Ooops - I already posted previously above.
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According to Alex best kebab in the world.
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Was there in May for the first time in years
Major highlight was going to see a Whirling Dervish ceremony at Hodjapasha Culture Centre, which I found very moving ,and learning more about Sufism there which I knew only a tad about
Cuma is a restaurant in the antiques district- not very Turkish but the breakfasts and coffee are great and its an interesting area
Food highlight for me was the fish wrap- flat bread, mackerel fillets , spicy sauce and salad- had 3 one day- The very popular place is called I think Solak Lezzeti Tarihi , but the ones nearby without massive queues are damn good too- about £4 each
Pera Museum is a quick cheap visit for a small collection of romantic Turkish art if that’s your thing- painting called The Tortoise Trainer is a highlight, and the art deco cafe there is a nice place to rest your feet
Found the bazaar underwhelming personally - low quality ceramics, and loads of knock off stuff
Best thing to buy is Hammam towels imo- lightweight, fast drying, great quality, nice designs, dirt cheap.
Why in our country we generally prefer thick heavy towels that take forever to dry , God only knows
Baklava places can stock up to about 40 varieties that pretty much all taste the same beyond the pistachio/walnut divide. But they can be nice places to people watch those who have just had surgery on faces, hair transplants or new teeth
Christ I’m old. Recommending towels ffs
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Sounds like the best reason to go! 
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For some, certainly.
But you look at some of them and think " you should have had a few other things sorted…" 
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A great place to gawk at people who’ve just had nose jobs (women) or hair transplants (men).
On the shopping front, I packed a bit light and thought I’d pick up a spare sweatshirt or something, but you literally couldn’t buy anything that didn’t have BALENCIAGA or CHANEL or MONCLER across the front in massive letters.
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Omg so many people with hair transplants it’s quite something. Food is incredible here and people have just been lovely. Easy to get around. Meeting up with my in-laws who live in Russia, they can get here without a visa or much hassle.
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I am going later this year and have booked the cultural centre for a visit. Thanks for referencing.
in terms of music Hamza Rubsilent is the geezer to check for detroit-rooted house and techno. Though, tbh, I think you should check out meyhane/arabesk/folk music.
Istanbul is not the place to have Baklava. The best baklava is either home made by nans in their 80s, or in the south east, Gaziantep, Adana, etc. Basically not the tourist-y places at all.
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I will second this - avoid the touristy spots with overflowing tables of baklava. There are so many amazing Turkish baked goods. We loved the Cihangir neighbourhood and ate at this place no less than four times in two weeks. Simit is a sort of Turkish bagel - brilliant as a snack or light breakfast with tea. Firini (pronounced FUR-uh-nuh) means bakery. Very important word to remember haha
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