11 Things to Do in Istanbul in October

Without the heat of summer and before the characteristic cold of winter arrives, this Turkish city presents its best face in the autumn months, including October. Visiting all that Istanbul has to offer also becomes more comfortable, since the influx of tourists drops considerably.

Although no one should miss visiting the interior of its monuments, in October you will enjoy almost as much contemplating its mosques with the golden hue that gives the autumn light. In addition, the city offers some special activities to further enhance the experience of spending a few days there.

Exfoliation, massage, steam room.... If after spending hours admiring the best monuments of Istanbul you want to relax, rest and let yourself be pampered, nothing better than doing it in a traditional hammam.

This Turkish bath is also 5 centuries old (the business will have survived for 500 years, don't you think?) and the building in which it is housed has an architecture worthy of admiration.

October is also a perfect time to book a ticket to the hamman because it rains frequently in Istanbul. Do you find any "but" to this plan?

Contemporary art lovers have an appointment in Istanbul every two years during the months of October and November. The city's Biennial is considered one of the most important in the world, although it does not reach the level of the Venice Biennial.

This contemporary art festival has been held since the mid-1980s. More than 70 artists from various countries around the world usually participate, as the organizers of the Istanbul Biennial aim to include art from cultures that generally receive less attention in Europe, such as Africa and Asia.

The Biennial's exhibitions and activities are held at various venues in the city, such as the Museum of Painting and Sculpture and the Pera Museum. Although these are interesting spaces, in my opinion it is more worthwhile to approach other locations such as the Cistern Basilica, St. Irene or Büyükada Island, as they add to what is on display their own attractions.

You can certainly eat good fish in Istanbul at any time of the year, but the locals themselves point out that there is no better time than autumn. The historic neighborhood of Karaköy for centuries has been one of the places in the city where the fresh fish arrived and today you can find some places that offer unforgettable dishes.

Among the best dishes you can choose is the famous balik ekmek, a mackerel sandwich that leaves no one indifferent. In addition, you will be able to see how they prepare it right in front of you, in just a few minutes.

Of course, you can also opt for other more elaborate recipes. Among them is another classic of the city's street food: stuffed mussels, which you can try if you book a gastronomic tour of Istanbul.

Autumn, more specifically October, is undoubtedly the best time to climb the Galata Tower, perhaps along with spring. Not only will you save a lot of time waiting in line because of the lesser influx of tourists, but you can see the best views of the city under a light that beautifies it even more.

To get there in the most restful way possible, it is best to find the Tünel funicular stop (it is somewhat hidden, on Tersane Street after crossing the Galata Bridge towards the tower).

Once there, climbing the tower is quite comfortable, as it has a convenient elevator to the top. Once at the top, from a balcony that surrounds its circular structure, you will be able to see the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Soleiman Mosque, the Golden Horn and many other wonders of Istanbul that you will surely know in depth if you book a guided tour of Istanbul

Practical information about the Galata Tower

• Opening hours: daily from 9:00 a.m. to 00:00 a.m.
• Price: about 6,20 €.

The Akbank Jazz Festival, Turkey's oldest jazz festival, is held for 10 days in October in Istanbul. If you are a fan of this type of music, this is a perfect opportunity to attend one of the concerts.

The concerts organized by the festival feature international jazz stars, as well as promising young jazz artists. In total, during these days you will be able to see more than 100 artists distributed in the 10 main venues of the event. In addition, workshops and film screenings are also organized.

Some of the venues where the concerts take place are the Galataport Istanbul Paket Post Office, the Gazhane Museum, the Galatasaray Lyceum and the Pera Palace Hotel.

Take the opportunity to get to know the Pera Palace Hotel

If you decide to attend one of the concerts of the festival and want to take the opportunity to see a historical place of the city, the Pera Palace Hotel is an unbeatable option. The beautiful building was built no less than in 1892 for the purpose of providing accommodation for travelers on the legendary Orient Express.

In addition to its undoubted historical and aesthetic value and for the great views from its facilities, the hotel is visited by many curious people who want to see two rooms in particular: 101, intended for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and 411, where Agatha Christie stayed to write Murder on the Orient Express.

Although it has improved a lot in recent years (you should have seen it two decades ago), the traffic in the center of Istanbul can be overwhelming. For relaxation, there is no better place than Gülhane Park, which is at its best in late September and October.

Gulhane is the park that leads to the Topkapi Palace and some of the city's best museums. Strolling along its paths in October, as many local families do, will allow you to enjoy some trees with a really wonderful colorful, typical of autumn.

At the end of the garden you will find a cafe where you can sit and have a drink while enjoying great views of the Asian part of the city.

Take advantage of the walk to enter the Topkapi Palace or the archaeological museum

Visiting the Topkapi Palace is one of the must-see plans in Istanbul. The former residence of the sultans is today a great museum to which you should spend several hours. It houses several very interesting rooms, such as those containing pieces of the treasure of the ancient Ottoman Empire, the relics or, above all, the harem. Also, its gardens are great for strolling and enjoying the views of the city.

On the other hand, in the same Gülhane park you will find two archaeological museum sites. The exhibits showcase much of the region's history, including the impressive Alexander Sarcophagus and Meleager Sarcophagus.

Even though it's October and there are fewer tourists, Istanbul's traffic and bustling streets hardly decrease. Possibly there is no better place to relax for a few hours than the Princes Islands, which are at their best during autumn, according to many.

There are 8 islands that make up this small archipelago located in the Sea of Marmara, although only four are usually visited. During Byzantine times they were used as a place of exile for princes and nobles who had fallen into disgrace. Its beauty made that, with time, the Ottoman aristocracy began to build wooden palaces in them, in addition to some villas that can still be contemplated.

As cars are prohibited, the atmosphere is extremely quiet, especially from October. To get there you can use one of the ferries departing from Kabataş or Sirkeci or hire one of the organized tours that take you to Buyukada, one of the main islands.

Although you will find this type of juice at other times of the year, the best time to try it is when the pomegranate season arrives, starting in October. Taking advantage of that time, numerous street st alls start offering the juice at very cheap prices and you should not miss the opportunity to order a glass and drink it while walking or sitting on a bench.

Pomegranate juice (and other fruits) stalls have become a characteristic element of the city, especially from autumn onwards. A good place to try it is in the bustling streets in front of the esplanade that serves as the Eminonu bus station.

This is an area where tourists hardly come, despite the proximity to the spice bazaar and where you will find, in addition to pomegranate juices, sweet stores at much cheaper prices than in Sultanahmet.

When you hear the word puppet you may think that this is an ideal plan if you have gone to Istanbul with children. However, in this festival you will find performances for all ages and themes.

The festival lasts approximately 11 days and involves companies from all over the world. In its various venues you will also find workshops to learn how to make puppets, film screenings and conferences, always having the world of puppets as the main theme.

As a curiosity you should know that the art of puppetry has a long tradition in Turkey, where it was known by the name of Karagöz. During the time of the Ottoman Empire, this type of art spread throughout its domains in the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East.

If you are going to be in Istanbul at the end of October you will be able to witness the celebrations on the occasion of one of the most important dates in Turkey's modern history, Republic Day. For a couple of days from the 28th of that month, the city is filled with parades, performances and fireworks to celebrate the occasion.

The Cumhuriyet Bayramı, Turkish name of the celebration, has as its origin the creation of the modern Turkish state by Atatürk. Thus, on October 29, 1923, the sultans lost power and the Turkish Republic was declared.

In addition to the colorful parades and musical performances, the most spectacular part of the celebrations is the fireworks display. With the lights reflecting on the Bosphorus, the effect is absolutely magnificent and I assure you that you will not forget it.

It is well known that Oktoberfest is a German tradition, but if you like beer you will find a smaller version in Istanbul. Keep in mind that for decades there was a lot of emigration from Turkey to Germany and it is not strange that some of the returnees brought some customs with them.

Although you will find celebrations in some pubs in the city, the most famous is the one organized by the Bomontiada Art Complex, a historic brewery in Istanbul. This party takes place during 3 days mainly in Populist, a local located in the Sislis neighborhood.

To get there just take metro line 2 from Taksim, get off at Osmanbey Metro Station and walk about 10 minutes to Birahane Sk.

It is always advisable to check the weather forecast shortly before traveling, but to give you a rough idea, in October the average high is around 20º C, while the average low is around 13º C.

As you can see, it is not too cold, but you should keep in mind that it tends to rain quite often. For this reason, do not forget to bring an umbrella in your luggage or at least waterproof clothes.