Explore Istanbul in just 24 hours! Navigate the Grand Bazaar, indulges in Turkish cuisine, and explores iconic mosques. Plus, a sneak peek into Short Sleeve Travel's upcoming Italy biking trip. Don't miss out—hit play now!
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Explore Istanbul in just 24 hours! Navigate the Grand Bazaar, indulges in Turkish cuisine, and explores iconic mosques. Plus, a sneak peek into Short Sleeve Travel's upcoming Italy biking trip. Don't miss out—hit play now!
Instagram @katshortsleeve
Tik Tok @katshortsleeve
Youtube Shortsleeve Travel with Kat Shortsleeve
Hello, and welcome back to the Short Sleeve Travel Podcast. I am your host, Kat Shortsleeve, and yes, my last name really is Shortsleeve. I have traveled to over 45 countries while in school at Georgetown and also getting my MBA at Columbia Business School and while working in wealth management in between. For the past two years, I've been working in private equity and building my travel company, which focuses on bringing Young adventurous people together for some of these insane off the beaten path trips. In April, we have a group of 15 people headed down to Peru for hiking, backpacking, camping. We're going to Machu Picchu. We'll be mountain biking. All the fun stuff. And then in May, we have a biking trip up the coast of Southern Italy. Maximum, we're taking 12 people. So let me know if you're interested in that trip. I can give a little bit more of an overview at the end of this as well, but also should probably just dedicate an entire episode to that biking trip. It will be in Puglia, or Puglia is how you're supposed to pronounce it. We are doing a bread making class, we're doing cooking classes, wine tasting, cliff jumping, it's going to be incredible. I'm so excited for that one. And this summer we are sailing an Yachting in Croatia with 40 people in June, July, and August. And all of those are fully booked up. I'm already looking ahead to September and maybe we'll be in Southern France. We might actually be down in Chile. So let's see. Anyways, today I am very jet lagged from flying for 31 hours around the globe and back. So we are talking about a place I visited two weeks ago, and it's a place I visited accidentally, and that is. Istanbul. I'm sure my parents absolutely love to hear that. I accidentally found myself in Istanbul, Turkey. Interestingly enough, actually a mistake that I hope I get to make again soon. I was only in Istanbul for 24 hours and I'll explain how I got there, but oh my goodness I can't stop thinking about the shopping that I got to experience there. Some of the most addictive shopping I've ever experienced is in Istanbul. I just love to shop and wherever I go around the world, I try to find the most unique and authentic shopping in each of those places. So when I'm in Paris, I always go to the vintage stores. I'm looking for classic pieces, maybe some old school designer pieces, just things that are really one of a kind. When I'm in Soho, New York City, I'm looking for high end, trendy, like, maybe streetwear type things. I'm always going to Soho. It's the neighborhood area. It's buzzing. When I'm in Italy, I'm going to the leather markets, looking for those luxurious materials, handbags, shoes, leather jackets. My grandpa and I actually have matching leather jackets from Italy. Very chic and, of course, timeless. When I was in Hong Kong, I loved going to the craft market. They're so cheap. You can find these unique treasures, gorgeous silks, of course. Last month when I was in Berlin, Germany, I was going to the hip concept stores there. They have a lot of independent fashion labels, a very distinct personality and very distinct style there on my wishlist for travel is Sydney because of the trendy boutiques and I want to go to Dubai, I think going to the extravagant malls and the souks, the luxury shopping districts, that is an experience like no other, but I did not have Turkey high on my list and let me tell you, I think Istanbul might be my number one shopping now. I will explain, but essentially in this episode, I'm going to talk about the shopping. I'll talk about the inside tips on Istanbul, give you a little bit of a guide to the city, the best and the worst in my opinion. And then I'll also explain some of the costs when you end up having 24 hours in a random city and tell you what the airlines pay for as well as tell you how I got stranded in Turkey. I've become so much more interested in history in recent months and recent years too when traveling, so I'll give you a little bit of a history lesson, kind of the most interesting facts that I learned about Istanbul when stranded there. And if we've got time I'll touch on the Italy biking trip, but like I said, might save that for its own episode. So let's get into Istanbul. I love to shop. It gives me life, it gives me energy. I think one of my best days, if I had to plan, like, the ideal day, it's me and my mom. We just walk around, going shopping store to store. We'll go have lunch. If I'm stressed, I go shopping. If I'm happy, I go shopping. If I'm relaxed, I go shopping. If I'm traveling, I go shopping. So in Istanbul, because I hadn't done a ton of research, I didn't really know what to expect there. And When you look up things to do in Istanbul, the first thing that will always come up for you is visiting the Grand Bazaar. Now I've been to bazaars before in India and a few other places, but Istanbul is just like no other. They have this iconic thing called the Grand Bazaar. It's the largest and it's the oldest covered market in the world with over 3, 000 shops. So essentially it's the world's oldest shopping mall and I was excited. The thing that you will find most often here, very interesting, are fakes and spices. And they'll have jewelry and all sorts of things in between, crafts and food and things like that, and candies and clothes and all sorts of stuff, but essentially the biggest thing that you'll find here are the fakes. And when I say fakes, I mean counterfeit or fake designer items. These are things like knockoff handbags, clothes, accessories, imitating popular luxury brands. The quality of these quote fakes in Istanbul is so good. Any designer item that you're looking for, whether you're looking for Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hermes, Dior, Versace, if you're looking for off white, they have all of these things. And any item that you're looking for that you can find online, you can definitely find in these markets as well. There are massive variations between the different stalls in the Grand Bazaar that are selling dupes. A lot of the stalls will sell similar dupes, so they'll all sell the same Prada bag or they'll sell the same Louis Vuitton bag, but the quality of these bags vary greatly across the stalls. So you have to first determine what your price point is, how much you want to be paying for one of these dupes. You can find dupes that are as cheap as 20 and as expensive as 500. And the quality The craftsmanship and just how similar the dupe bag is to the real bag varies a ton across these stalls So first you want to figure out how much you want to be spending how closely you want this bag to? Look like the real one and you can really find whatever it is that you're looking for. It's not just these bags though They sell a lot of Montclair coats They sell Chanel shoes and the Gucci boots and the Chanel rain boots. I mean everything that you can think of the Versace sandals They really have it all I found it so wild. Actually, we were staying at a Marriott, I believe, the airline put us up in the Marriott and, or no, sorry, we were staying at a Renaissance Hotel and there was a store within the hotel in the lobby, which is pretty common, but they were selling fake designer items. So they had a fake Goyard bag there. They had fake Chanel purses, Dior sandals, anything that you can think of. And you could also, interestingly enough, negotiate and haggle right there in the hotel lobby gift store. The same way that you could haggle in the Grand Bazaar. Haggling and negotiating the price of the goods is very common in the Grand Bazaar and, and in many of the markets around downtown Istanbul. And before you start haggling, you're going to want to do your research. So research the typical price range for the items that you're interested in and know the market value. So that gives you somewhere to work from and will help you determine if you're going to be getting a fair price. Of course, you always want to be respectful and approach haggling as a friendly exchange rather than as a confrontation. Definitely want to treat the seller with respect and be polite, always be smiling just be comfortable enough to walk away. And if you're interested in purchasing, purchasing multiple items from the same seller, if you bundle those together for a discounted price, the sellers are oftentimes more willing to negotiate if it means a larger sale for them. Be patient and just know when to stop, because haggling can be fun, and it's essential to know when to stop, accept a fair offer. You know, you don't want to push too hard for a lower price if the seller is already offering you a reasonable deal. So those are kind of some of my tips for negotiating, and that goes for any of the markets that you might visit. Like I said, I had no plans of going to Istanbul, actually. I had been in the Alps skiing for the past two weeks and I was flying from Munich, just laying over briefly in Istanbul and going on to Bali where I would be spending the next month. Our flight took off too late from Munich and so we ended up missing our connection in Istanbul and the next flight out was 24 hours later. So, the airline was nice enough to put us up in a hotel and pay for all of our meals the next day and I need to file a claim with my, with my credit card, I have the Chase Reserve and if I file with them I'll definitely get some more money too. So the entire thing was, was paid for, the entire 24 hours in Istanbul which was so nice. Now the airport in Istanbul is actually about 30 to 40 minutes from the downtown and nicely enough we actually were put up in a hotel downtown. It was the renaissance and so it was a nice launching point for us to work from home but also go explore for the next day. I was thrilled when I found out that my flight was delayed and I had to, or canceled and I had to stay in Istanbul. It was a nice little cherry on top and it was a sweet treat. But my parents, a month ago when I told them I just had a layover in Istanbul, they were uncomfortable and I understand why. And then of course when I told them that I'd be spending a day in Istanbul, I don't think that they loved that, but I was traveling with someone who's from Europe, and the differences in perception of Istanbul and Turkey from a European's perspective versus a U. S. perspective is very different. I think there are several, I think that there are several reasons why most Americans perceive Istanbul to be dangerous. and I think that there are three main reasons. The first of which is media portrayal. So the negative news stories or sensationalized reports about incidences in Istanbul, that's a tongue twister, I think it contributes to the perception of the city being unsafe. Even if the incidences are isolated or not representative of the overall safety in Istanbul, I think that the media portrayal just across the U. S. hasn't been as positive for Istanbul. So that's what my parents and I are predisposed to coming from the US, whereas Europeans don't seem to have that same media portrayal about Turkey. Secondly, the political instability definitely contributes to this perception. So Turkey has experienced periods of political unrest in recent years, which would raise concerns about safety for some travelers, especially travelers coming from a destination that is farther away. So if something is farther away, oftentimes it just is more uncharted and a little bit more daunting. Whereas if it's very close by, you can take a direct flight right there like you can from Germany or Italy or Spain or France. That creates more of an us versus them perception where the U. S. kind of thinks of Istanbul as an other, like a them. And Europeans will think of Istanbul and Turkey as more of an us, more in the same region, same area, and less uncharted. But this political instability definitely creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and contributes to the perceptions of risk. And the third piece of this I think are cultural differences. So Americans have different cultural norms and expectations regarding safety compared to other countries. So what one person perceives as risky behavior or environments, another may consider normal. But it's pretty wild to me. I don't think many Americans would say, Hey, I'm going to go jet off to Istanbul or Turkey for a week and go enjoy my summer vacation there. But a lot of Europeans do do that. Pretty interesting to think about. I got to know Turkey and Istanbul just so much more and it really opened my mind, spending 24 hours here, and I really want to go back this summer to spend a little bit of time on the coast and go sailing through Turkey. Now I will walk you through my 24 hours in Istanbul, including the costs that were associated with my flight being cancelled and the airline putting us up in the Hotel Renaissance downtown. We were supposed to land in Istanbul at 11 p. m. and due to our flight being delayed we arrived at midnight. The Istanbul Airport is a maze. It is larger than life. It is look like, it looks like it was built for gods. So be prepared to walk for a long time. It took about 15 minutes to walk from one gate to the other, exaggerating a little bit, but essentially it's all really spread out. And the staff actually ride around on these motorized scooters to get around the airport. They have insane lounges, over the top lounges, with priority pass and Istanbul. You'll have a full hot buffet, there's bars in the lounges, kids area to play, meditation, praying rooms. Lots of places to get work done. You can go into nap pods, I mean, it is next level. So we landed and we needed to go get our hotel. So we walked for about 20 minutes and finally found the Korean air desk and spoke with them. They gave us a nice hotel and told us everything that would be included. And just the next flight that we were going to be on was the next day. We waited for a little while. We got some snacks. And some food and then hopped on a bus and it took us downtown to the hotel. We were absolutely exhausted. We got there at 2 o'clock in the morning and we fell fast asleep. Woke up in the morning and had beautiful views over Istanbul. We were looking out over the water, which was beautiful seeing all the ships kind of coming into the port. We worked for a little while and then went downstairs and had breakfast, which was included at the hotel that day. All of the meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were included at the hotel. The hotel had a pool, it had a spa, so we enjoyed all of that, had a nice workout, and then we decided to go venture into Istanbul. We were excited to go shopping and to try some of the local cuisines because The next 24 hours were essentially free. Like I said, the hotel accommodation, which was very nice, was covered by the airline. All of the meals were going to be covered by the airline, transportation covered, and other expenses that we incurred along the way were going to be covered by our credit card. So it was a bit of a free 24 hours, which was kind of nice. We started with lots of shopping at the Grand Bazaar and then finally made our way to do a little bit of a street food tour. We wanted to sample a variety of the local delicacies like kebabs and baklava and Turkish delights. We needed to have some Turkish coffee, so we explored local markets, went to different street vendors, and if you have time and can organize it, I would take a knowledgeable guide along with you who can provide culture and historical context because the flavors and the fusion here of the Turkish cuisine, often influences by various cultures over the centuries just based on where Istanbul is located, is incredible. Most people know what kebabs are, but this is a cornerstone of Turkish cuisine and one of my favorite things that we had there. So we tried a beef and a chicken kebab with a ton of different mezes, which are small appetizer dishes that are served before the main meal. You often enjoy mezes with bread and there are a wide range of cold and hot dishes like hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, and yogurt based dips like tzatziki's. Baklava is a super famous, famous Turkish dessert made from layers of phyllo pastry that are filled with chopped nuts, I believe pistachios or walnuts, I think sometimes almonds as well, and it will be very sweet with syrup or honey drenched over it and Having this with a nice Turkish coffee or a tea is, oh, such a delight. Now a Turkish delight is a chewy gel like confection that's made from starch and sugar flavored with various ingredients. I think rose water, citrus, nuts, and it'll be dusted with this powdered sugar or coconut flakes. Having any of these with a nice Turkish coffee, which is often known for having a strong flavor or maybe a thick texture. and definitely having a rich aroma. It's a nice social activity. It's a good way to break up your sightseeing afternoon and just so fun to do in Istanbul. If you're looking for a great restaurant, the Grace Rooftop is famous. They have panoramic views. It's stunning views of the city, especially at sunset. It's a perfect spot for taking a beautiful photo or just relaxing watching the sun go down. They do have an iconic breakfast as well. They do a traditional Turkish breakfast with kind of a modern twist. So you have a ton of those mezes, a bunch of the little dishes like I was explaining. And they'll do a variety of cheeses, olives, bread, and tea. But I think the preference would probably be for the evening ambiance, which is like, very similar feel, but with wine and cocktails. Another iconic spot that people often go to when they're in Istanbul for a nice rooftop experience is Soho House. So, Soho House is often a members only club. But you actually have access to Istanbul's Soho House just as a regular person without a membership. They have a gorgeous rooftop, and it's a very vibey, young people. It's a great scene, especially if you're looking to go out later that night. A lot of people there are tourists kind of just passing through and wanting to meet other people. It is not in the most ideal location, so you have to go a little bit out of your way. But if you're looking for a little bit more of a lively atmosphere, And more of an expat community, that's the spot to go. If you go to Istanbul and you miss the mosques, I don't know what is wrong with you. There are two mosques that you need to see. They are so incredibly famous. First one being the Hagia Sophia and the second one being the Blue Mosque. The Hagia Sophia is probably the most famous mosque in the entire world. It actually used to be a church and a mosque and now it's a museum. You definitely need to pre book tickets in advance if you want to go inside. And because we weren't expecting to be in Istanbul, we weren't able to do this. But, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And, if you can believe it, it was actually built in the 6th century. It has this massive dome, which was an engineering marvel at the time. And, for Istanbul, it's a major symbol of unity. It's a symbol of unity for religion and cultures coming together, kind of reflecting the blend of Eastern and Western traditions. It's still one of the most iconic landmarks and a testament to the entire city. Do not miss that one. And now, the second one would be the Blue Mosque, and you can guess it, it's famous for these striking blue tiles, and that is currently an active place of worship. So remember to dress very modestly and avoid going during prayer times if you want to visit. You can get some beautiful photos there as well, and luckily enough, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are right next to each other, so it's very easy to hit both at once. There are 3, 000 different mosques. in Istanbul. All very different from one another and pretty wild to think that there are 3, 000 Now two things I did not get to do but I think are top notch if you're in Istanbul. One is going to be the Bosphorus cruise. Considering the Bosphorus is the river that goes right through Istanbul and it straddles two continents, Europe and Asia. You'll be able to see so many different historical palaces and fortresses and bridges. It's a very unique way to see Istanbul. You can do short tours, you could do a dinner cruise or a private boat hire for a more personalized experience. I would love to do that next time I go. And it's a great way to see a lot of the city because the city is very big. If you don't have time to go on a boat cruise like we didn't, just going down and walking along the Bosphorus is so important to do. We did it at sunset, which was beautiful to see all the lights on the city just come alive. The second experience is going to have, going to be going for a Turkish bath. A lot of the hotels that you'll be staying at, or you might stay at, We'll have a Turkish bath experience, but this is essentially a traditional ritual where you enjoy a traditional Hamam experience. So let me walk you through a traditional Hamam experience just very quickly. If you've never heard of it, this is what you were supposed to expect. So when you arrive at the Hamam, you're greeted by staff and they'll provide you with a towel and probably a pair of wooden clogs as well. They'll also give you a pair of disposable underwear if needed, and then you'll proceed to the changing rooms where you put these things on. Before entering the main bathing area, you'll spend some time warming up in a steam room or a warm room to acclimate your body to the heat and humidity. This also helps you open up the pores and prepare your skin for the next cleansing session. So now we actually get into the hammam experience. This is scrubbing. This is the scrubbing section. So once you're sufficiently warmed up, you'll be led into a central bathing area where you lie on a heated marble slab. A hammam attendant. We'll scrub your body vigorously with coarse, with a coarse mitt and a brush to exfoliate the dead skin cells and then stimulate some circulation as well. It can be pretty intense and then after scrubbing you get rinsed off with warm water and you'll have your body lathered with soap suds using a special cloth or a brush. The foam massage helps to cleanse and soften the skin and it's also very relaxing at this stage. Once the cleansing process is complete you'll rinse under warm water or with a bucket of water actually and then you relax in the bathing area or you rest on the warm marble slab. You can have different oil massages, facials, hair treatments. And then after the hamam session, you'll have a bunch of different refreshments, like herbal tea or cool lemon water to hydrate and refresh yourself. After the hamam session, you will definitely want your body to relax and cool down gradually, and you will definitely want to also apply a moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. Such a fun experience, especially doing this while you're in Turkey. Moving on, a little bit of history, I don't want to overwhelm you too much, but here are the most interesting history facts, in my opinion. I love this fact. I find this so interesting. So, Istanbul is uniquely positioned across two continents. It is both a part of Europe and a part of Asia. There are only a few other cities that are located on two continents. The most famous is going to be Istanbul, but there are a few other cities. One is in Egypt, one's in Kazakhstan, one's in Russia, or two are in Russia, and oftentimes there's a river that kind of separates the city and separates the continents. Pretty interesting, you can go from Europe to Asia in the same day. Another really interesting fact is that Istanbul has served as the capital of three major empires. It was the capital of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and then the Ottoman Empire. I love this next one. So tulips are often associated with the Netherlands. My parents are actually thinking about planning a trip in April to go see the tulips in the Netherlands. And I've seen those before. They're gorgeous, really cool fields to go check out if you are kind of passing through. I wouldn't plan a whole trip around the tulips, but if you're passing through at the right time, going to see them is incredible. But these tulips actually originated in Istanbul and they were sent to Amsterdam from the Ottoman Empire. So Amsterdam has the Ottoman Empire and Istanbul to thank for the gorgeous flowers that they have that grow kind of like weeds there now. They just grow all over the place. They grow really nicely there, so pretty interesting. And finally the city has been known by many different names over the centuries. I think you'll know this one, Constantinople and then it was called Istanbul and before Constantinople and before it was called Istanbul it was called Byzantium. Byzantium? So that's some fun history for you. Okay, quickly let's run through some Istanbul travel tips so that you're prepared when you land in Istanbul. The currency is the Turkish Lira. It's always a very good idea to have some cash for small purchases on you, especially when you're going to the to the grand bazaar and to the markets you'll want to have some cash or if you're going to food stalls which you can't miss going to the food stalls and things so you can't really get around having some cash on you when you're in Istanbul. Credit cards are widely accepted but for small things you you will just need this cash. And there are ATMs everywhere because, again, Grand Bazaar, they can't really have the credit card history of the transactions because a lot of what they're selling is illegal to be selling, fakes and dupes and things like that. And then, also, they just want the cash so they don't have to report it. When it comes to language, of course, Turkish is the most common language, but basic English is spoken in all of the touristy areas. Learning a few Turkish phrases will definitely help enhance your experience and Makes the trip more memorable too, in my opinion. When it comes to tipping, restaurants will want you to tip somewhere between five and ten percent if a service charge is not included. So keep that in mind, five percent is going to be just fine. Ten percent will be if it's an exceptional experience. The emergency phone number in case something happens, it's not 9 1 1, it is 1 1 2. For power plugs, you will want type F, which is, this is the two prong plug. Something to keep in mind is to dress modestly when you're visiting mosques and religious sites. The overall, the city is a little bit more modest as well. So keep that in mind and you will need to remove your shoes before entering a mosque. When it comes to safety, Istanbul is generally considered safe, but standard precautions against pickpocketing and scams in the crowded touristy areas is definitely advised. Finally, coming from the U. S., I did not need a visa, but make sure you check that. Many nationalities can get an e visa online before traveling there. But again, like I said, just coming for a day layover. I did not need a visa, which is good. Last but not least, make sure to respect the local customs and traditions, especially during religious observances like Ramadan. There's some cultural sensitivity in Istanbul, so you want to be aware of that. And finally, before we close, because I don't have enough time to tell you about the Italy trip, so I will do that in the next podcast. I'll make a quick episode just touching on this entire trip, tell you what it's about, who we're looking for, run you through the itinerary, and give the price point as well. But that trip to Italy is May 20th. And finally, a quick word from our sponsor because this episode is sponsored by the incredible Yana Aesthetic Spa. Are you ready to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul? Look no further than this spa and it will be your oasis of relaxation and beauty nestled in the heart of Boston. Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and indulge in an ultimate spa experience. Their expert team of professionals is dedicated to providing you with personalized treatments tailored to your unique needs and desires. From luxurious facials and revitalizing massages to advanced skincare treatments and body therapies, they offer a wide range of services designed to pamper and rejuvenate you from head to toe. Whether you're seeking a moment of tranquility or complete transformation, this spa is your sanctuary for self care and renewal. Discover the power of relaxation and embark on a journey to radiant beauty and inner harmony. Check out their website. It is linked on all of my social media pages. I absolutely love going there. I have gone for many, many facials. I've gone for different massages and currently I'm doing some laser. So I'm so excited to finally be doing laser hair removal, which I thought was going to be so painful. And let me tell you, going there with Jana, who actually has been doing the treatments herself, has been completely painless and truly such a nice experience. I could not recommend this spa enough. Let me know if you'd like to go I can give you a promotional code But that is it for us today on the short sleep travel podcast, thank you all so much for tuning in and thank you for listening I absolutely loved this episode getting to tell you all about my experience in Istanbul and how to turn a bit of a travel hiccup into An experience where you can make the most of getting some time in a random city that you never expected to. So, oddly enough, hoping to get stuck in random cities a lot more this year. Thank you so much for tuning in, thanks for listening. And if you have any questions or would like me to help you with an upcoming trip, you can reach out to me on any social media platform at Catshortsleave. That is my handle on Instagram and TikTok. You can email me at catshortsleeve at gmail. com I'm always here and looking forward to connecting with you and tune in for the next episode which will be all about the Italy trip and finally The next episode after that will be all about my experience skiing in the Alps versus in the US versus in Japan Okay. Cheers. Talk to you next time