So why go to Istanbul in the late fall/early winter? Well, airfares are lower than in high season, you can pretty much get any hotel room you want, there are no crowds so no lines to stand in, and the price of pretty much anything you might want to buy as a souvenir is at rock bottom. There’s also a sweet treat waiting for you if you go at this time of year – freshly roasted chestnuts!

Everywhere in Sultanahmet and Taksim, you will see men standing behind red colored carts, roasting and selling chestnuts. The moment my nose even detects the faintest note of the sweet, smoky scent of the chestnuts being roasted over charcoal, I make a bee line in the direction I think it’s coming from. It’s such a treat for me to have roasted chestnuts that I devour these little nuggets of goodness like there’s no tomorrow!

It will only cost you a few lira for a 100 gram bag and it’s the perfect snack on a fall day. If you are in Sultanahmet, get your bag of chestnuts and head over to Gülhane Park. Find yourself a nice bench and watch the world go by as you enjoy your fall time treat in Istanbul!