Side Streets of Istanbul

by Selma Sevkli

I live in Cihangir, Istanbul, which is a gentrified area, recently made popular among artists and actors as well as foreigners living in the city. Cihangir is located right behind the famous Istiklal which is an almost 2-kilometer-long pedestrian street full of food, people, cafes, bars, restaurants and theaters. As my work is at the end of Istiklal Street, I walk to work which takes about 30 minutes every day. I am a person who does not enjoy routine and gets bored easily. Luckily, Istiklal (we don’t add street at the end when mentioning it) has many side streets; some are dead ends, some connect with each other around the corner.

I try to take a different path every day and try to entertain myself by discovering a new cafe, going over old postcards at flea markets or simply analyzing street art.

Some of the graffiti on the streets is done by local artists and some are posted by activists.

It is very rare that you find profanity, even though there is often criticism.

Getting lost on the side streets of Istiklal is fun and always surprising. It is guaranteed that you will see a lazy cat at every corner who is fed by generous neighbors.

When you start thinking that you are stuck in the middle of the buildings without any sign of nature, a rare kind of tree could surprise you.

Here’s a suggested route: Go down Istiklal and turn left from Galatasaray High School, which is halfway down the street. Take a left and walk around Cukurcuma. Try some pickles at “Asri Tursucusu” which is a 99-year-old pickle store with more than 50 kinds of pickles. Go to your right and find “Cihangir Kahvesi” where all the journalists, actors and residents have their tea. Cross the street and walk around Cihangir; if you get hungry, try Susam Cafe which has a comprehensive menu and a great chef. If you are into seafood with affordable prices, Rodosto is your best bet.

Then make your way down to Tophane and feel free to wander in the antique/flea market stores. If it is still early, you could visit Istanbul Modern, the first contemporary art museum in Turkey, right by the sea. If it is late, go next door where all the shisha cafes are lined next to one another, open 24 hours. Apple flavor is a classic and my favorite; you may want to give it a try even though other attractive-sounding ones like watermelon or coconut could intrigue you.