Turkish Tea

Let's have a break and drink a Turkish tea !

Tea is the national hot drink of Turkey - Any place, any time - it is time to drink black tea!

In Turkey, tea is not drunk from porcelain cups or mugs but in glass cups as in the picture above. There are two types of tea: "koyu cay", the strong one and "acik cay" the light one.

As Turkish tea is prepared by mixing tea and water you can order either of them. Although artificial, tourists love "elma cayi", an apple tea.

Click here for
Tea Gardens in Istanbul

Delicious
Turkish black tea

You can also ask for the famous Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is prepared with the coffee powder and also served with it. The powder sinks to the bottom of the cup and you can appreciate the delicious coffee.

Turks are very superstitious so after drinking the coffee they read the future through shapes that form in the bottom of the cup from the coffee powder. You just need to turn your cup up side down and wait for a while... some shapes will be formed. Ask for "an expert" to read your future!!

If you want to try a real tipical turkish drink, ask for: sahlep, ayran or boza !

There are various places in Istanbul where you can drink tea and smoke a narghile (water pipe). Narghile is not a drug. The set is made of a ceramic or glass jar fitted with a handle and a pipe, containing water.

You just place the tobacco and charoal and smoke your exotic cigar through the long pipe. The narghile is the best and most welcome excuse for a chat.

Click here to learn more about Narghile!