Before our arrival in Istanbul, we had no idea how much döner we were about to eat... Ach, who am I kidding? We knew exactly. Scarfing down plate after heaping plate of delicious döner meat was our plan from the very beginning. It's part of the reason we chose Istanbul in the first place.
No visit to Istanbul is complete without walking along, ferrying under, taking the tram across, or enjoying a drink on the Galata Bridge. The bridge spans the Golden Horn to connect the city's two European sides, and is one of Istanbul's most iconic landmarks.
Despite the tumult of centuries, the ravages of war, fire and earthquake, and the construction of a megalopolis around, along and even through it, the Aqueduct of Valens is standing tall. Built by the Roman Emperor Valens in 378 AD, the aqueduct is among Istanbul's most amazing ancient relics.
Despite being in the center of the city, the neighborhood of Laleli just doesn't feel like the rest of Istanbul. Maybe it's the curious absence of döner joints. It could be the shops with names like "XXL ??????? ??????" and "???????? ???????", or the giant blonde women shouldering past with icy attitudes more befitting the tundra than Turkey. When you're in Laleli, there's no mistaking that you've arrived in Istanbul's Russia Town.
