24 hours in Istanbul

What to do during a long layover in Istanbul? 

Continuing my trip from Iran to Egypt I had a 24H stop over in Istanbul so I had a super packed schedule...one thing I didn't forecast was a heavy snow fall. This didn't stop me exploring the city...and most certainly didn't stop me  eating all the delicious Turkish food.

These are some recommendations on the things I have seen or done during my short stay.

1) Taking a ferry to the asian part of Istanbul is a must! I really like this area, there is a nice atmosphere and it is less touristy compared to the European side. Here I went to a local turkish bath which is located 5 minutes from the Kadıköy ferry terminal! This was AMAZING considering the cold and the snow that was outside. This place is a local turkish bath so it is not super easy to find and for this reason not so touristy....actually when I went there the first time I was the only one using the hamam. Don't expect a luxury SPA as it is a local turkish bath but still very authentic. the price was  20 TL for entrance fee and 25 TL for massage + scrub. The owner doesn't speak english but it is very easy to understand what to do. They will give you a little changing room where you can store your bag/valuables then you go to the hamam where you can also opt for a turkish massage and scrub. The whole experience was great and I came back the day after :) The hamam is called Azizia Bath and it is  located at this address:  Rasimpaşa Mahallesi, Recaizade Sk. 17/19, 34416 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Turkey

 

2) Food and more food. Too many options and I might have had too many kebabs! So nice and so cheap! 

3) Street Art: I found many great pieces of street art in the side roads near Istiklal Avenue. So if you are into street art like me, explore this area and you will find many great pieces.