After visiting the major historical sights on Day 1, the second day in Istanbul was dedicated to exploring the modern culture of the city. Spending the morning at the Istanbul Modern, we viewed a collection of beautiful modern works of art by Turkish artists. I especially enjoyed the expressionistic works. While art can tell you so much about place and culture, there is also something very universal about artistic expression.
For lunch, we visited the Hilton Istanbul, enjoying a lovely Turkish buffet and another surreal patio lounge. The hotel has become quite an icon in Istanbul, as it was the very first Hilton hotel outside of the United States. Touring the property, I definitely felt a nostalgic JFK/Jackie O era vibe, very unique in Istanbul.
In the afternoon, we went to Istinye Park, the high end shopping district of the city. Narrow, tree-lined, cobblestone streets offered a quaint environment for luxury fashion houses like Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Tiffany & Co..
Continuing the exploration of luxury, we were treated to an exclusive tour of the Armaggan Bosporus Suites. Not open to the public, this bed and breakfast style residence is right on the Bosphorus strait, with its own yacht and Turkish hamam among many other travel luxuries.
We finished off with a night out on the town, going in for a truly local experience. Right into the mix; the vibrant, yet laid-back nightlife that Istanbul has to offer. Definitely a highlight for our group! The only thing that could’ve been improved is having a tour guide who knew the places well so that we could find everything with ease. Nevermind, next time I’ll be sure to contact Turkey Tours!
Special thanks to Sony Canada for giving me the opportunity to use this Sony NEX-6 camera to capture my trip!
Photos taken with a Sony NEX-6 camera.
What I was wearing:
Look 1- Lifetime Collective T-shirt and shorts, KENZO x Vans sneakers (with Ninja Sox), Ray-Ban sunglasses, Kara Ross cuff, Fossil limited edition Compass watch, Nella Bella bag
Look 2- Lifetime Collective shirt, Zara pants, Tommy Hilfiger shoes, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Hermès Clic H bracelet, Glam Rock watch