Top 5 "off-the-beaten-path" ideas

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Best getaway locations

Description:

A beautiful getaway place to relax and to chill. Sedef Port is owned and managed by families that know the business of hospitality, leisure and true, down-to-earth catering. Located on the smallest of the Princes' Islands, Sedef Port started off an a first on the islands: a remarkable place to get away, to chill and to relax. Whether you arrive early and sunbathe whilst sipping off your Vodka and tonic or Rose wine; or you arrive late for a romantic dinner, this is the type of place that is going to take your mind "off" things without taking you too far away from the city. Ferries depart back and forth from the city between the hours of 10:00 and 19:00. If you want to stay later than that you could make use of the sea taxi.

Description:

If you're a foodie visiting Istanbul, Selin Rozanes from Turkish Flavours can tailor tours highlighting the city's top food and wine destinations, including markets, restaurants and specialist food shops; and even organize Turkish cooking classes in her own kitchen in Nisantası, where you can taste what you have created. Turkish Flavours also organizes culinary tours throughout Turkey and delivers unforgettable culinary experiences and an insight into the Turkish way of life. Please send email for costs and to check availability for cooking courses and tours.

Description:

Melekler Kahvesi or Cafe Dez Anj is actually a regular cafe that serves you everything from coffee and snacks to drinks and meals. What makes Melekler Kahvesi different from any other cafe is that Melekler Kahvesi's other name is the "Fortune" Cafe. At Melekler Kahvesi when you order a cup of Turkish Coffee, a fortune teller also arrives with your coffee and reads out your fortune out of your coffee cup. The fortune tellers are regular 20-something years old adults and adolescents who are indeed university students or waiters and waitresses at the cafe. They are by no means professional fortune tellers and they do now assume to be so. The fortune telling is the additional bonus and the fun that the cafe offers its clients in exchange for a cup of coffee. At no additional fee, Melekler Kahvesi literally practices the Turkish idiom: "Do not believe in fortune, and do not rest without it". That in other words mean do not obsess yourself with fortune telling, but to do not devoid yourself of the fun either. But that never means that what you hear will indeed be the truth :)

Description:

Suna'nin Yeri Fish Restaurant, which effectively means "Suna's Place", has a beautiful location right off the port of Kandilli. Serving good and fresh fish, Suna has a local and loyal clientele who frequent this port restaurant for the benefit its honest service and good food. The price for value is excellent as well. Soon as you are seated, your host will serve you immediately fave (mashed lentils and grassroots), bread and aubergine salad. He will take your order for salad and hot appetizers. The variety of appetizers (mezes) are not very diverse here. Therefore, do not try to feed yourself on them. It is easily accessible with the ferry departing from Bebek and Arnavutkoy.