Things to do in Sirkeci

Start your day at Sirkeci Station: There is nothing like starting the day at Sirkeci Station. With its huge arched windows and stone columns, this station, the last stop of the Orient Express, is like a movie set from the past. When I walk in and hear the silence, the dust flying in the attic and the sound of old clocks, it's like stepping into the past. Everything here carries the memory of old suitcases, the smell of letters and train whistles.

Taste Hunt in the Streets of Hocapasa: There is a completely different world in the narrow streets that you come across when you walk behind the station. Smoky doner kebab shops, wraps cooked on a sheet, kebab shops lined up side by side... This is a place to “run away to when you get hungry”. My favorite was an artisan restaurant that was not well known but had many regulars. I still remember the lentil soup and dried beans.

Be sure to stop by Büyük Post Office: It is a huge and imposing building that you suddenly come across while walking. Just looking at this Ottoman building from the outside is enough. But definitely go inside and spend some time in the high-ceilinged hall. As you climb the stone stairs inside, you feel the history of Istanbul on your shoulders.

A Breath of Gulhane Park: After walking for a while, it is a must to get out of the crowd and walk towards Gülhane Park. Especially in the morning, birdsong, rustling leaves and the slight coolness coming from the Bosphorus... It is enough to sit on a bench and stare in silence for a while. If you wish, take your tea and read your book in the shade of trees that smell of history.

End the Day with a Hammam Experience: And if you want to end the day with some time to yourself, enter a historic Turkish bath. Steam, scrub, the smell of soap... Your mind cleanses along with your body. I once had a scrub in a small hammam and while drinking my hot mint tea, I chatted with the attendant about old Istanbul. Sincerity is always at hand here.

For accommodation suggestions, you can check our Sirkeci Hotels page.