Istanbul Trip: Part 5

Date: 2024-12-05

---

Part 5 of my Istanbul trip series: our final sightseeing day, spent hunting for a pashmina at the Egyptian Bazaar and finishing with coffee and baklava at a coffee house that's been serving since 1864.

Sightseeing Day 3: Egyptian Bazaar, Coffee, and Departure

Our third and final sightseeing day began after breakfast — T1 tram to the Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı), the covered spice market near the Galata Bridge.

Egyptian Bazaar

A line illustration imagining the Egyptian Bazaar's entrance.

The bazaar is an L-shaped covered market, its long vaulted interior lined with stalls selling spices, Turkish sweets, dried fruits, teas and souvenirs. The light filters in from the arched windows above, giving the whole space a warm, atmospheric glow.

The stalls specialising in Turkish sweets are a spectacle in themselves — trays of baklava, lokum (Turkish delight) and other confections arranged in elaborate coloured displays.

Shop 48: "Ed-Matchan's Shop" — a famous spot with the Japanese expat community in Istanbul. We bought a beautiful blue pashmina shawl; after a little negotiation, we brought the price from 4,000 lira down to 3,500 lira. Pashmina in the UK is eye-wateringly expensive; this was a fraction of the equivalent London price. We plan to take it on every future trip.

A line illustration imagining the pashmina draped at the shop's stall.

A line illustration imagining the pashmina we bought.

Final Coffee: Hafız Mustafa 1864

A line illustration imagining the atmosphere at Hafız Mustafa 1864.

One more coffee house before leaving: Hafız Mustafa 1864 — established, as the name suggests, in 1864. Multiple branches across the city; ours was a café near the bazaar.

The display cases are filled with baklava, korum (sesame seed rolls), and vividly coloured cakes and pastries. We ordered Turkish coffee (double and single), a korum, and a set of four pistachio baklava. The baklava syrup here was lighter and more delicate than the heavily sweet versions found elsewhere — subtly flavoured, not cloying. An excellent choice for a treat that doesn't overwhelm.

A line illustration imagining the Turkish coffee and korum that came with it.

A line illustration imagining the pistachio baklava.

The cafe feels festive without being tourist-trap; Turkish customers were buying baklava by the tin for gifts. Not expensive; highly recommended for a relaxed, slightly indulgent break.

Dinner: A Local Lokanta

A line illustration imagining a dish at the busy local lokanta.

For our final dinner, we chose a neighbourhood lokanta (Turkish diner) near the hotel — picked via Google Maps for its positive reviews from locals. Two beef main dishes, pilaf, bean soup, drinks: 600 lira total. Delicious. The clientele was entirely local — young people, families, elderly couples. All generations, all at ease.

Turkish food, we reflected, suits Japanese palates remarkably well. Rice or bread with every meal, yoghurt as a constant companion, grilled meat and fresh vegetables — it's a cuisine you could eat every day without tiring of it.

Ayran again, as always. Its combination of cooling yoghurt, salt and liquid made it an ideal companion for every meal in the warmth.

Departure Day

Our flight home was in the early afternoon, so we left the hotel after an unhurried breakfast and caught the 8:45am Havaist bus. By 9:30am we were at the airport — roughly half the expected journey time (the roads were unusually clear; the driver was, shall we say, spirited).

Istanbul Airport has its own security before the check-in hall — bags are scanned on entry. Then check-in desks, hand luggage screening, and passport control. With queues at each stage, we cleared into the departure area at around 10:30am — plenty of time.

The IGA Lounge — accessible with our Dragonpass card (up to 4 hours) — is one of Istanbul Airport's great attractions. It is vast: a long corridor of seating areas, a full Turkish food spread, a bar (yes, in an Islamic country), sleeping areas with long sofas, a children's play zone, and two shower rooms. Luggage lockers at the entrance.

A line illustration imagining the IGA Lounge at Istanbul Airport.

A line illustration imagining the lounge's corridor and luggage lockers.

A line illustration imagining the spread of Turkish food at the lounge.

A line illustration imagining the lounge's dining area.

A line illustration imagining the different seating areas around the lounge.

A line illustration imagining the walk to the gate.

We had a final spread of freshly grilled beef köfte, çay and pistachio baklava before heading to our gate. Gate F — a 20-minute walk from the lounge. Allow time.

A line illustration imagining the sea glimpsed from the plane window on the way home.

• Return flight: TK1969, IST 14:05 → BHX 16:15
• Aircraft: Airbus A321neo
• Pushback: 14:23 | Take-off: 14:35 | Landing: 16:08
• Actual flight time: 3 hours 33 minutes

Back in Birmingham, on time.

Final Thoughts

Istanbul doesn't fit neatly into Europe or Asia — it is entirely itself. A city of layered history, extraordinary food, improbable geography and the constant companionship of cats. The pace is unhurried; the people are warm. We barely scratched the surface in four nights.

We will go back.