Green City Guide: Istanbul

The largest city in Turkey, and the only one in the world to straddle two continents, Istanbul has been described to the point of cliché as a place of contrasts—between old and new, religious and secular, East and West. Yet when you're zipping underneath the old Byzantine Walls of Constantinople on the modern tramway system or listening to the call to prayer while sipping an organic cocktail in a trendy cafe, you'll marvel anew at the multitudes contained in this city of perhaps 15 million people. These days, you can add exhaust-ridden and eco-friendly to the list of contradictions.

While Istanbul struggles to address its pollution and traffic problems, green choices in food, fashion, and fun are more widely available than ever. Whether you're hitting the can't-miss sights—from Topkapi Palace, the lavish center of Ottoman power, to the Grand Bazaar, the world's oldest shopping mall, to the stunning and sacred Ayasofya—or whiling your days away at the cafes, bars, and boutiques of Beyoğlu, these 10 tips will show you yet another side of ever-changing Istanbul.

For the most recent green news, check out TreeHugger's Turkey archives.

1. Get Around Like the Istanbullus Do: On Public Transit
   In a city this traffic-clogged (and one where cab drivers have been known to take tourists for an entirely different kind of ride), opting for public transportation is good for your sanity and pocketbook as well as the environment. From the airport, a combination of metro and tramway lines (pdf map) will take you right through the heart of Sultanahmet, where most tourists spend the majority of their time, for just a couple of bucks. Alternately, the speedy and comfortable Havaş bus will whisk you up to Taksim Square in the lively Beyoğlu district for 10 Turkish lira (about $6). Taking a ride on the 130-year-old Tünel funicular or a Bosphorus cruise on the public ferry are attractions in their own right.


2. Stay at a Central, Local Hotel: The Hotel Empress Zoe and Eklektik Guest House
   While both business associations and the Turkish government are working on initiatives to encourage more environmentally friendly hotel management, truly 'green' lodging is hard to find to date. Your best bet is to reduce transportation needs by staying in a central location—Sultanahmet for the historic highlights, or Taksim/Beyoğlu for proximity to shopping and nightlife. Keep your money in the local economy by choosing a small, boutique establishment over one of the big chains. The Hotel Empress Zoe, Kybele Hotel (both in Sultanahmet), and Eklektik Guest House (in Beyoğlu) fit both bills.


3. Peruse a Neighborhood Market: Kadiköy, Fatih, or an Organic Market
   The Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarşi) is on every visitor's to-do list, but there's more to Istanbul's great market culture than this monstrous maze of shops. Generally, every neighborhood has its own weekly street market where you can stock up on fresh produce, cheese, bread, olives, and other picnic items or riffle through piles of clothing and sundry household items while absorbing plenty of local flavor. The Tuesday market in Kadiköy (on the city's Asian side) and Wednesday market in Fatih (centered around the Fatih Mosque) are two of the biggest. There's even an "ekolojik pazar" (organic market) on Saturdays in the Feriköy district of Şişli.


4. Skip the Kebabs and Go to a Vegetarian or Raw Restaurant
   OK, don't skip the kebabs entirely—meat sliced off a spit is an integral part of the Turkish dining experience. But you can inject some green variety into your vacation diet at largely vegetarian restaurants like Zencefil, Parsifal, and Nature and Peace, all in Beyoglu, or trendy raw-foodist haven Saf. Over on the Asian side, the inventive, ever-changing menu at Çiya has plenty to offer vegetarians. In Arnavutköy, Abracadabra combines a picture-perfect Bosphorus-front setting with fresh, local, seasonal flavors. At the dinner table, look for organic wines from Artemis Vineyards or Sevilen, or head over to the Misket Sarap Evi (wine house) in Beşiktaş for some organic wine from the owner's vineyard.


5. Sign up for a Cooking Class
   Enroll in a three-day Turkish-cooking course or a one-day gastronomic tour with the Istanbul Culinary Institute, which supports—and gets produce from—a sustainable farm in the northern Aegean region. The Istanbul Food Workshop also offers classes and market tours.


6. Take a Walking Tour
   Though Istanbul is massive and sprawling, most of the major tourist destinations are clustered within easy walking distance in the old city, pedestrians rule on the lively-at-all-hours shopping drag Istiklal Caddesi (a people-watcher's dream), and the city's myriad back streets are best explored on foot. A set of do-it-yourself walking tours from National Geographic cover the city's highlights and some lesser-known delights. Looking for something a little more organized? Fest Travel offers "Strolling Through Istanbul" tours focusing on bazaars, Islamic culture, or museums.


7. Go Shopping for Green Souvenirs or Organic Clothing
   Sure, you could just buy evil eyes for everyone on your list, but natural soaps or traditional Turkish bath products from Home Spa or Abdulla are eco-friendly gifts your friends won't easily find elsewhere. Join the fashion parade on Istiklal Caddesi with organic denim from Mavi Jeans, Turkey's first global fashion brand, or organic-cotton designs from Boa Studio, available at various hip boutiques. For kids' clothing and accessories, check out the eco-friendly Treehouse.


8. Go to an Istanbul Park: Yildiz or Gülhane
   Make a quick escape from the city's chaos with a stroll through Yildiz or Gülhane Park. The latter is especially lovely in April, after the city plants pallet-loads of tulips. For a more ambitious outdoor excursion, the Belgrad Forest northeast of the city can be reached by bus from Taksim. Adim Adim, a Turkish-English running and charitable organization, takes group excursions there every Saturday morning.


9. Exercise: Hit the Jogging Paths or Take a Yoga Class
   The city's traffic can be daunting, but there are various jogging paths and other resources available for runners, joggers, and walkers. Those who prefer indoor exercise can get their Om on at Cihangir Yoga, where classes are generally taught in Turkish and English.


10. Take a Day Trip: Princes' Islands, or an Organic Farm
    A day trip to the Adalar, or Princes' Islands, is an easy, eco-friendly escape. After an hour-and-a-half ferry ride, you're in a blissfully car-free zone where you can rent bikes or even hire a horse-drawn carriage. On a longer stay in Turkey? Consider an organic farm stay coordinated by the environmental group Bugday, such as Ömercan organic farm in nearby Çanakkale.

Travel much? Check out more Green City Guides.

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