What To Do In Istanbul During Summer

A Day Sailing In Istanbul

From mid-June until the middle of October the summer heat settles permanently in Istanbul. During summer in Istanbul the hottest months are July and August, the temperature can reach 35 degrees celsius.

Summer is also the time of the year in which Istanbul is the quietest. The Istanbulites usually spend their holidays in their hometowns or in the many resorts in Turkey.The city is emptied of its residents, it is really a time that I like because the traffic declines and it becomes very easy to get around the city, enjoy the shores of the Bosphorus, the Black Sea or the Marmara, and to breathe some fresh air out of the heat of the city.

Blue Mosque

                                                     

Istanbul has become a year-round destination. Midsummer is sultry, but this is a great time to enjoy an outdoor meal at a Bosphorus-front fish restaurant, or Turkish coffee at a pavement cafe.

The Bosphorus Cruise

From the deck of your boat, glance left to see the shoreline of Europe, right to see the wooded hills of Asia. Pass underneath the massive spans of two intercontinental suspension bridges, or watch skeins of shearwaters skim the surface of the Strait.

Enjoy the best yoghurt in Turkey, dusted in icing sugar, brought aboard by itinerant vendors at Kanlıca, topped off by a cheap and cheerful fish lunch at the last stop, Anadolu Kavağı, a charming fishing village dominated by a Byzantine castle.

Cruises operated by Şehirhatları (www.sehirhatları.com.tr) depart from just east of the Galata Bridge in Eminönü at 10.35am year round, 10.35am and 1.35pm May-Sept, with a noon departure usually added June 9th-August 29th. Cost 25TL round-trip.

If time is a consideration try the one and a half hour cruise operated by Turyol (www.turyol.com) for 12TL. Boats depart hourly on the hour year round and go as far as the second suspension bridge. En route you’ll see everything from the ornate Domabahçe Palace to the Ottoman fortress of Rumeli Hisarı, plus scores of cormorants and low-flying squadrons of shearwaters. The Turyol quay is just west of the Galata Bridge in Eminönü.

The Princes Islands

In their 19th-century heyday, the Princes’ Islands, just an hour’s ride from the ferry terminal at Kabataş, were the playground/summer retreat of the city’s wealthy elite – many of them Greek or Armenian Christians. Their fin-de-siècle wooden mansions dot the islands, especially the biggest, Büyük Ada, as do their churches.

The islands still provide respite from the big city, and Istanbulites come here to take horse-drawn carriage rides (cars are banned on all the islands), hire bicycles, picnic or tuck into a fish meal.

Ferries run by Şehirhatları (www.sehirhatlari.com.tr) run from the tram terminus at Kabataş, are frequent in summer and, and return fares a bargain 10TL (£3.70), much faster catamarans from Kabataş, operated by IDO (www.ido.com.tr) charge 18TL return. Both ferries and catamarans are considerably cheaper with an İstanbulkart.

Go to the beach or the swimming pool

During the Summer Istanbul is a little quieter , there is less congestion because many Istanbulians take refuge on the south coast . In addition to the historical parts of the city, you may be tempted to enjoy a day at the beach for a day trip. Summer in Istanbul is really hot .

For those of us who live in Istanbul, it is a real pleasure to be able to enjoy the sea which is only twenty kilometres from the hustle and heat of the city centre. The Northern part of Istanbul is still very wild with forests, beaches and small villages.

The peninsula is bordered by the Black Sea and offers large sandy beaches . These beaches are still unknown to travellers as very few are mentioned in conventional guides

Our selection of the best beaches in Istanbul :

Babylon Beach Sound Garden

Burc Beach

Suma Beach club

Uzunya Beach



Enjoy live music across the city
See and hear the best of musical talent against the backdrop of the Istanbul skyline. The Istanbul Music Festival takes place from 31 May to 27 June this year, offering a wide range of world-class talent from classical music to opera to jazz. This year also marks the 21st Istanbul Jazz Festival which is set to liven up the city with more than 200 musicians performing at 13 different venues.

Eat under the stars
Istanbul has a wealth of terraces and gardens where you can dine al fresco, with many restaurants overlooking the stunning waterfront of the Bosphorus. During summer in the city many of the restaurants have a great party atmosphere, with DJs playing an assortment of music throughout the night. We love Ulus 29 for great food and music.

Jump aboard a Bosphorus cruise
With so much to see and do on land many people overlook the fact that a great deal of Istanbul’s heritage can be enjoyed from the water. Choose from either a short circle or a full Bosphorus cruise by night. The full tour takes you from Eminönü to the Black Sea, giving you great views of the shoreline of Europe and of the wooded hills of Asia.

Cool off in the shade at Gülhane Park
Formally the royal gardens of Topkapı Palace, Gülhane Park is now one of the city’s most popular locations in which to while away a sunny afternoon. In the height of summer the trees offer welcome shade from the Turkish sun, and free public concerts are staged on weekends.

Relax at Caudalie Spa
When the temperature rises, why not retreat to one of Istanbul’s finest hotel spas? The Caudalie Spa at the Hôtel Les Ottomans offers a range of luxurious pampering treatments including a moisturising honey and wine wrap and a hydro massage with vine extract. To revitalise tired feet sandals are provided that gently massage the soles of your feet - perfect after a long day walking around the city.

Explore the riverside at Bebek
Hidden along a deep sheltered bay on the European side of the city lies the charming neighbourhood of Bebek. Sophisticated dining, beautiful sailing boats and luxury boutiques make this area popular with Istanbul’s high-end shoppers and it’s the perfect place to spend day or two. Take a short stroll past bobbing boats to Poseidon, a renowned fish restaurant on the edge of the water offering a great selection of wines. Then head back to the heart of the neighbourhood for a cup of Turkish coffee in one of the cafés in Bebek Park - the perfect place to people watch.

Istanbul Shopping Fest
Every year Istanbul celebrates all things fashionable with the Istanbul Shopping Fest, which this year takes place from 7-29 June. As well as a wide array of shops offering tax-free shopping it will also present concerts, fashion shows and other performances. Keep an eye out for extended opening hours, too.

Indulge in tax free shopping
From the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar to the city’s myriad department stores, shopping malls and luxury boutiques, Istanbul will satisfy the most ardent shopper. It is an amazing destination for high-end designer brands, and we recommend heading to leading Turkish fashion brand Beyman in the Zorlu Center as the place to pick up key summer pieces, from sandals to light jackets.

Explore the underground city
While Istanbul’s skyline is dominated by beautiful architecture, beneath the city are equally extraordinary architectural achievements. The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns lying underneath Istanbul. Built to hold 100,000 tons of water, it now is an empty maze of ornate columns and carvings. Naturally cool, it offers respite from the heat above.

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