This fun and offbeat walking tour starts at the pier in Kadıköy, a very lively and young neighborhood of Istanbul. With our guide, IWI partner Monica Fritz, we will wander into these popular streets in the morning when they are still quiet and there is space to look around and enjoy.

First, a visit to the historical Turkish Delight shop, with a lovely old Istanbul atmosphere to it. Then we will go to a small Armenian chapel, untouched by ‘progress’ and very frequented by locals and others.

A visit to this part is never complete without experiencing the famous Kadıköy market area – the bustling and colourful fish market, spices, gourmet shops, and street food.

Nearby is a street dedicated to antique shops, also sleepy in the morning making it a good time to browse and imagine what the inside of Turkish homes were once like - it’s a sort of Asian version of Çukurcuma. Further down we hit the famous “bar street”, where many of the bars and clubs are being cleaned and refurbished, giving us a nice chance to see their traditional wooden architecture. We will visit one of the older rock bars to look at the unique interior.

We then go on to Moda, an older and upmarket quarter once known for its women’s beach and exclusive beach club. Depending on the time, we can visit a church and other interesting landmarks, boutiques and trendy shops in this lovely area.

Lunch will be taken in lovely little “Naan”, finishing with a tea under the wonderful mastic trees, overlooking the Marmara Sea.