Kemal Usta Waffles

In 2014 as a junior in college, I was roped into a two-month summer trip to Istanbul, Turkey. Growing up loving travel but struggling with history, I had no clue what I was getting into—I couldn’t even show you Turkey on a map. So it came as a complete surprise that 60 days in this city would make me more familiar with it than my own hometown and grow a love I didn’t know was possible. I could never up all I learned and love about Istanbul, but for cities like this that I know well it’s pretty easy to identify the places I would revisit today if I could, and that’s why I’m starting my #khowdozen Lists. Consider this a starting place for how to engage with Istanbul as a first-time visitor; perhaps you could even squeeze these twelve experiences into a long layover! This isn’t a list of the top sites or best fine dining; it’s the honest opinion of a girl who spent two months in the simple Kadikoy neighborhood and grew to love the Turkish people and the ways they connect, eat, and explore their beloved city. All photography by Katie Howerton.

Welcome to my completely unorganized but oh-so-helpful map of Istanbul! An absolute smorgasbord of my own travels and research, suggestions from friends and strangers, and many treasures found along the way, this is where I compile all things Istanbul for my future trips and yours. Things I particularly love that you’ll find a lot of: ☕️ Coffee shops & bakeries 🌮 Local cuisine 🏛️ Museums of all kinds 🌳 Gardens & parks 🛏️ Boutique hotels 🍕 Small regional chains with good reputations All my guides in this category are $5 per 100 places included, but since I add to these constantly, you can lock down the lowest price today and gain a lifetime access!