A hideaway from the city, in the midst of green forests and village houses. This is one of the best…read moresmall villages around Istanbul, located on the Asian side . Getting here without a private car might be a little problematic but you can use public transportation such as taking local busses. of Istanbul. You can go there with family or just with your girlfirend or spouse, have a Turkish tea or Turkish coffee in the caffee in the town center, or breakfast or brunch in one of the hotels or restaurants. You can even overnight in many small hotels and pensiyons here. But just check the prices, some of the small hotels cost like a 5 stars hotel! You can also trek or walk in the forest, or mountain bike. In the nearby village of Cumhuriyet you can have a BBQ or just have fun with a paintball match or drive ATV's in the off-raod. There is something for everyone.

Peaceful and active 16th-century Ottoman mosque in Saraçhane park, Fatih district. You can't miss…read moreit if you're here to see the Valens Aqueduct. It is most notable for its spiral minaret. Built in 1550 on behalf of Emin Nuretti Efendi, qadi 'asker of Egypt, it is named for its spiraling (burmalı) brick minaret, a copy of a Seljuq design that is unique in Istanbul. The mosque is not domed, but has a pitched porch, which rests on four reused Byzantine Corinthian stone columns. Unusually, the entrance is off-center behind a column. You can meet some nice cats here.

Visisted Caferağa Medresesi in between exploring different sites. Situated close to Basilica…read moreCistern and Hagia Sophia and is the perfect spot for a quick break and refreshment as you're visiting sites. Located within a historic center. In addition to food and drinks, there is also art, ceramics, etc to explore and purchase. Outdoor dining space with shade available. Came in for quick Turkish coffees. Service was friendly. Coffees were rich and flavor and served as the perfect pick me up. Also ordered some menemen, which is a popular Turkish dish consisting of eggs, tomatoes, peppers, and spices. Very nourishing and added to our need to refuel.

Turkish people totally gets it!!! Phenomenal coffee with equally amazing food. You could never go…read morewrong here from fine dining to street food like kumpir.

Personal Favorites: Hookah​ Style: Turkish…read moreAmbiance: It is a half-open​ half close historical place Service: Pretty awesome​ A lot of people sit very close to each other smoke hookah, drink tea and chill. There is not much place in the world that you can find this kind of place. Nobody judges you the way you look or speak or dress. You can find a lot of different​ type of people in this place. Traditional Turkish Coffee, tea, ​and hookah those are all you need to chill. If you want a souvenir​ that you can find a gift shop​ as well. The restroom​m​ is a little problem but you will survive. If you are visiting Istanbul this is a perfect spot to rest between Cemberli Tas and Blue Mosque. This place definitely​ something you need to experience it.

Besides being a historical spot it is a popular hookah spot. It is a authentic place and the prices…read moreare really good. Food? No. But soft drinks are served. The waiters can be annoying as they walk around all the time asking whether you would like something and the place can be a little overcrowded but overall it is worth visiting and enjoying a hookah/shisha/water pipe with some Turkish Tea/Coffee or Gazoz (Turkish Sprite). Best hookah in Istanbul? Definitely not. As a daily hookah smoker I would give them a 5/10.

The lesser known of the two Roman era underground cisterns. Unlike the other, this one is dry but I…read morewould visit them both. Between the Hippodrome and the Forum of Constantine, I would combine this with a visit to the Istanbul Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art to learn more about the Hippodrome. Built originally by Philoxenos, it was used for centuries and repair work in the reign of Justinian resulted is odd looking tall columns, 224 even though the name means 1,001 (I think the meaning is more than can be counter). There is a third Roman era cisterns but it was ruined by a commercial renovation that incorporated the columns into a modern building and business. On another day, check out the surviving portion of the Valens Aqueduct that fed this and the Basilica cisterns.