• The Insider
  • Planning
  • Sightseeing
  • Transportation
  • Food & Drinks
  • Going Out
  • Shopping
  • FAQ
  • Tours

Istanbul Insider

Istanbul travel guide and advice by locals.

Locals Share Their Istanbul Experiences – Aykut Kaya

Every month we ask an Istanbul local the same ten questions. This way you can hear firsthand what they love and hate about the city, and learn about the best places to wine, dine and shop in town.
TodayAykut Kaya, aged between 26-35 and Director of Welcome Desk, shares his Istanbul secrets.

Picture of Hardal Bar and Restaurant in Nişantaşı, Istanbul.
Hardal Bar and Restaurant in Nişantaşı. – © Photo by Hardal

1. Where do you live, and what makes your neighborhood special?

I live in Şişli. Nice locations, together with various restaurants and bars, make our neighborhood special. I also like the type of people who live there.

2. What does a perfect day in Istanbul look like for you?

For me, a perfect day in Istanbul would be a Saturday. I don’t like the typical Sunday crowds. Of course, the best way to start the day is with breakfast on the Bosphorus shores.

3. Where would you take first time Istanbul visitors to?

Night view of Istanbul, with Taksim, Nişantaşı and Şişli.
Night view. © Hakan Sarıtaş

If they are not interested in the typical tourist areas, I would take them to Nişantaşı, Bebek, Ortaköy and Istiklal Street. Although you could argue that the latter already is a touristic avenue.

4. Do you have any shopping preferences and/or secrets?

I prefer going to shopping malls. You find everything in one place, and there is no shortage of them in Istanbul. İstinye Park and Kanyon are among my favorites.

5. What is according to you the best souvenir people should take back home?

I think people should take home whatever caught their attention. For some this may be as basic as a pack of Turkish coffee, while others won’t be satisfied unless they take a handmade carpet back home.

6. What is your favorite restaurant, and why?

Picture of Elio Bar & Restaurant in Nişantaşı, Istanbul.
Elio Bar & Restaurant.

I have lots of favorite restaurants in Istanbul, but one that really stands out for me is Mikla. It obviously has great food, and a matching Bosphorus view. After dinner you can move to the rooftop bar to extend the lovely experience.

7. What Turkish dish should visitors really try out?

I think they should try at least a few Turkish kebabs. We have so many variations, and they all taste different. If you like sweet stuff, I would also recommend to give our deserts a try.

8. What is your favorite drink, and the best place to order it?

My favorite drinks are cocktails and mojitos. The best places to order it are Elio or Hardal in Nişantaşı. Another option is to enjoy them in one of the many Istanbul night clubs.

9. What is your favorite bar or night club?

My favorite bar and night club is Anjelique, located in Ortaköy.

10. What do you love and/or hate about Istanbul?

I love Istanbul because of its beauty, and the fact that you can find anything here. I only hate impertinent people.

Last updated on 05/07/2015

Filed Under: Local Insider Tips, Travel Tips

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Best Sellers

  • Email
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Us

About
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Sitemap

Popular Attractions

Hagia Sophia
Topkapi Palace & Harem
Dolmabahçe Palace
Bosphorus Tour
Whirling Dervishes

Travel Tips

Accommodation & Locations
Airport Transportation
Istanbul Kart, Museum Pass, Tourist Pass
Public Transportation
Taxi’s in Istanbul

© 2011–2023 The Istanbul Insider – Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Affiliate Disclaimer
Istanbul Insider
Data and Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site.
Click below to consent ('Accept') to the above or make granular choices
Manage Cookie SettingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.

Your choices on this site will be applied only for this site. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by going to the Privacy Policy page of this site.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
CookieDurationDescription
_gat1 minuteThis cookies is installed by Google Universal Analytics to throttle the request rate to limit the colllection of data on high traffic sites.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid1 dayThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.
visitor_id5 yearsThis cookie include cookie name plus the unique identifier of the visitor account. The value stored is the unique ID of the visitor which is used for tracking the visitor.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.