Probably the best way for a first genuine contact with Istanbul is to walk along the pedestrian street Istiklal. You can take the tram N1 and funiculaire to Taksim, and then walk towards the Galata tower. You will have a perfect idea of how crowded, crazy, diverse and spectacular this city is. The first part is the most occidental, and when you get to the last part the scenery changes completely, to a more Turkish one. #walkingtour #istiklal