Our Last Viking Post-Extension Day Exploring the Opulence and Creativity of Istanbul
by Jeffrey Guard
The Elegant Conrad Hotel
My very first impression of the Conrad Hotel was that it was elegant, harkening back to the 1920s when glamour was something more meaningful. The foyer was grand and decadently marbled, the ceiling vaulted into a dome, and the paintings all seemed to be talking about a moment in Turkey’s past.
It was quite lovely, and what I have come to recognize about Turkey is that when they do luxury, they go big. Even this hotel, which is technically at a premium level, would be posh by American standards.
The gourmet room is where we had breakfast, which was included in the package, and it like the Athens Marriott had quite the range of breakfast items: they had both European, American and Turkish items to choose from: cereals, proteins, fruits, dairy, vegetables, eggs, fish and on and on. It was excellent quality and, like everything in this hotel, elegantly displayed.
The hotel staff is also impeccable. Everyone at this hotel had brought their A-game, the kind of outstanding customer service you rarely see in the US. I hate to say that, but it’s true, or you have to pay ca-ching ca-ching to get it.
If I’m being honest with you, we barely used the hotel.. The first night, we were out seeing the Whirling Dervishes and came and slept. Today we would be out the entire day, come back to eat at their restaurant on the ground level, which was very good Italian fare, but also a little pricey…but you know what, I’m worth it: Treat yo’self!
I just briefly popped up to their rooftop restaurant, The Summit, to catch some early morning views of Istanbul. I think it looks better when there’s sunlight, you can see the bridge, the hills, and the mesmerizing Bosporus in its full glory.
Would I stay here again? In a heartbeat. This is a very good hotel. What you might consider a downside, similar to the Marriott Athens, is the location. It’s tucked away in a residential area about a 20-30 minute walk to the light rail public transport.
I happen to like that because you get a taste of the non-tourist, local flavor of Istanbul.
Dolmabahçe Palace
Our morning excursion was walking to Dolmabahçe Palace which is very close to the tram line. Dolmabahçe is a 19th-century imperial palace built in a Rococo and Baroque Revival Style, fused with Turkish design elements. The palace was built by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I, and built between the years 1843 and 1856.
I guess the Sultan was like, ” You know, Topkapi Palace is nice and all, but it just feels small and run down: let’s start fresh.”
Dolmabahçe like Topkapi, feels like a walled private city unto itself. The palace grounds have beautiful gardens and breathtaking views of the Bosporus.
Everything here feels and looks magnificent. Photos and video were not allowed inside. The Ceremonial Hall, where the Sultans would officially greet heads of state, primarily other top-tier royalty and prominent leaders, was the single most beautiful room I’ve ever been in.
I wish I could have photographed it, smuggled at least a single photo, but that place was on lockdown, guards everywhere ready to snatch your camera. There was a crystal chandelier that was as large as an SUV, it had to be transported in like 50 something crates. The walls were outfitted in marble and gold leaf. It blew me away.
We also had lunch at a cafe that was next to the harem, and that was a sad affair. We should have eaten elsewhere, but it was a time saver. The food tasted like frozen-microwave warm-ups.
The harem was the private residence of the royal family, and it was what you would expect, luxurious, ornate and grand. One of the show stoppers was the room in which Turkey’s first Republican president, Kemal Ataturk died. They left it as is with the clock stopped at the time of his passing.
There’s also the painting museum, which was disappointing. It was largely a demonstration of mastery of western painting techniques…so there was a lot of still life, landscapes, all derivative with bland points of view. It was like Turkey was telling Europe, we can do this too. Great…but it was also boring, if I’m being honest.
Istanbul Museum of Modern Art
One of the great things about Dolmabahçe is the location. It’s right next to the tram line and we were able to hop onto it and be at Galataport in just a few minutes time. The museum of modern art is found alongside Galataport and we were able to wave hi to the Viking Star who was onboarding their next group of passengers.
We kicked off our Viking adventure with a visit to the modern art museum in Athens, so it was fitting to end it with a visit to Istanbul’s. This is a great museum if you are looking for a palette cleanser. It was nice to be in current times and enjoy some contemporary art. The geometry, the lines, the play of light, and the webs and webs of string and yarn…not too sure what this was about…actually every time I go into a modern art museum I have no idea what I’m looking at—but that’s also the fun…what could it be…a tickling of the imagination.
This is a small museum which I greatly appreciated, because to be blunt, I was fried at this point. We had an epic two week adventure but we were at capacity; our plates were FULL.
We headed back to the hotel for a light dinner and afterward packed up. We had an early departure. One final surprise was the transfer and flight experience on Turkish Airlines, which of course would mark the end of our Viking Adventure, coming up.
Recommendations
🍝We ate dinner at the Monte Verdi Restaurant (Italian) at the Conrad and highly recommend it. Also, do not skip breakfast either, it’s varied and delicious.
🚊Use the tram to get around Istanbul. It’s fast, easy, and can save you valuable time for more sightseeing and shopping.
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