Istanbul City Guide

I first arrived in Istanbul in 2012, drawn by something intangible: perhaps the layered history, the chaos, the beauty, or the sense that every stone had a story. Over the years, Istanbul has become more than a place I visit or work in; it’s a part of my life’s rhythm. I’ve lived here, made jewellery in its Grand Bazaar, shared countless breakfasts in its backstreets, and built friendships that have spanned oceans and decades. This guide is a love letter to a city that has shaped me deeply, a curated collection of favourites…from ancient hamams and neighbourhood cafés to local makers, hidden bookstores, and fish restaurants by the sea. I hope this guide helps you feel Istanbul the way I do: as a living, breathing muse that always has something more to reveal.

Cleopatra’s Bling was born inside the atmospheric stone walls of the Grand Bazaar. After moving to Istanbul in 2012, I immersed myself in the traditional arts of jewellery-making, learning to carve wax and cast metal by hand. What started as a personal exploration became a brand shaped by this city’s textures, sounds, rituals, and relics. Many of our earliest pieces were made using techniques passed down through generations in the Bazaar’s workshops, methods that still guide our practice today. The jewellery carries whispers of Ottoman motifs, Roman relics, and Anatolian stones, transformed into wearable heirlooms. Istanbul, especially the Grand Bazaar, remains the heartbeat of Cleopatra’s Bling.

Whenever I return to Istanbul, I stay at the Hotel Ibrahim Pasha – Terzihane Sk. No:5, Sultanahmet. It is a charming and quiet boutique hotel with a beautiful rooftop terrace and views of the Blue Mosque. It is walking distance from many of my favourite spots in the Old City and always feels like home.

This themed playlist is perfect for transporting you to Istanbul, no flight required.

It's songs collected by playlist curator Hannah from our Turkish team members Kerem and Oylum, as well as Olivia herself, from the tunes that they most love and associate with the ancient city. 

Listen here.

Cihangir is a residential area near Taksim Square, where I lived for about three years. It’s home to many artists and creatives. The tea shop in front of the Firuzağa Mosque is nicknamed ‘the teashop of the artists’. Çukurcuma is known for its antique shops and beautiful architecture. I love meeting friends here for breakfast or coffee. The antique shops are well curated and inspiring for home decor.

• Journey Cafe: Our favourite spot with healthy food, vegetarian options, raw ginger shots, espresso, and scrambled eggs on chia bread.
• Cuma Cafe: Delicious brunch, especially their Çılbır (poached eggs with garlic yogurt).
• Solera: A small wine shop near Galatasaray Lisesi with a wide selection of Turkish wines at good prices.

• Çukurcuma Antikacılar: Spend hours browsing antique shops near the local hamam.
• Sofistic Kovboy Çizme / Erdal Aydın: Handmade cowboy boots by Erdal and Erhan, inspired by 80s comic books.

• Twins Coffee Roasters: Great coffee near Taksim.
• Old Java Coffee Galata: Perfect for good coffee and working remotely.

Karaköy sits at the edge of the Golden Horn, a quarter shaped by centuries of trade and quiet maritime industry. In recent years it has become a site of small galleries, cafés, and workshops that lend the neighbourhood a measured creative rhythm. Walking uphill from the waterfront leads into Pera, once the diplomatic district of the late Ottoman world, where nineteenth century façades rise over narrow streets. Şişhane marks the point where these layers of history fold into one another, its steep lanes lined with bookshops, design studios, and long established artisans. From here the route towards Beyoğlu and Taksim gathers a steady pulse, with theatres, passageways, and meeting places that have anchored generations of urban life. I often wander this route for the mixture of old and new, and for the sense of continuity that threads through each district.

• Zübeyir Ocakbaşı – Bekar Sk. No:28, Beyoğlu. A must for grilled meat dishes like Urfa kebab and lamb şiş.
• Asmalı Cavit – Asmalı Mescit Cd. No:16/D, Beyoğlu. Classic meyhane for rakı and mezze.
• Sakarya Tatlıcısı – Sakarya Cd. No:10, Beyoğlu. Open late. Famous for ekmek kadayıfı with kaymak.
• Helvetia – General Yazgan Sk. No:8, Beyoğlu. One of my favourite lunch spots for home-style Turkish food.
• EMI Cafe – Mis Sk. No:15/A, Beyoğlu. Sweet café run by a lovely Russian lady.
• 1234 Istanbul – A classic Russian restaurant. Very nostalgic feel.

• Salpa Sahaf and Bookstore – Offers a beautiful collection of Turkish and English-translated titles.
• Turcalibris Bookstore – A hidden gem full of international, design, and architecture books.
• Petra Roasting Co. – Meşrutiyet Cad. No:84A, Şişhane. Great coffee and ideal for working on your laptop.

This is the spiritual and historical heart of Istanbul. Beyazıt is one of the city’s oldest quarters and home to the iconic Istanbul University, Beyazıt Square, and of course, the Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı). Built shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in the mid-15th century, the Bazaar began as a vaulted warehouse (Bedesten) and expanded into a sprawling labyrinth of over 4,000 shops, inns, workshops, and storied corners. It has withstood fires, earthquakes, and empires, and today it remains one of the oldest continuously operating markets in the world. For me, it was more than a market. It was a classroom, a studio, and a sanctuary. The Grand Bazaar shaped Cleopatra’s Bling’s earliest collections, and its atmosphere still fuels my creative intuition.

• Aslan Restaurant – Mollafenari Mah. Vezirhan Cd. No:66, Fatih. My go-to lunch inside the Grand Bazaar.
• Görele Pide Şakir Usta – Excellent pide in nearby Laleli. Dönerci Şahin Usta – Yeniçeriler Cd. No:6. One of the most popular döner stalls in town.
• Ortaklar Kebab and Restaurant – Divanyolu Cd. No:70/A, Çemberlitaş. Great for classic kebab plates.
• Meşhur Unkapanı Pilavcısı – Pilav with shredded chicken and ayran. Add red pepper and pickles.
• Boris’in Yeri – Çarşıkapı Mah. Yeniçeriler Cad. No:41, Fatih. Traditional Turkish breakfast spot.

• Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir – Hamidiye Cd. No:6, Sirkeci. The original lokum shop near the Spice Market. Try the dark chocolate-coated orange and helva. 
• Eyüp Sıhhat Muhallebicisi – Balat. Ideal for tavuk göğsü and kazandibi.
• Göreme Muhallebicisi – Katip Kasım Mah. Langa Hisar Cad. No:77, Fatih. All milk-based desserts here are fantastic.
• Arıoğulları Petek Turşuları – Historic pickle shop near Eminönü.
• Pelit Turşuları – Grab a cup of pickles and drink the juice to-go.

• Grand Bazaar / Kapalıçarşı – My creative home base. Explore different hans.
• Şemo Antik (Semo Halıcılık) – Yağlıkçılar Cd., Dış Cebeci Han No:19/1, Kapalıçarşı. My friend Aziz’s carpet and antique shop.
• Azizoğlu Antik – Çadırcılar Caddesi, Lütfullah Sokak No:30, Fatih, Istanbul. Run by my dear friend Ismail. Genuine antiques from various periods.
• Vefa Bozacısı – Katip Çelebi Mah. Vefa Cd. No:66, Fatih. Serves “boza,” a fermented winter drink, with cinnamon and chickpeas.
• Cağaloğlu Hamamı – Yerebatan Cd. No:34. Built in 1741, one of Istanbul’s oldest Turkish baths.

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