Istanbul is a city you explore on foot, and most routes are hilly. Climbing from Karaköy to Galata on a hot day turns a distance that looks short on the map into serious exercise. Add humid air and you sweat more. On days like this, building drinking water into the flow of the day instead of leaving it to chance lets you explore more comfortably and be less tired in the evening.

Tie drinking to the programme

When you walk, the feeling of thirst is usually noticed late; especially while chatting, taking photos or touring a museum. So the best method is to tie drinking to an event. That way you do not have to remember.

  • Drink a glass of water at every break or coffee stop
  • Take a few sips before boarding a ferry and after getting off
  • Refill your bottle at the entrances to museums or indoor places
  • Make it a habit to drink a glass when you leave the hotel and when you get back

Carrying a refillable bottle makes this easier and lets you see how much you have drunk during the day. In the city, cafés, restaurants and many businesses will agree to refill your bottle; asking is enough.

On days when you sweat, water alone may not be enough

On a long, hot day it is not only water that is lost through sweating. So there can be a day when, even though you drank a lot of water, you feel tired, weak or have a headache. There are simple ways to support the balance with your daily diet, and most of them are already part of Istanbul's cuisine.

  • Eating something salty with meals usually helps in the summer months
  • Ayran and mineral water are easy to find along this route and cool you down
  • Foods with a high water content such as fruit, salad and soup add to the day's total
  • Foods that contain salt, such as olives and cheese at breakfast, help the balance

If you are going to use ready-made electrolyte products, it is important to read the label and be sure they are suitable for your own situation. If you have an illness, especially a blood pressure, kidney or heart condition, or if you need to limit your salt intake, do not use them without talking to a health professional.

Tea, coffee and the evening plan

In Istanbul the day usually revolves around tea and coffee; this is a pleasant part of the city. The problem is when they become your only source of fluid. Keeping water separate through the day, not drinking coffee on an empty stomach and, in the midday heat, occasionally choosing cold water instead of hot drinks works better for most people.

If there is alcohol in the evening programme, adding water in between makes the next day's sightseeing clearly easier. The evening after a long day of walking is when the body is already trying to make up the fluid deficit.

When your body warns you

Dizziness, unusual weakness, headache, nausea, a faster heartbeat or a clear darkening of the colour of your urine can be signs that you need a break. In such a case, the first step is to move into the shade, sit down and drink water slowly. Going into a cool place and cooling the back of your neck and your wrists with a wet cloth also help. If the symptoms do not pass, get worse, or come with a feeling of fainting, confusion or vomiting, do not try to manage it on your own; seek local health services. In Turkey the emergency number is 112.

In short

Fluid balance is one of the things that saves a day out yet is easiest to plan: a bottle with you, a glass at every break, a balanced plate at meals and water slipped into the evening programme. On a long Istanbul day, these four habits largely determine your energy in the evening.