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Wintertime. The restaurant/tea garden spot at the wildly popular Topaki Palace Park over looks the shipping lanes of the Bosphorus Strait. PillartoPost.org photo. |
SARAYBURNU ÇAY
BAHÇESI
Aptly
named after the ‘nose of the palace’, this tea garden (above) offers a sultan’s view of
the Bosphorus from the tip of the historic peninsula. Sitting in the shadow of
the iconic Topkapı Palace, the only drawback of Sarayburnu Çay Bahçesi’s
location would be its proximity to tourist sites. Nonetheless, the garden
offers one of the rare views from the historic peninsula, and provides respite
for weary sightseers and those wishing to see the Bosphorus from every possible
angle.
PIERRE LOTI
Located
in one of Istanbul’s most historic and culturally charged spots is Pierre Loti (above),
known both as a popular tea garden and as the dwelling place of the French
novelist by the same name. The contrasting environment characterizing the area
could not be more pronounced – at the bottom of the hill lies the Eyüp Sultan
Mosque, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Turkey, where a companion
of the Prophet Muhammad is thought to have been buried after the unsuccessful
Arab siege of Constantinople in the 7th century. Pierre Loti, on the other
hand, is most famous for his vividly descriptive writing epitomized in Ayizadé,
a pseudo-biographical novel featuring the French naval officer’s love affair
with a Circassian harem girl while stationed in Istanbul. Today, Pierre Loti is
in itself a destination, perched atop a hillside graveyard dotted with marble
gravestones and swaying cypress trees.
BEBEK KAHVE
Bebek
Kahve is one of Istanbul’s premiere locations to brush shoulders with high
society. Their polished clientele is matched in grandeur only by the
neighborhood’s sublime setting on a calm cove along the Bosporus. Bebek Kahve’s
setting is perfect to people watch or gaze at ships traversing the Bosporus.
Bebek offers a vantage of beautiful nature on both sides of the water, with
large houses and quaint palaces dotting the waterside.
ÇENGELKÖY ÇINARALTI
Located
right on the Bosporus, patrons of the Çengelköy Çinaraltı (above) might be met with the
splash of waves in their eagerness to secure the rare waterfront perch. Having
garnered fame as the set for many a Turkish soap opera, this cafe easily has
the seating capacity for several casting crews. Open all hours of the day, the
cafe takes its name from a couple of hundred year old sycamore trees casting
shade over the massive grounds.
DOLMABAHÇE ÇAY
BAHÇESI
With
it’s royal aura, and a privatized waterfront nestled in the shadow of a
beautiful marble clock tower at the gates of The Dolmabahçe Palace, this tea
garden is an ideal spot to take in the sunrise as it envelopes the horizon of
the Marmara Sea and the Prince’s Islands in the distance. The Dolmabahçe’s tea
garden is also a relaxing place to take in the atmosphere of the Ottoman
dynasty’s first attempt to create a Westernized palace along the Bosporus
waterfront.
FIRUZAĞA KAHVESI
Istanbul’s
most fashionable spot to sip tea is a crowded garden tucked behind the 500-year
old Firuzağa Mosque. Known by locals simply as çaycı or the tea server,
Firuzağa Kahvesi sits on the corner of one of the busiest intersections,
connecting the trendy Cihangir neighborhood to Istanbul’s arterial Taksim
Square. Firuzağa Kahvesi is a surprisingly democratic cornerstone to Cihangir’s
otherwise elite range of trendy restaurants, cafes and coiffeurs. Old
neighborhood residents, chic young Turks and many of Istanbul’s expats flock to
this bustling tea garden.
MODA ÇAY BAHÇESI
A
sprawling tea garden perched on a hill above the Bosphorus, Moda’s tea garden
is one of the city’s most popular destinations. A scenic ferry boat ride away
from the bustling hubs of the historic peninsula, Galata and Taksim, Moda and
its environs are a welcome alternative to Istanbul’s busy central district and
its tea garden is perhaps one of the most serene parts of inner-city Istanbul.
Like the neighborhood which it adjoins, Moda Çay Bahçesi is calm yet
cosmopolitan, with a westward facing view of the Marmara Sea, ideal for sunsets
and Sunday afternoons.
Named
after a 17th century Safavid Persian army commander who resettled in Istanbul,
Emirgan has served as a relaxing garden (above) repose for centuries. Today, the
historic ambiance of the locale lives on in the Emirgan Park and the adjacent
tea garden with views of the second bridge crossing the Bosphorus. Nearby is
the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, famous for its collection of traditional Turkish art.
ÜSKÜDAR WATERFRONT
For
Istanbul’s most breathtaking panorama, look no further than the modest stairs sandwiched
between the seaside road and the Bosphorus’ lapping waters along the Üsküdar
waterfront. These stairs leading down to the water are furnished with pillows
and cushions to add some comfort to the cement corniche, while attendants
shuttle back and forth offering simple drinks and snacks to customers. Located
directly opposite the historic peninsula and Galata, this waterfront hangout
boasts a beautiful landscape beginning with the Maiden’s Tower, stretching from
the spires of the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, along the spine of the historic
peninsula, over to the Galata Tower and eventually to Taksim Square and the
bright silhouettes of skyscrapers in the distance.
GRAND BAZAAR
Tourists,
hawkers, and locals come together at the
Grand
Bazaar to comb its labyrinthine passageways in
search
of a bargain – be it a pair of brand name
jeans,
a handcrafted silk rug, or a perfectly brewed
cup
of tea. Ask a vendor for the nearest tea server, a Bazaar waiter, who delivers tea while you shop anywhere inside. Outside the vast
bazaar, worn, narrow streets wind their way down from its lofty perch to
the
southern shore of the Golden Horn, where the
evocatively
aromatic Spice Bazaar beckons alongside
the
elegant New Mosque (opened in 1665). Nearby, the
famed
Galata Bridge offers pedestrian access to urban
delights
(and more tea) across the river in Istanbul’s more
residential
and contemporary neighbourhoods, while the
must-see
sights of Sultanahmet are but a leisurely
stroll
away
Article Sources:
Weaver’s
Coffee and Tea blog.
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/turkey/articles/istanbul-s-10-authentic-tea-gardens-and-outdoor-cafes/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Bazaar,_Istanbul
https://www.likealocalguide.com/istanbul/cafes
https://travelermaster.com/best-tea-gardens-istanbul/
www.pillartopost.org (photo).
www.pillartopost.org (photo).
Addendum:
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The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) transits the Bosphorus Strait. |
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