4 Places of Istanbul to Watch Judas Trees at Their Best

Between mid-April and mid-May is the time of judas trees for Bosphorus. Their pink blossoms decorate almost every part of each coast. Here are some best parts of Bosphorus where you can find the most pinkish-greenish scenes.

1. Arnavutkoy

Arnavutkoy is a beautiful neighbourhood at Besiktas. It is on the Bosphorus. You can either walk along the coast or climb the slopes. The view is wonderful either way. Arnavutkoy is perfect for unforgettible shots, so get your camera ready!

2. Bogazici University

Bogazici University is a university in Istanbul, probably with the best view. When I was studying there and after my graduation, the south campus could be visited by everyone who wants to enjoy the view. But the last couple of time I went there, they wanted me to show my student ID. (I think it is related with the control mania going through the whole country.) Anyway, you can enter the university either from Rumelihisarustu (upwards) or from Rumelihisari-Bebek (downwards). I prefer to enter from Rumelihisarustu and go out from Bebek.

3. Rumelihisari

Rumeli Hisari is the fortress on the Rumeli side. Rumelihisari is the name of the district. There are beautiful fish restaurants along the coast. You can also have the most scenic breakfast of your time. Turkish breakfast is very rich. Even the meanest breakfast has many varieties.

4. Asiyan

Asiyan is a little bit sad place, because there is a graveyard where precious names from Turkish literature sleep their forever sleep. Istanbul lover Orhan Veli is one of them and you can see his statue on the street side of the graveyard. (You can read a translation of his most famous Istanbul poem.) If you walk upwards the Asiyan Street (or down from Bogazici University), you can reach Tevfik Fikret Museum. The other names in the graveyard that you may be familiar with translated works are Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar, Edip Cansever, Attilâ Ilhan, Tezer Ozlu and Onat Kutlar.