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Istanbul's Grey Days & the Best Börek (Probably)

@Sophia Berg3/1/2026blog

okay, so. istanbul. right? i just got back, and honestly, my brain feels like a plate of leftover baklava - sticky, sweet, and slightly overwhelming. i’m a touring session drummer, you see, and this was a weird little gap between gigs. needed a change of scenery, something…different. and istanbul definitely delivered on that front.


let’s talk weather first. i just checked and it’s…a damp sort of grey. like someone spilled a giant bucket of diluted charcoal over everything. the feels-like temperature is hovering around four degrees celsius, which is… bracing, to say the least. i’m used to sweaty venues and packed tour buses, so this was a bit of a shock. layers are your friend, people. seriously.

and the pressure? apparently, it’s 1024. i don’t know what that means, but it sounds official. humidity’s at 57%, which is… manageable. i guess.

so, i spent most of my time wandering. just…wandering. getting lost in the backstreets of *Beyoğlu, stumbling across tiny cafes and shops overflowing with carpets and spices. i found this amazing little place selling börek - flaky pastry filled with cheese or spinach. seriously, the best i’ve ever had. i’m pretty sure the lady running it didn’t speak a word of English, but we communicated through enthusiastic nodding and pointing.

TripAdvisor has a ton of recommendations, but honestly, the best food is the stuff you find by accident.

I overheard some drunk tourists arguing about the Hagia Sophia. Apparently, someone told them it was “overrated and full of pigeons.” Pigeons! Like that’s a bad thing. It’s a historic masterpiece, people! Embrace the pigeons!

Speaking of locals, if you get bored, Bursa and Edirne are just a short drive away. I didn't make it out there this time, but I heard they're amazing for textiles and… well, more food, obviously.

I spent a couple of hours in Kadıköy, which is on the Asian side. It felt a lot more relaxed than the European side. There’s a really cool market there - Yelp has some good reviews - with all sorts of weird and wonderful things. I bought some Turkish delight that tasted suspiciously like soap. Still, it was an experience.

“Don’t trust the taxi drivers near Sultanahmet,” a local warned me. “They’ll charge you double if they see you’re a tourist.” Good to know. I ended up using the trams mostly. Much cheaper, and you get to see more of the city.


I also checked out a few vintage shops. Istanbul has a surprisingly good scene for that. I’m always on the lookout for unique drumsticks, you know? Something with a bit of character. I didn’t find any drumsticks, but I did snag a really cool embroidered vest. Etsy has some sellers who ship from Istanbul, if you're looking for something specific.

“The Grand Bazaar is a tourist trap,” someone muttered to me while I was trying to haggle for a rug. “Go to the Spice Bazaar instead. It’s much more authentic.”


I spent an evening at a small jazz club in Cihangir. The music was incredible, and the atmosphere was really intimate. It was a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. I’m trying to remember the name of the place, but my brain is still processing all the sensory overload. I think it was called… something with a “p”? I’ll have to look it up.

Honestly, istanbul is a city that gets under your skin. It’s chaotic, it’s noisy, it’s a little bit overwhelming, but it’s also incredibly beautiful and fascinating. I’d definitely go back. Just maybe in the summer next time. And with a bigger appetite for börek*.

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About the author: Sophia Berg

Exploring the intersection of technology and humanity.

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