Located on the 4th floor of Glorya Apartments by Galata Tower, the newly renovated flat can comfortably accommodate 5-6 people with two double bedrooms and a sofabed in the living room. , Glorya Classic View is elegantly furnished with a blend of new and old pieces in whites & beiges with splashes of color, giving a spacious feel to the 110 m2 apartment. Great views of the Tower and Golden Horn from the living room and front bedroom and a glimpse of Suleymaniye from the balcony.   Wireless internet, small LCD TV with cable hook-up, cordless telephone for local calls, CD-radio, two A/C units, natural gas heat & hot water.

We expect this apartment to join Glorya Penthouse Terrace, Deluxe View and Tower View as one of our most preferred units.

Spring is upon us in Istanbul — bright, sparkling days and masses of flowers along the roads.  Lovely to see the daffodils and other bulbs blossoming.  Temperatures are warming up but you still need a warm jacket.

With the Easter holidays approaching, a flood of visitors are coming.  We’re almost fully booked for Easter week with guests coming from all over Europe  — Sofia, Warsaw, Vienna, Amsterdam, Madrid, Norway, England, Germany & Portugal – as well as from Israel, Canada, the United States, Australia,  South Africa, Manila and Kuala Lumpur.  A very international group!

Yesterday afternoon, for the first time in a long while, there was a line of people waiting to get into Galata Tower.  Try to go during the week when it isn’t so crowded but definitely do go up to the top (an elevator takes you up almost all the way) and out on to the viewing platform for an amazing 360 degree view of the city. (Of course, those of you lucky enough to stay in Glorya Penthouse Terrace and Deluxe View can see a lot of the view from your own apartment.)  For those in other of our Galata apartments, you can also enjoy wonderful views from the roof terraces of Konak Patisserie (on the corner of Camekan Sokak diagonally across from the little stone mosque) and the Anemon Hotel.

A superb view of the Golden Horn can be seen from X Restaurant on top of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture & Arts at Sishane — but beware the prices! Best to go for a coffee or a drink and skip the over-priced food which features unsuccessgful flavor combinations.  Beetroot puree with uncured salmon chunks? Inky black tortellini stuffed with shrimp?  A glass of wine for 25 TL when the entire bottle costs 35 TL retail?

For a better eating experience, I’d recommend Big Chefs in Sishane, right across from the metro station, a 5 minute walk from Bereket, Glorya and Brot Apartments.  Exposed bring walls, attractive bar, eclectic decor, hip clientele and a wide-ranging menu makes this place a winner. Open from the morning until the late hours, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner here. With burgers, pizzas, steak and salads, alongside contemporary takes on Turkish favorites, it’s a good place to take kids too. Medium priced.

For cheaper eats, you can’t go wrong with Güney Restaurant at the Galata Tower Plaza.  A choice of tasty home style soups and hot dishes every day and a full lunch of soup, main dish, dessert & coffee will run you only 20 TL. Outdoor seating on the plaza as well as a stylishly done upstairs area for dinner.

Camekan Sokak, where Bereket Apartments is located, has turned into one of Istanbul’s trendiest little streets with ultra-fasionable vintage clothes boutiques, interesting shops and several cafes. Next door to Bereket is Cherry Bean Coffees, which roasts its own coffe and makes its own chocolate.

Almost everyone who comes to Istanbul visits Topkapı Palace. Be sure to take in the special exhibit  — Treasures from the Kremlin — when you go.  It’s a dazzling display of bejewelled and precious objects made for the czars in the 16th and 17th centuries, including many of Ottoman manufacture.   Accompanied by an intelligent commentary, it’s a first rate exhibition.

Please add your reactions, recommendations and experiences to share with the Istanbul Holiday Apartments community.

All the best,

Ann