You may not know it, but you can enrich yourself culturally by simply traveling to Istanbul, Turkey. There’s really nothing to it. Istanbul has always been historically rich, and the diversity of past and present cultures here can be seen by the diverse and eclectic tourism spots in the area. You can watch belly dancers or Whirling Dervishes; you can just sit under the stars or spend the time clubbing; you can spend the night at the bar or spend the day stuffing your face with tasty street food morsels.

Recommendation number 1: find yourself a tourist guide, or a friend who will travel with you at all times while you tour Istanbul. First of all, the area is predominantly Islam and there may be some social protocols that may elude you as a foreigner to the land, but are considered necessary by the locals. A good example of which is dress codes, especially for women. Plus, a great guide can save you time and money by simply steering you to the right direction. If you want to go see the Whirling Dervishes, a guide can point you straight to where the performers are. If you try doing this by yourself, you will probably spend more time wondering where the heck you are. Needless to say, street signs are confusing enough, and even more so if you do not speak or read the local language.

Most of the edifices here are spectacular, but there are hardly walking tours available on a regular basis. In fact, there are some tours that are relegated only to one location. So you may want to arrange with your guide your transportation mode; unless, of course, you want to spend a good portion of your time finding taxis that will take you to your next destination. Some places to add to your itinerary are: Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque, Dolmabahçe Palace, The Grand Bazaar, Hippodrome, the Istanbul Archeology Museum, the Military Museum, St. Savior in Chora and the Yerebatan Cistern.

You may be glad to know that although Istanbul is under an Islamic government, this area is rather lax when it comes to the enforcement of alcoholic drinks on the streets. Bars and pubs abound in Istanbul, and there are so many discos, jazz bars and rock clubs to go to. There are even some tongue-in-cheek merry making where themed clubs cater only individuals of a specific sexual orientation, dramatic costumes are required at the door, as well.

However, if you prefer a more, shall we say, conventional bar and pub experience, or conventional disco dancing, or even a sedate restaurant dining time, you may want to check out these places: 5.Kat (high end restaurant); Café Gramofon (café in the morning, jazz bar at night – we recommend their home brew); Club 14 (disco with great music); Prive (disco and a great place to just hang out); Hayal Kahvesi (rocker’s paradise); Harry’s Jazz Bar (also hosts live blues shows); James Joyce (hosts Irish music on weekends); etc.

For a taste of the more exotic, you can always check out the Galata Tower for some live belly dancing. The show does not really start until 11 pm, but still it is well worth the wait. If you are lucky, you may even try gyrating to the moves; hopefully, by that time, you have consumed enough drinks to unhinge your limbs.