Just so amazing, so beautiful, so diverse, so historic and on two continents, Istanbul is truly a magical city. Walking through Istanbul is like traveling through time. All that you have read in your history books over the years is finally a feast for your eyes. This city has so much to offer in any and every direction. It’s got that buzzin' energy.

We are skipping the "are you going to go to the…?" conversation because that would be a waste of your time. We already know you are going to see the Topkapi Palace, Ayasofya, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Bosphorus, Galata Tower, and etc. Instead, thanks to an awesome local’s perspective we have a little bit of an adventure on our hands. This will be the first of many Istanbul posts so keep a look out as this city has something for everyone. 

Important tip: Istanbul is so big and traffic is terribly slow in the city, you really will want to cover each area as much as possible the first time around. Therefore, we won't be pinpointing anything just yet. For this post we want you to get a feel for the city by giving you a push in the right direction.  

Galata/Beyoglu

This is a very historical combination of areas of Istanbul with the Galata tower, but also has cool local shops, contemporary and antique boutiques.

Sultanahmet

Go sighseeing in Sultanahmet, and then eat at Konyali for some great local food. 

Nisantasi

Great for hanging out at an open-air hotspot for good shopping (high-end stores and boutiques) as well as restaurants, cafes and bars. Check out Beymen and Vakko.

Istinye Park 

You can find all kinds of brands here. This a long trendy hotspot for shopping, eating, and drinking. There are both open-air stores and indoor shops in the mall. There are some good café/restaurants such as Armani Cafe and Masa Restaurant (very trendy for lunch).

  A big shoutout to our local Cansu Ozgul.  Many thanks for sharing your Istanbul with us and we will be sharing more of it very soon!!!

The tooktook team

@tooktookme

It is pretty hard to compete with our last post. What better way to trump New York City, than going to the 'almost' geographical center of Europe, at least according to Guinness World Records. Vilnius, Lithuania is the city under our spotlight today.

A trusted local has given us an abridged version of some of the hot spots in town.

Studio 9 

It is considered to be one of the trendiest places in the city. It is that all-in-one place that you will enjoy. It becomes a club at night, but offers some great lunch menus, and awesome Sunday brunch sessions. Day or night, check it out.

Address: Gedimino av. 9, Vilnius

Piano Man Bar

This place gets packed on weekends and is still pretty busy during the week. It is a great addition to your trip if you are in a bar hopping mood or if you want to pass the entire night away at one place. The English pub environment gives the place a fun and cheerful vibe with just the right amount of rowdiness and outgoing people. 

Address: Islandijos street 1, Vilnius

Kitchen

You might have to plan in advance if you want to go to this restaurant. It became an instant classic when it first opened. It is fully booked and has been for the past several years.   

Address: Didzioji street 11, Vilnius

Bistro 18

This is a lovely modern restaurant, serving wonderful international cuisine and, to add to that, a fine selection of wine. The atmosphere of the place is splendid. Here you can find food for the best price-to-quality ratio! It is a good place to go with your other half or family.

Address: Stikliu street 18, Vilnius

A big shoutout to our local Ieva Blazyte.  Many thanks for sharing a part of your Vilnius with us.

The tooktook team

@tooktookme