Eminönü

Delightful Barge Bites 

Eminönü begins at the mouth of the Golden Horn, where a veritable fleet of ferries sail in and out around the clock. Along the docks is also one of the remnants of old İstanbul - the fish stalls. The uniquely decorated little barges bob up and down with the waves and on the barge itself, they grill and roast the catches of the day.  

Here, day in and day out, expert grillers offer hundreds of delicious balık ekmek, fresh fish straight from the Bosphorus, grilled swiftly and to perfection sprinkled with lettuce and onions on half a loaf of fresh bread. With so many of these barges docked, it is impossible to walk by without your nostrils flaring with delight for a little halftime snack while you stroll. These half sandwiches are an inexpensive and delicious meal in İstanbul, which can be seasoned with lemon juice and salt to your taste. 

In the rapidly changing world of modern İstanbul, these treasures of Turkish culture that take you and your senses on a remarkable journey are a wonderful insight into how we used to trade and shop. But nothing prepares you for the riches of smell and taste as you journey through the Eminönü quarter. The smell of the freshly ground Turkish coffee wafting through the passages. The unique smell and taste of the spice drizzled olives and sizzling kokoreç, döner or dürüm. The hustle and bustle and calls of the shopkeepers who welcome you and entice you.

Seeing the colourful mountains of spices that look meticulous in the stands like a vibrance of paint on a canvas. Feel the weight of centuries-old Turkish culture and cuisine. The Eminönü quarter for centuries and still is İstanbul’s greatest hidden gem - the place where culture, cuisine, and holiday memories merge into one unforgettable experience across three very different bazaars. 

The Merchants’ Home from Home  

After visiting the edible delights of Eminönü, you can walk up to the old Hans. These two-storey square buildings were home to travelling merchants in Ottoman times. They kept their goods and animals downstairs while living in the rooms upstairs. Today, many of the local tea brewers, or Çaycılar, work out of holes in the walls of these often-abandoned dwellings. Enjoy a glass of finely brewed Turkish tea while sitting in the courtyard of an old house. The Büyük Valide Han is the last remaining part of the area around the Grand Bazaar where you can still climb to the roof and view old İstanbul from a remarkable vantage point.