A day in Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

Golden Hour - Bosphorus waterfront

Warm gold lies across the water and warms the stone under my hand. I move slowly along the promenade as the light fades. Istanbul sits across the Bosphorus between two continents, and April to May or October to November are the kind months for walking.

Golden Hour - Grand Bazaar entrance

Lantern light pools on the cobbles beneath the ornate archway ahead of me. I smile and step closer as the evening gathers over the street. Visitors do well in comfortable, modest layers, because the maritime breezes shift quickly across the city.

Golden Hour - Grand Bazaar corridor

Coloured lamp light breaks across the carpets in this long corridor. I wander between the stalls and keep looking up at the mosaic glass. Woven silks, rich brocades and intricate embroideries once marked status and regional origin in Ottoman textiles.

Golden Hour - spice stall

The dry scent of red paprika rises from the open sack under my hand. I pause at the stall and sift the warm powder between my fingers. An esnaf lokantası serves home-style meat stews, lentil soup, vegetable dishes and desserts.

Golden Hour - stone courtyard

Cool stone and the scent of bougainvillea fill this courtyard under the Ottoman arches. I look up and follow the curve of each arch in the late light. Topkapı Palace was the main home of the Ottoman sultans for centuries, with courtyards, a treasury and a tiled harem.

Golden Hour - mosque courtyard

Cold marble meets my palm at the fountain while the first stars show. I pass the fountain and cross the quiet courtyard under the early night sky. Fresh grilled mackerel in a crusty roll with lettuce, onion and lemon is the waterfront snack called balık-ekmek.

Night - waterfront promenade

Night air cools my face as I turn toward the dark water. I smile, with the Hagia Sophia only a black shape behind me. The Galata Tower, a medieval Genoese stone tower on the northern shore of the Golden Horn in Beyoğlu, looks over the Bosphorus and the old city.