Page 65 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2026

At dawn, the adhan—the Islamic call to
prayer—rises over the minarets of İstanbul. I
awake at the Galata Istanbul Hotel MGallery, a
boutique perch near the Golden Horn.
Downstairs, a 300-year-old hammam readies its
marble belly for steam rituals. Upstairs,
breakfast dazzles with an organic honey station
and local delicacies that taste like Anatolian
sunshine. Sensory travel? Yes.
History crowds the cobblestones. The former
Hippodrome—today’s Sultanahmet Square—
once thundered with Byzantine chariot races.
Across the way, the mighty Hagia Sophia
(Ayasofya), the 6th-century Byzantine basilica
turned mosque, glows beneath its vast dome.
Steps away, the Hagia History and Experience
Museum uses digital installations for
storytelling, a reminder that innovation
predates the smartphone.
Inside the Blue Mosque, more than 20,000
handmade İznik tiles shimmer in blue floral
motifs. Beneath the streets, the 6th-century
Basilica Cistern stands on 336 marble columns,
two carved with enigmatic Medusa heads
repurposed from earlier Roman structures. I
graze my way through the Spice Bazaar’s
saffron-scented corridors, sip thick Turkish
coffee, and wander the 15th-century Grand
Bazaar—one of the world’s oldest and largest
covered markets with over 4,000 shops.
Dinner unfolds at Muutto Tapas Bar at
Galataport, a stylish waterfront promenade
along the Bosphorus. Ferries crisscross the strait
dividing Europe and Asia as seabirds skim the
currents.
The next morning, I climb the medieval
Galata Tower, built by the Genoese in 1348. From
its balcony, İstanbul unfurls in domes and
minarets. İstiklal Avenue bustles with bakeries
and bookstores. In St. Anthony of Padua Church,
the largest Catholic church in the city, candles
flicker beneath neo-Gothic arches.
And then I’m off to Taksim Square for lunch
at the city’s cultural epicentre: the futuristic
Atatürk Cultural Centre, home to the Biz
İstanbul Restaurant. Sun streaks the white linen
tabletop adorned with a sculpted asparagus
tartlet, followed by more tasty plates. The foodie
finale is a trio of gooey chocolate drizzled
profiteroles dusted in pistachio.
If İstanbul is a palimpsest, Konya is a
meditation. A short, seamless one-hour flight
shifts the energy completely.
Located in Central Anatolia, Konya is widely
regarded as the spiritual heart of Anatolia and
the historic centre of the Mevlevi Sufi order.
Spiritual seekers arrive year-round, but
especially in December for the Şeb-i Arus
festival. The 10-day commemoration honours
the death anniversary of the 13th-century Sufi
mystic and poet Mevlana Rumi, who lived and
taught in Konya. Families and groups flutter
through the Konya Tropical Butterfly Garden—
Europe’s largest butterfly centre. Archaeology
enthusiasts, on the other hand, head to
Çatalhöyük near Çumra on Konya’s outskirts.
Around these parts, the land stretches spare and
wide. Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism
currently has over 700 active archaeological
MORE
STAYS
TO PLAY
Experience lesser known hubs of
Türkiye when you book flights with
Turkish Airlines. I flew to Konya in
central Anatolia and snagged
additional days in İstanbul. With the
Turkish Airlines Stopover Program,
travellers departing from Montréal,
Toronto, or Vancouver can enjoy a
complimentary hotel stay in
İstanbul to connecting international
destinations. Guests booking
economy class seats receive a two-
night stay, while business class
guests receive a three-night stay at
a premium airline partner hotel.
The stopover program is subject to
availability. For full details, visit
turkishairlines.com
SPRING/SUMMER 2026 DREAMSCAPES 65