It’s Istanbul, not Constantinople… and, YES!
There’s afternoon tea here.
Istanbul, Turkey is one of those most magical of places, where east meets west and the sun glistens over fairy tale turrets. I always say, you never have to look very hard to find fabulous afternoon teas, even in far flung places. I was very fortunate to have recently enjoyed afternoon tea (AT) at the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet. This particular hotel venue is special not just for its AT, but its gorgeous, sunny yellow exterior and also because it used to be a prison! Nestled between the iconic Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, it’s a welcome break from exploring the wonders of Istanbul’s Old City.
My lovely classmate from my university days, Fatos (who moved back from California to Turkey), was able to join me for this AT experience, and it was great to learn more about the history of Istanbul whilst indulging in a five-star, silver service AT. It was a stunning, sunny Sunday, so we dined al fresco in the hotel’s beautiful courtyard.
We were offered two types of afternoon tea: Traditional English or Turkish, and we decided on one of each. After drinking so much Turkish tea, I really craved English breakfast tea and the Four Seasons offered the finest version of breakfast tea I have had in a while! It perfectly complemented the delicious mix of finger sandwiches, Turkish Sigara Böreği (cigar pastry) and Muska Böreği (triangle pastry with cheese). The scones were also outstanding and LARGE!
Last but not least, my favourite pastry course was, again, a fab mix of east and west. I loved the French pâtisserie, particularly the lemon tart, but equally loved the Turkish baklava, especially the one with pistachios, as well as the filo ballourie pastry. The funny thing is, when the cake stands arrived, it didn’t seem like a lot of food, but we really could not finish everything! It was all such a magical experience and a great blend of English and Turkish afternoon teas.
Wherever you are in the world, afternoon tea is never far away…
Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet
Tevkifhane Sokak No. 1, 34122 Sultanahmet-Eminönü/İstanbul, Turkey
+90 212 402 30 00
Read more about our exciting afternoon tea adventures here!