It's one of Istanbul's most famous attractions:
the historical streetcar T2.
Trundling down İstiklâl Caddesi, 'Independence Avenue'
there is plenty for passengers to discover.
Hello, this is Arzu Toraman. I'm a tour guide from Istanbul
and today we will experience the nostalgic tram ride together.
The route is only 1,8 kilometers long, running between Taksim Square and Tünel station.
At most, two streetcars roll along the avenue at any given time.
This is both the main shopping street and a center of Istanbul's nightlife.
A ride in one of the 100-year-old tram cars is a unique experience,
and not only for visitors to the city.
I remember my first experience here,
it was when I was 13 years old. And as a teenager being here, taking the tram ride or
watching people around İstiklâl Street was very delightful for me.
The first streetcar ran in Istanbul in 1871.
Eventually, the network would carry over 100 Million passengers annually. But in the 1960s, people
turned to cars and the trams disappeared. In 1990, the T2 became the first route to
be revived. Today, 5 tramlines are back in service in Istanbul.
People like the tram because it's antique, and it recalls old times,
and it brings those old times back to life. That's why there's such great interest in this line.
Tourists from around Turkey and all over the world take photos here. And none of them
return home without having seen our tram. So, I think it's become a genuine symbol of Istanbul.
The stops along the route have stories of their own.
It's just a 5-minute walk to the Pera Palace Hotel.
It opened in 1895 as a luxury accommodation for travelers on the famous Orient Express.
Celebrities from around the world have spent the night here.
Today, guests can still revel in the historical atmosphere.
You see something very French, very British and then something very Moorish and Oriental.
So, this is like a melting pot altogether. This is definitely showing us the lifestyle for that time,
that multicultural atmosphere.
The next stop is Galatasaray.
The famous Flower Passage opened in 1876.
Here you can enjoy classical Turkish cuisine, for instance in the Sevİç Restaurant,
with 25 different kinds of Meze the Turkish appetizers, on the menu.
First they display you everything in a small portion, you see it,
you choose it and then you order it, like today.
Now, these are the real portions,
not too small, like these samples, and they are all my favorite ones.
The historical tramline with just 5 stops carries around 1,500 passengers a day.
And fans of traditional Turkish candies can enjoy them along the way.
The Üç Yıldız Şekerleme sweet shop has a huge variety on offer.
We really like to finishing our meals with a sweet, it's always part of our meal.
And even there is a common idiom that we say: 'Let's eat sweet and talk sweet!'
After less than two kilometers, the historic streetcar reaches Taksim Square and the end of
a journey through time in Istanbul, a city which is as modern as it is steeped in tradition.