Top Places to See in Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul is a large city divided into two continents and has 15 million people inhabiting it. Needless to say, it is one of the most visited cities and offers a wide range of finds for the budget traveller to the history buff. The city seems to take you back to an older time, yet it is incredible modern as well. Here are a few sites that were awe-inspiring, beautiful, and some that are obvious “must sees” when journeying there.

Semana Santa-A Journal-Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)

I just finished experiencing my first and maybe last Semana Santa in Sevilla, Spain. It was overwhelming at times and even though it was chalked full of people, it was an unforgettable experience. Here is my journal entry from day one of Semana Santa, with a little commentary from the rest of the week and of course, a few pictures.

Balcony on Domingo de Ramos

Tapa Thursday-No Kitchen

No Kitchen is a relatively new restaurant in Sevilla, but one that should not be skipped. It has been on my list since I saw one of my friend's pics from a lunch he had there. It is such a great, yet simple idea: no kitchen. The items on the menu are fresh, simple, and delicious.

Tapa Thursday-Almería

This being my last tapas post about Almería, I thought that I would showcase a couple of other places in Almería that were too good not to mention. 

Tapas Thursday-El Candil, Almería

We found El Candil nestled in a quiet corner of a plaza in Almería. Only a few patrons were sipping their wine and beer when we popped our heads into this little dive. We only became aware of the place because the Ruta de Tapas was taking place in Almería while we were visiting the city. It was stop number two on our list that night and we ended up staying there during the entirety of a football match and then returning the next night. The tapas bar does not offer much on views, but it more than makes up for that in their food.

Tapas Thursday- Cervecería El Pescaíto, San José

Nestled in the bottom of Spain on the Costa de Almería, San José is a quaint beach town an hour away from Almería. We decided to take the hour bus ride and visit this pueblo blanco on the sea. We just happened to be there during lunch time, and found Cervecería El Pescaíto. Here in the Almería region, the tradition of serving a free tapa with an order of a caña or vino still holds true. When arriving at 1:15, a bit early for lunch in Spain (our bus was leaving at 3:00), the establishment had a handful of men who were catching up on the daily gossip and a welcoming decor of blue-checkered tablecloths and fish nets hanging from the ceiling.

Tapas Thursday- Restaurante ConTenedor

Restaurante ConTenedor has been on our radar since we have been in Seville. It has extremely high ratings and also it is a convenient five minute walk from our apartment. We chose an evening with some friends to dine at this amazing slow food restaurant and were not disappointed, by the food or the company. This slow food restaurant is often packed and a reservation is usually needed. It delivers a fresh approach to food, it is suitable for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike and is a nice break from the Sevilla tapas bars.