The Wanderer

A Solo Travel Guide

Thanksgiving has always been a time for travel in my family. My dad’s birthday always falls on thanksgiving week, which in the states gives us plenty of time for an international trip. For the past few years my family and I have been touring the world one stop at a time. This year’s trip brings us to Turkey for a week long excursion around this beautiful historical country. Our tour begins with 3 days in Istanbul followed by 3 more days in Cappadocia.

I booked my flight a day early (by accident) which gave me the rare opportunity to visit a foreign land all by myself. So as I sit in my hotel room writing this, I’d like to take you through my solo day in Istanbul.

I landed last night around 11pm local time and booked a taxi to my hotel. From all my months traveling as a consultant, I’ve racked up enough miles to get a free night at the Ritz Carlton. The hotel was beautiful, with its marble walls and clean lines it brought all of the class and style one would expect from a 5 star hotel. I spent the night relaxing and settling down after the long flight.

In the morning I rolled out of bed around 9:00am and went down to the fitness room for a quick workout. I don’t workout often while traveling, but on a quiet day like this I had the time and energy to get in a mile run and a few chest exercises. I grab some room service and eat in my hotel room as I pack my bags for the day and get ready to head out into the town.

My hotel was located in Karakoy, a happening area right on the harbor with great views of the city center across the river. Small cafes and restaurants line the winding streets of the city, a new exciting restaurant around every corner. In European cities I love exploring the city by following the natural flow of the streets. I like to think of my journeys as stepping into the lives of the people who have called this place home for centuries.

As I walk through the maze of streets and alleys I find myself thinking about the history of Istanbul. From the Ottomans to the Byzantines all the way back to the Sumerians and Mesopotamians. People have been walking these very steps for thousands of years. I find myself at a small cafe, not a single person in it except the owner, and I sit down for a Turkish coffee. The cafe was small, only a few tables neatly lined up on the edges of the building. Pastries with names I’ve never heard of are sprawled along the counters, each one more tempting than the last. Outside small droplets of rain fall onto the cobblestone roads, trickling through the winding streets just as I had. A cat finds shelter near the window sill and rests its head, as if she wanted company while waiting for the rain to pass. Once I finished my coffee, which was delicious, I took a moment to appreciate this little coffee shop and went on my way. My next stop: the Pera Museum.

Pera is another small neighborhood in Istanbul, a beautiful sprawling area with streets filled with shops and great views of the city. The museum, which cost just 100 Turkish Lira, less than 3 USD, for admission, showcased the longstanding history of Turkish and Ottoman art. My favorite part was this beautiful exhibit that showcased panoramic paintings of the Istanbul skyline. The paintings dated back to the 1700s, it was really interesting seeing the progression of the city. As, time went on and the city grew, it still held on the same immaculate aura. The tiled roofs rolling with the hills they stand on, tall trees finding cracks between the hustle and bustle of winding city streets, all leading to the extravagant mosques on the other side of the river. The main feature of the exhibit was a large 360 degree hand drawn display of the city as it stands today, taken from the lookout nestled at the very top of the Galata Tower a few blocks away. I stood there for what felt like hours taking in the city.

I wandered around the museum for hours, taking in the small details of the paintings, and looking through the gift shot. I can’t imagine spending my time any better. After the museum I walked a few minutes down the road to a nice Persian restaurant called Reyhun. I highly recommend this place, situated on the rooftop near the bustling shopping center, the restaurant hosted a large space filled with families and tourists alike. The outdoor space was a rooftop garden overlooking the beautiful Istanbul skyline: small winding roads and buildings leading towards the most extravagant Mosques I have ever seen. And then there was the food. To be fair, I absolutely love Mediterranean food and everything similar. If possible, I could have a kebab for every meal. So when I sat down at this quaint family run restaurant after a long day roaming the streets of Istanbul, I ordered practically everything on the menu, knowing that I will be here for a while.

After the meal, which was delicious and arguably too much food, I continued my stroll back towards the hotel, where I ended my day with some television as I waited for my family to arrive.

Many people don’t like traveling alone. It’s scary to be in a new unrecognizable place without a support system. Maybe its the privilege I have that allows me to travel alone, and its not something I do quiet often. But in these rare moments where I can explore a city and disappear into the crowd as just another stranger, I feel that I can truly see what it means to live in this place, to call it home.