on a fresh Spring Day. Do as the locals do and grab a Simit(Turkish bagel) from one of the iconic red carts that dot the streets of Turkey. Start your day by watching the fishermen catch fish as you cross Galata Bridge. This bridge is at the mouth of the Golden Horn and under the bridge you will find many fish restaurants and bars. You will then come to Karakoy an area located by the Bosphorus. Once the financial heart of the city it is now home to trendy bars, cafes and shops. The Museum of Modern Art

Galata Tower towers(sorry !) over Beyoglu,s skyline as you climb the steep steps to Galata Square. Alternatively, you can take the funicular from Karakoy to Tunel and walk down to Galata. If you wish to visit Galata Tower you will be rewarded with fantastic views of Istanbul. Continue on your journey upto Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue) which is the main thoroughfare in Istanbul. Take a tram but it,s nice to stroll and browse. You will pass many International brands but it,s good to visit the various passageways(Pasaj in Turkish). Cicek Pasaj(Flower Passage) is roughly half way up Istiklal street and is one of the first European style buildings constructed in the 19th century. This is a very popular Meyhane spot in the evening. Meyhanes are restaurants that serve Mezes and Raki. Nearby is Nevizade famous for it,s fish market, fish restaurants and bars. This gets very lively at night time.

Back to Istiklal as we approach Taksim Square the location of the Republic Monument. This is a very busy square and there is also a Metro station here. I would turn right here past the Doner restaurants and head to Cihangir popular with Istanbul’s expat community. Luckily it’s downhill. From there you can go to Cukurcuma and browse the Antique stores and vintage stores. If you are a fan of Orhan Pamuk visit The Museum of Innocence which houses all the artifacts from the novel of the same name. You are almost back to where you started from so a visit to a bar or café in Karakoy is the pefect ending to a day spent wandering the streets of Istanbul.

Recommended Istanbul Books:

Istanbul and Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk.

Inspector Ikmen series by crime writer Barbara Nadel