I don't really know where to begin.
I was born and raised in Istanbul, which means I'm probably incapable of being objective about it. Some people might read this and think I'm biased. They're probably right.
Because writing about Istanbul isn't like writing about a city.
It's writing about a feeling.
Living in Istanbul can be difficult. The traffic, the noise, the crowds, the impatience, the endless political conversations. When you live somewhere, you don't just experience its beauty — you experience its frustrations too.
For a long time, I thought Istanbul was exhausting.
Then I started travelling more.
I visited cities I had dreamed about for years. Places with cleaner streets, better infrastructure and calmer rhythms. Yet after every trip, I found myself coming back to the same conclusion:
Istanbul is extraordinary. Maybe even one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Maybe the most beautiful.
The Bosphorus
Why? It's that simple.
I've seen spectacular coastlines, rivers and harbours around the world, but nothing quite compares to the Bosphorus.
It's the city's heartbeat.
Feeling overwhelmed? Go to the Bosphorus. Celebrating something? Go to the Bosphorus. Need a moment to yourself? Go to the Bosphorus.
It has a way of putting everything into perspective.
People who grow up here often take it for granted. Then one day, sitting in another city thousands of miles away, you realise just how special it is.
The Bosphorus isn't just a view. It's a state of mind.
The Food
Food is another reason Istanbul stays with you.
No, it doesn't have Tokyo's omakase culture. And no, it doesn't have the kind of French fine dining scene you'll find in Paris.
But Istanbul doesn't need either. Because Istanbul plays its own game.
Meyhanes. Fish restaurants. Kebab houses. Neighbourhood lokantas. Baklava shops. Street food stalls.
Some of the world's great food cities are becoming increasingly similar. Istanbul has managed to remain entirely itself.
And that's exactly what makes it so exciting.
A Different City Every Few Streets
One of the things I love most about Istanbul is that it never feels like a single city.
Nişantaşı feels different from Karaköy. Karaköy feels different from Moda. Moda feels different from Arnavutköy. Arnavutköy feels different from Balat.
A short ferry ride can completely change the atmosphere.
The city stays the same. The character changes entirely.
You can spend the morning wandering through centuries-old streets in the Historic Peninsula, have a long lunch overlooking the Bosphorus in Arnavutköy, stop for coffee in Moda and end the night in Karaköy.
Very few cities offer that kind of variety.
And perhaps that's why Istanbul never gets old.
Despite the chaos. Despite its imperfections. Despite the moments that make you want to leave.
Because in the end, Istanbul always reminds you of something important:
Some cities are visited.
Some cities are lived in.
Istanbul is felt.