TRY: Gulhane Park

Alemdar Street, Istanbul, Turkey
Daily: 6.00am - 10.30pm

Known to be one of the most expansive public parks in Istanbul, Gulhane Park is a historical urban park that was once part of the outer garden of Topkapi Palace. To think about it, it's funny that I actually forgot to visit the park when I stayed at Gulhane Park Hotel back in December 2017.

Since I stayed at the nearby Hotellino in December 2018, I made sure I dropped by the park for a stroll. You don't need to pay a single cent to enter the park.

Beltur Café looks like a nice spot to have a drink.

I really enjoyed my walk at the tranquil park with my sister and BFF.

You can see the outer walls of Topkapi Palace from the park.

We walked to the northern end of the park and took a quick detour to enjoy the view of Bosphorus Strait.

The statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the nation, can be found in many parts of Turkey.

"Which part of Korea do you come from?" is a question I've been getting since young till now.
What do you think? Do I really look like a Korean?

Here's a panorama shot that you can click to zoom in.

We re-entered the park and walked all the way to the other end.

What animal species do you think is that?

The current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, seems to be the antithesis of Ataturk.

A particularly interesting sight is a small fountain in the form of a book that creates the illusion of page turning. Take a look at the short video clip below.

When we stepped out of the park, we couldn't resist the temptation of grilled corn on the cob.

For interested parties, there's a highly rated museum called Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam housed in the former Imperial Stables Building in Gülhane Park.