February 14, 2013

Florence Neighborhood Guide

by Steven Brenner

Overview of the city

I can’t stress enough how easy it is to visit Florence – it’s small, it’s flat, it’s more pedestrian than car-centric, and everything you want to see is within walking distance.  You won’t need public transportation or taxis and you won’t need to worry too much about whether you’re central enough.

To a Florentine, the city would encompass a much greater area than I will detail here, and the neighborhoods have specific names that I’m not using, because essentially I want to give you the very simplified, practical version of Florence, designed for someone who knows nothing about the city and wants to get their bearings.

You’ll probably enter the city by the main train station, Santa Maria Novella (top left circle), which is at the upper, western edge of the city center.  About a 10 minute walk away, towering over the center of the city, you have the Duomo at Piazza Santa Maria del Fiore (middle blue circle).  South of that you pass Piazza della Repubblica and then hit the Piazza della Signoria (with the statue of David copy), then the Uffizi, then the river Arno which is crossed at this point by the Ponte Vecchio (bottom circle).

That whole walk, to give you an idea of size, should take under 30 minutes.

Just beneath the Ponte Vecchio is the Pitti Palace and to the east of that, the Boboli Gardens.  This whole area south of the Arno river is known as the Oltrarno (it means “across the Arno”).

As this map above shows, Florence is not a particularly large city, and the neighborhoods are fairly the same in terms of architecture and the density of shops/cafes and restaurants, but there are some variations to the different areas that I’ll point out that might help you choose which area is the best for you.

______________________________________

South of Santa Maria Novella

If you’re on the cheap, this is a pretty logical place to stay.  It’ll probably take you about 5 minutes to get over here from the station and then about 10-15 minutes to get pretty much everywhere else in the historic center.  There are some narrow streets, but cars are still allowed over here.  Lots of people on bicycles.  A mix of aging locals, immigrants, hotels, and a general bustling vibe.  It’s also home to the historic Erboisteria Santa Maria Novella, and some good, cheap eats (some ethnic, some traditional).

Where to stay:

Tre Gigli  – double rooms from €70 a night in high season.

Casa Corsi – double rooms from €75 a night in high season

______________________________________

Behind SM Novella

About a 5 minute walk behind the station, going away from the center, this is a good choice if you are traveling by car, or want to save even more and don’t mind adding 5-10 minutes on to all that walking you’ll be doing.  The area, for the most part, loses some of the vibe of the rest of the city, and has some newer buildings that kill the architectural landscape a bit, but the plus is that the accommodations over here are more modern and functional.  It feels mostly residential and quiet, despite being so close to the station.  It doesn’t have that sketchy train station atmosphere that many train stations do, but if you really want to be on a small, cobblestone street, you’ll have to go a bit further in (and pay a bit more).  If you favor a room that’s more modern, this might be a better option for you.

Where to stay:

Residenza Giulia  – double rooms around €102 a night.

Bed and Bed Cassia - double rooms for €55 night in high season

______________________________________

Fortezza da Basso and the Mercato Generale

This is a very residential, quiet part of Florence, with a number of ethnic food shops peppered here and there.  There are more cars, but not much congestion of traffic.  The buildings are older, typically Florentine.  Once you get to the Mercato Generale you have some serious old-school Florentine food – more tripe sandwiches than you can shake a stick at.  On the north of this circle you have the Fortezza da Basso which was a fort built in the 1500′s and is now a convention center.  From there you’re looking at a 10 minute walk to the Duomo and the Mercato.  It’s an obvious choice for anyone coming to Florence for a convention, but it’s also a good way to be away from the crowds and traffic and people around the train station without adding too much space between you and the stuff you want to see.

Where to stay:

Casa di Barbano – €92 for a double room in high season, with breafkast.

Gianna’s B&B – €100 for a double with breakfast in high season.

______________________________________

Historic Center

Pretty much everything in your guide book is here.  One way to reach this area from the station is to go through Via Faenza, a very touristed street, made more crowded by hotels and pensioni thanks to it being a Rick Steves’ preferred, budget area in Florence.  It’s a mixed bag of good restaurants and tacky tourist souvenir stuff, lots of hotels and internet cafes.  Architecturally speaking, it’s still old-Florence and a narrow, quaint streets and feels just like anywhere else in the center, but without the glamor.  The street essentially ends at the Duomo, so it’s a good budget option for being just outside the “center”.

I consider the center the few blocks from the Duomo at the north to the Ponte Vecchio at the south.  There’s a few main streets that are wider and have taxis and literally swarms of people.  Often in the summer you can barely walk down these streets.  Florence doesn’t absorb tourists all that well, given that the center is so small, and it can be quite overwhelming in high season.

Accommodations are generally more upscale here.  Restaurants are pricier and you’ll see lots of boutiques and high fashion.

Where to stay:

Via Faenza:

Casa Billi - doubles around €65 a night in high season

Bencidormi - artsy doubles at €95 a night

Historic Center:

Cimatori B&B – traditional, charming doubles at €115 a night

______________________________________

Oltrarno

Literally meaning “across the Arno”, the Oltrarno is my favorite area.  A bit harder to get to with bags for new arrivals (maybe a 20-30 minute walk), but once here you’re in a real neighborhood.  Better, cheaper food.  More local culture and less crowds.  You can walk to the Ponte Vecchio in about 5-15 minutes depending where you are.  There’s usually some savings for staying around here as well.  As for sites, just south of the Ponte Vecchio you have the Pitti Palace and then the Boboli Gardens behind that (to the east).  Via Maggio is a main street that runs away from the river and cuts through the Oltrarno.  Going further west you have Via dei Serragli, which can take you to all sorts of good local restaurants, and then crossing through the Oltrarno is Via di Santo Spirito and Borgo San Frediano.  In the center of all this is Piazza Santo Sprito with a daily fruit and vegetable market in the morning.  This is the area of the vanishing artisans that I’ve written about here and is much more easy going and less touristy than the other side of Florence.

Where to stay:

Casa di Annusca - €68 euro doubles and a nice little garden where breakfast is served

Ponte Vecchio Suite – 2 bedroom apartment for €160 a night for 4 guests

January 17, 2013

The benefits of “Old School Travel” (i.e. without a smartphone)

by Amy Knauff

I’m going to start this off by saying that I’m not as much of a Luddite as it might seem. I have so far successfully resisted getting a smartphone and that might just make me one of the last thirty-somethings to NOT have one. Not only do I not have a smartphone, but the cell phone I do have is pretty outdated, even for non-internet-having phones.

circa 2005

Yes, one of the reasons is a resistance to technologizing every aspect of my life: I do find it depressing when I see a group of friends or a family sitting together and everyone’s checking email on their phones instead of talking. And it’s sad to lose the spontaneity, say, when you’re traveling, because every question mark can be eliminated in a second (train times? hotel in the city you’re about to get to? shady neighborhoods to stay away from? best or worst restaurants? which route is faster?). Right after graduating from college, I took a cross-country road trip from Atlanta to Eugene, Oregon, with my best friend and neither of us had a smartphone or any phone at all. We had a stack of CDs, a map book of the US, and a few pages of hastily printed-out info we’d found online the night before about some places we thought we might want to visit. To this day, that was one of the best trips I’ve taken, and not because everything went smoothly, but because it didn’t, which made it an adventure.

We found the Badlands without a GPS or a phone!

In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that the other reason for not getting a smartphone is that I know I’ll be hooked on it, just like everyone else. Considering my current computer habits, if I break down and get a smartphone, it may be the end of productivity and human interaction as I know it. Being a freelancer who works mainly from home is a very dangerous thing. The hours seem to just slip away as I sit in front of the computer, and it’s scarily easy to go back and forth from being productive to completely wasting time (I’m looking at you, facebook). Physically stepping away from the computer is the one thing that currently forces me to, well, do other stuff – and if I have the internet in my pocket, I’ll never be able to detox.

I made a trip to Barcelona last May for Cross-pollinate to find some more properties for our website, and after halfheartedly digging up Steve’s old iphone before the trip (which turned out to be more broken than not), I just went with my own cell phone. I’ll admit it: being a work trip where I was out and about all day long every day, there were some times when it would have been really, really useful for me to have the internet at my fingertips. To get maps so I didn’t get frustratingly lost on the way somewhere; to get days and hours of tourist attractions so I knew if there was time to see something fun in the downtime before my next appointment; to check metro timetables or how long it would take for the next bus to come. Most notably, a woman my mother’s age who I had an appointment with reprimanded me for not having a smartphone – because she had sent me an email a few hours earlier changing the address of our appointment and assumed I would receive it (because who goes on a work trip without a smartphone?), but of course I hadn’t because I’d been out all day. That one cost me an international phone call on my cell, the price of a taxi across town, and a bunch of sweaty, heart-racing moments as I rushed from one place to another.

On the other hand, I think most of the interaction I had with locals happened as a direct result of not having a smartphone on me. Since I was on a two-week work trip, I was spending most of my time alone except for when I was in appointments.  When you’re eating in a restaurant or sitting at a bar alone, it’s tempting to start busily doing stuff on your phone to avoid the boredom and awkwardness of sitting there alone staring into space. But I couldn’t do that, so I ended up chatting with the servers or nearby diners much more than I would have if I’d had my nose in a phone.

Twice I got lost on the way to appointments and stopped to ask somebody on the street for directions, only to have somebody else standing nearby pull out an iphone and offer to look up the address for me and patiently explain exactly how to get there (and yes, the irony of me refusing to get a smartphone and then relying on other people’s is not lost on me). I’d always heard that Barcelonians aren’t particularly friendly or helpful to tourists, but my experience proved otherwise – something I would never have known if I’d been able to googlemap my own directions in the middle of the street.

My most memorable no-phone encounter happened when I was dragging my suitcase along the street in a residential area called Camp de l’Arpa (not far from the Sagrada Familia), looking for the B&B I was moving to that morning. I couldn’t figure out if I was heading in the right direction or not, so I stopped an elderly lady pulling one of those little personal shopping carts on wheels doing her morning compras. Instead of just explaining where I had to go, she said, “I’ll take you there. But first I have to buy some bread in this bakery right here – wait outside for me and I’ll be right back.” And without waiting for a reply, she went in the bakery, stepping out a couple minutes later with some freshly baked bread – the best in the neighborhood, she assured me – and insisted on giving me some to try (it was delicious). She then walked with me all the way to the street I was looking for (a 5-10-minute walk) and chatted pleasantly the whole way, asking me lots of questions about where I was from, why I was in Barcelona, if I’d been before, what I thought about the city, etc. She deposited me on the corner and waved off my profuse thank-yous as she continued on her way, pulling the shopping cart behind her.

So, let’s summarize:

•  With a smartphone, you can find all the information you need on your trip, so that you keep your misadventures to a minimum and things go smoothly.

•  Without a smartphone, you can get totally lost, end up in a neighborhood you never meant to go to, chat with locals, practice your Spanish (or whatever language it is), find out some insider tips on the area (ie, place that sells the best bread), accidentally end up in a sleazy hotel or a crappy restaurant, and have some great stories to tell about things that didn’t go exactly how you planned.

I won’t suggest that anybody travels without their smartphone – that’s practically blasphemous, and yes, impractical if you already have one anyway. It would be silly to leave it in your hotel room just to purposely make your life more difficult. But I will suggest relying on it less while traveling than you normally do at home. You don’t have errands to run and deadlines to meet: you’re on vacation. So act like it’s a vacation. Don’t stop to look up every little detail that pops into your mind – leave some things up to chance. If you need directions, try asking a local first; you might make a little mini-connection that will change your whole view of the place. If you’re curious about a breathtaking building or church you’re looking at, don’t google it that second while standing there so you can immediately find out everything the human brain knows about it; just stand there, take it in, enjoy the beauty of it without having to know everything, ponder it for the rest of the day or debate about it with your travel partner(s), and eventually look it up later that night in your hotel room, or even after your trip is over – like in the olden days.

Someday, probably very soon, I’ll end up buying a smartphone. It’s getting to the point where it’s so prevalent that not having one is actually becoming a competitive disadvantage in the workplace, and often makes everyday life more complicated than it needs to be. Besides, resistance is futile. But in the meantime I’ll happily enjoy my smartphone-free, inconvenient, somewhat more spontaneous existence, especially when I travel.

January 17, 2013

Barcelona Neighborhood Guide

by Amy Knauff

If you’re trying to decide where to stay during your trip to Barcelona, keep reading for an overview of the most central neighborhoods. And keep in mind my personal rule of thumb (though absolutely not a hard-and-fast rule!): if you’re there for just a couple days, better to splurge and stay somewhere very central so you can make the most of your time and avoid any time wasted on public transport (efficient though it may be). If you’re staying for a longer period of time (say, 4 days and up), stay somewhere a little less central and a little more residential: you’ll save money and you’ll get to know the “real” city and not just the touristy parts.

The Ciutat Vella (Old City) is basically the historic center, which is subdivided into a few different neighborhoods – Gothic Quarter, El Born/La Ribera/Sant Pere, La Rambla.

These are the most central neighborhoods of Barcelona. If you stay in the Gothic Quarter, El Born/La Ribera/Sant Pere, or La Rambla, you will be within walking distance of most tourist sites and you’ll only have to take public transport to get to the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, or Montjuïc. If you’re into walking, you can also easily get to the Manzana de la Discordia in L’Eixample. El Raval and Barceloneta are also central, but slightly less so, so you may use the metro a little more often if you stay in either of these areas.

Barri Gòtic (the Gothic Quarter) – this is the very oldest part of Barcelona. It has the ruins of an ancient Roman wall and the medieval Jewish quarter. You’ll find the Cathedral as well as Plaça Sant Jaume with City Hall and Plaça Reial (my favorite square in Barcelona!). Fairly new restrictions on accommodations in this area have forced many to close or move; you will find some here but not as many as you might think.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – The Codols Flat

****

El Born/La Ribera/Sant Pere – there is a confusing mess of names for this neighborhood (three of which I’ve mentioned above): the areas referred to overlap one another, or are different names for the same area. But for our purposes, we’re talking about the neighborhood on the other side of via Laietana – the main artery that basically cuts the old city in half — from the Barri Gòtic. El Born (more or less the lower part of the neighborhood) is now a very trendy area with lots of restaurants, bars, and boutiques. The upper part of the area is a little more traditional and less touristy. This area is home to the Picasso museum, and is close to the Arc de Triomf and the lovely Parc de la Ciutadella. There are more accommodations here than in the Barri Gòtic, but they’re still limited simply due to space constrictions.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – San Augustì Flat

****

La Rambla – also referred to as Las Ramblas, this is the big tourist strip of Barcelona. While you’re on or near La Rambla, you must be viligant about watching your wallet or bag because pickpocketers abound. La Rambla runs from north to south starting at Plaça de Catalunya and ending at the port, and divides the Barri Gòtic and El Raval neighborhoods. La Rambla itself is a tourist trap – but an interesting, not-to-miss one. A stroll down it to see the human statues and performers, and the flower, bird, and souvenir stalls, is obligatory. But I don’t recommend eating or drinking anything at the restaurants/bars: I’m sure it makes for good people-watching, but the arm and leg you will be charged is not worth it. As far as accommodations, right on La Rambla and the Plaça de Catalunya you’ll mostly find expensive hotels.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – Apartamento Boqueria

****

El Raval – the neighborhood on the other side of La Rambla from the Barri Gòtic. It used to have a very bad reputation as being seedy, dirty, rundown, and even dangerous (think: prostitutes and drug dealers). However, since Barcelona got cleaned up for the 1992 Olympics, like the rest of the city, it’s been revitalized. These days it’s an up-and-coming trendy, artsy, bohemian, multicultural neighborhood, full of interesting night spots and bars. Here you’ll find the MACBA (Modern Art Museum of Barcelona), the Boqueria market, and the Rambla del Raval (don’t miss the fat-cat statue!). The lower area close to the port is still more rundown looking with some litter and graffiti. More and more tourist accommodations are opening up in El Raval, from hotels to B&Bs or private apartments.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – Lleó Flat

****

Barceloneta – If you’re looking at a map of the city, this is the small area that juts off the bottom of Barcelona on the east side of the port. It used to be a working-class area populated mostly with fishermen and their families; today it’s a mix of local families who have been there for generations, expats, and tourists. The grid-pattern streets are narrow and in the more traditional parts of the neighborhood you’ll see laundry strung out to dry on lines stretching across the street.  Closer to the water and in the squares, you’ll find some of the best seafood and paella restaurants in the city. The city’s most popular Barcelona beach is here, and you can walk up and down the boardwalk to get to other beaches. Smaller tourist accommodations, mostly rental apartments, are in this area and especially popular in the summer.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – Natalie’s Barceloneta Flat

****

The following three neighborhoods are very central, though less so than the historic center. They’re all well-connected by metro and bus so you can very easily get anywhere you need to. L’Eixample is a mix of touristy and residential, being the closest of the three to the Old City. Gràcia and Sagrada Familia are the least touristy and will give you the most genuine what-it-feels-like-to-live-in-Barcelona experience.

L’Eixample – locals further narrow this neighborhood down to “L’Eixample Esquerra” (left-hand side) and “L’Eixample Dreta” (right-hand side), but it’s all part of the same residential neighborhood just north of the historic center. The main thoroughfares are the Passeig de Gràcia, the Rambla Catalunya, the Gran Via Corts Catalanes, and the Avinguda Diagonal. L’Eixample is a mix of residential apartment buildings, offices, businesses, stores, bars, and restaurants. Here you’ll find the most important Modernista buildings, including Gaudí’s La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. The neighborhood is also packed with tourist accommodations (hotels, B&Bs, rental apartments).

Where to stay in this neighborhood – Zoo Rooms

****

Gràcia – north and a little to the east of L’Eixample. This area is absolutely adored by young Barcelonians and expats alike. Once a very traditional neighborhood, you’ll still find older locals mixed in with the artsy, bohemian types who are flocking here. You won’t find many “tourist sites” in this area, but its charming streets and squares filled with terrace (outdoor) bars offer good nightlife and food, and the interesting little shops are great for a not-so-touristy souvenir to take home. Being less touristy than the historic center of neighboring L’Eixample, you will find accommodations here, but not nearly as many.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – Angie’s Gràcia Attic Guestroom

****

Sagrada Familia – here we’ve got another confusing neighborhood-name issue. The Sagrada Familia is technically in L’Eixample, but tends to be referred to anyway as its own neighborhood. Also, nearby neighborhoods that are within walking distance of the Sagrada Familia have their own names – for example, Hospital de Sant Pau, Guinardó, or Clot – but for clarity purposes here I’ll just refer to the whole thing as “Sagrada Familia”. The main tourist site in this area is, obviously, Gaudí’s magnificent Sagrada Familia Basilica, and there’s not much else there in the way of tourist attractions. That means most tourists stay in other areas and take the metro out to see the Sagrada Familia. Besides the few blocks around the basilica, the area is mainly residential, with shops, businesses, and restaurants. Like Gràcia, you’ll find some tourist accommodations (as you will all over Barcelona) but not as many as the more central neighborhoods mentioned earlier.

Where to stay in this neighborhood – Apartamento Los Wiwoos

****

It’s worth mentioning that there are, of course, plenty of other neighborhoods in Barcelona, although they aren’t as central as the ones mentioned above, and are less frequented by tourists. For instance, we work with some properties, like Anita’s B&B, in the Sant Gervasi area (kind of far out near Tibidabo mountain, but with an amazing view of the city), Poble Sec (a residential neighborhood close to Montjuïc), and the Olimpic Port area (a kind of industrial-looking residential neighborhood, but super close to the beaches and Barceloneta). If you’re considering accommodation in an area that’s not mentioned above, just take a look at the map of Barcelona: if it falls within the boundaries of a tourist map, or if it’s close to a metro stop, you’ll be just fine.

Some notes on Barcelona’s fantastic public transport system:

-The metro is extensive, with 11 different lines going throughout the city and into the surrounding areas. There are close to a hundred bus lines which also cover places the metro doesn’t quite get to.
-In my experience, the buses and metro are clean and safe, and staff is pretty helpful.
-The metro is super easy to navigate; ticket machines are self-evident (and you can choose English), and there are maps everywhere clearly indicating where you have to go. The bus system is a little trickier, but if you get a bus map or ask the driver or a local, you’ll get where you want to go.
-Both the metro and buses run until late. You can easily get back to your accommodations after a late dinner and a leisurely stroll around the city. If you’re planning on partying into the night, you’ll probably need to grab a taxi back (which is cheap in Barcelona).
-Both buses and metro are rather efficient. Metros go by every few minutes, with wait times updated to the second on screens over the platform. Buses go by pretty frequently too and you can use your smartphone to easily get wait time updates.

If it sounds like I’m raving… well, maybe I am just a tiny bit. After years of living in Rome, the public transport system in Barcelona really is impressive to me. The point, though, is that it’s so easy to get around the city at almost any time of day that you can really stay anywhere you want. You’re not confined to the historic center because it’s too much of a pain to get back and forth from other areas, as you are in some big cities. This, in turn, means that accommodations are spread out all over the city rather than just being concentrated downtown. In fact, from my experience and research, it seems that the residential L’Eixample neighborhood has more hotels, B&Bs, and rental apartments than the historic center does.

January 10, 2013

Where to chill out on a rainy day in Rome

It’s early January and raining outside.

Rome is a city that really needs to be visited on foot, out in the open. From March through October, and especially in the summer when the sun doesn’t go down until after 9pm or even later, Rome is full of places to sit outside and people watch; have a drink and simply soak up the ambiance and the view of beautiful colored buildings crumbling away. That’s when this city is at its best.

When it’s cold and wet and grey – it’s another story. That’s when I truly feel the shortage of “cafe culture” – cute little places to just sit and kill time, perhaps read some of my book or catch up on some emails on my phone. Most restaurants are closed between meal times, and when they are open, they’re generally full of customers eating, and/or not really designed for the lingerer who wants to just have a tea and maybe something sweet. There are many bars with outdoor seating that are inviting, but most are dismal and boring indoors, designed for the quick caffé/espresso-at-the-bar crowd. And Roman bars aren’t the place for tea time.

Here’s a few exceptions, scattered around the city:

1. 2Periodico Cafe – Via Leonina 77, Monti – open all day

Located in the hip neighborhood of Monti, between Termini station and the Colosseum, this eclectic little place was converted from what was once a car mechanic. The Monti area was recently used for shooting in Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love”, due to its quaint, cobblestone streets and ivy covered buildings.  For Italian speakers, this is a good review from the Puntarella Rossa blog.  Or connect with them through their facebook page.

My favorite places to stay in the neighborhood are:  Appartamento Baccina and Appartamento Urbana

 

2. Caffé Propaganda – Via Claudia 15, Celio (Colosseum) – open from 12pm to 2am

This very stylish cafe is a great place for a beautiful cocktail like you’ve never experienced.  You’re on holiday, it’s ok to start drinking at 4pm.  More info on their website.

Without a doubt my favorite place to stay in the neighborhood is the Appartamento Colosseo.

 

3. S.a.i.d – Via Tiburtina 135, San Lorenzo – open for lunch and dinner.

Once Rome’s oldest chocolate factory, opened in 1923, S.a.i.d is a restaurant and chocolate shop.  Also a good place in the winter to enjoy a hot chocolate.  Overpriced hot chocolate, but great atmosphere.

Best apartment in the neighborhood the beautiful 3 bedroom Appartamento San Lorenzo.

4. Bartaruga – Piazza Mattei 9, Jewish Ghetto – open from 6pm

Located in a 16th century piazza with the Fontana delle Tartarughe (Turtle Fountain).  This ‘salotto’ in the Jewish Ghetto is a good place to park it on one of their cushy couches, drink a prosecco (Venetian sparkling wine) and listen to someone play the piano (if the grumpy bar guy allows it).

One of my favorite places on Cross-Pollinate is also here in the ghetto, the Casa al Portico.

5. Salotto Caronte – Via Machiavelli 23, Esquilino (Piazza Vittorio) – open from 7pm

Half restaurant and half ‘salotto’, this place is very un-Roman in all the right ways.  Located where there’s virtually no other night life, this spot will make you instantly feel like you’re in the know.

Some equally stylish digs nearby are Frank’s House B&B and Millefiori Guestrooms

6. Etablì – Via delle Vacche 9, Piazza Navona – open from 6:30pm

Restaurant and wine bar, it used to be open during the day as well (and hopefully will be again) as it was a nice place for afternoon tea.

Nearby apartments:  Appartamento Banchi Vecchi, Appartamento Navona al Tevere, and Appartamento Piazza Navona

7. Vert Cafe – Via Anton Giulio Barrili 47-47/a, Monteverde Vecchio – open from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm

I’m throwing this in as I recently read this convincing review from friend and Rome expert, Gillian McGuire.  Soups, salads, sandwiches and American style sweets.

Just down the street is the adorable Honey Rooms B&B.

by Steven Brenner

December 28, 2012

Where to stay in Istanbul – Cihangir vs. Sultanahmet

What’s the best, most central neighborhood in a city that spans over 2,000 square miles and has almost 3,000 years of history?  Well, the first hurdle to get over is the idea of there being one “center” to this city and one “best” area.  Many consider Sultanahmet the center of Istanbul – and although it’s a logical base to visit the main, historic sites from, it’s hardly the most interesting part of the city (unless you want chain-hotels and tourist restaurants).  Many first timers choose Sultanahmet for the convenience, but Istanbul is a pretty easy city to get around in, so don’t be afraid to use public transport, and taxis are cheap.   Istanbul is also one of the most vibrant, interesting cities I know and worth staying in a neighborhood that combines both the old and new, a neighborhood that feels like “home” base.

One such neighborhood, perhaps my favorite in Istanbul, is Cihangir (pronounced gee-hun-gear). This district was named by Suleiman the Magnificent during the 16th century after his son, the crown prince Cihangir, in order to compensate for the fact that he was deformed.  It means, “Conquerer”.

Throughout the decades, Cihangir has become a center of multiculturalism; it is still very popular among the very crowded expat community in Istanbul.  Like any other district famed for its “bohemian” qualities, Cihangir went through the stages of respectable, classic, nostalgic and now it’s part of Istanbul’s new “chic” areas, with countless cafes, and loads of great apartments for short term stays.

Currently a famous Turkish sitcom, Yalan Dünya (World of Lies), uses the district as a background to the artsy, funky, the not so traditional characters on the show.

Cihangir lies very close to the Bosphorus (Istanbul Strait) and the Golden Horn and since the neighborhood is up on a hill, many apartments and cafes have views of the Bosphorus and the Asian skyline.  Moreover, it is only a 5 minute walk away from Istiklal Street – a total madhouse of shops, pubs and clubs that never dies down, no matter what the hour.

Just before opening up to Istiklal Street, Taksim Square is the final destination of many bus lines, as well as the metro system. You will find your way to the Atatürk airport easily whether you want to use the direct private bus lines (Havas or Havatas), or the metro to get there.  However, a new building project is trying to move all the traffic around Taksim Square below ground allowing for better pedestrian access.  So depending on the time of your arrival you might be in for a surprise.  The project is planned to be completed by August, 2013.

Cihangir is a neighborhood that needs to be lived in, not just visited from somewhere else in the city.  It’s a place to come home to after a day of sightseeing in Sultanahmet and the best place to wake up to and go out for a hearty Turkish breakfast.

Some of our favorite local spots:

Susam Cafe – great local hangout.  Good for coffee or drinks any time of day.

Van Kahvaltı Evi – The best place for breakfast.

White Mill Cafe – Great place for a drink on their terrace.

Firuzağa Kavesi – The quintessential neighborhood tea house.

Pazi Yemek Evi – Simple, cheap and good food.