A-Z Guidebook: Ferry Ride to Kadik�y in Istanbul

K is for Kadik�y

To me, a ferry ride is a brief escape from the world. A chance to feel the cool, salty breeze on my face. A moment to watch the seagulls chase the ferry and admire the fading shoreline.

When we lived in Istanbul, taking the ferry from our neighborhood of Besiktasto Kadik�y was one of my favorite things to do. During these brief 20 minutes, I felt transported to a different world � a beautiful, exotic world so different from my own upbringing in the Midwest of the U.S.

Every day, barring bad weather and government closures, the iconic white and yellow Sehir Hatlari ferry boats crisscross the Bosphorus Straight and will even take you all the way to the Princes Islands. The ferries cross between Besiktas and Kadik�y and back again twice an hour. Day time trips between the two neighborhoods is perfect, but unfortunately, the ferries stop service long before your going out hours are up and you�re stuck taking a dolmus(a shared minivan taxi) to either side.

Once you arrive in Kadik�y, you can enjoy a pleasant walk along the Bosphorus shoreline or head straight to the pedestrian-friendly market area. Guess where I usually ended up?

In the market area, you�ll find dozens of stall holders and shop owners touting fresh fish, seasonal fruits and veggies, dried fruits, honey, nuts, cheese, baklava and more. You�ll even find the odd sheeps� head, offal and foreign pork products for sale (a must for any displaced expat)

If you�re in the mood for lunch or dinner, head over to �iya, a fantastic local spot which has three caf�s/restaurants on G�nesli Bah�e Sokak. I visited this popular eatery many times while I lived in Istanbul and during my visits. The Turkish food features typical homemade goodies such as lentil soup, meat casseroles, mezzes and kebabs.

Just thinking about �iya has my mouth watering! Hopefully, we�ll be visiting and eating here again later this year!

When you visit Istanbul, don�t miss out taking the ferry ride to Kadik�y and exploring this bustling neighborhood.

I�m linking this post to the monthly travel guide link up organized by Fiona, a fellow Australian blogger, at Tiffin Bite Sized Food Adventures. Each month features a new letter of the alphabet. This month is the letter �K.� Please pop on over to Fiona�s blog to read more travel stories!