Photo by Eva Barbier
Istanbul
Istanbul looks like a city from a Disney film and is full of fascinating history, sweeping views, hundreds of languages and hospitable locals.
This must be the most diverse city in the world.
Explore
The city is divided into two areas located across the Bosphorus river - Sultanahmet (the old city) and Pera (which means "the other side").
1. Sultanahmet - We did the following in one and a half days:
Topkapi Palace - Make sure to buy the extra tickets for the Harem. It's not to be missed. Lined with Iznik tiles, this was the home of 1,000 women that comprised the Sultan's harem (harem means forbidden in Arabic). It was fascinating to learn about life in the palace and it was easy because there were many informational signs posted throughout the palace in English. It might be worth hiring a guide because there must be many more palace stories and legends . Try and go early to avoid the crowds in the jewel & weapons display. It was madness when we arrived.
Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) - The Cathedral of Constantinople. Built in year 537 by the emperor Justinian, it was the most important church in the world until St. Peter's was built. Mehmet II converted it to a mosque in the 1450's and Ataturk made it a museum in 1936. Make sure you go upstairs to see close ups of the gorgeous golden Byzantine mosaics of Jesus & The Virgin Mary.
Blue Mosque - It's true name is Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but it's commonly called the Blue Mosque because it's covered in blue tile. It was built between 1601 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. You must cover up and take off your shoes. They give you scarves and cover-ups at the door if you need them. I advise wearing socks.
Basillica Cistern- Very peaceful and a great way to cool off on a hot day. This is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul. It is located very close to the Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque. It was built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian. Many of the columns date back to the original construction.
Spice Market & Grand Bazaar - These covered markets are a shopper's paradise, especially if you like bargaining. You can buy everything here - spices, pottery, lanterns, clothes, leather goods and plenty of fake watches & bags. The markets were cool to see, but we were definitely overwhelmed by the selection and preferred shopping in the smaller stores of Sultanahmet. It is very common for store owners to offer you tea and engage in conversation. Note for women - if you are shopping alone the store owners (who are usually men) can be very forward. Just say your husband is sitting outside waiting for you to shop and they will back off.
Pera (The other side). We spent most of our time in Beyoglu which is the artsy/bohemian part of Pera. We did the following in one and a half days:
Istiklal Cadessi - (Independence Street) This is the main shopping street for the city. You can find all your typical global brands here as well as lots of Turkish stores. It is a wide street full of people shopping and eating at cafes. One one side of Istiklal is Taksim Square - a giant intersection of streets where parades and public events take place. On Saturday night, the street was very crowded and felt like a roaring river of people from around the world!
Beyoglu: The other side of Istiklal street turns into smaller side streets that eventually lead to Galata tower. These little side streets are full of bohemian shops, small cafes, bookstores and little restaurants. There is a lot of cool street art in this area too. This neighborhood seems to be undergoing restoration. It is lined with gorgeous 19th century buildings - some run down and others restored. Because it's on a hill, the views are beautiful.
Bosphorus Cruise - We went on the IDO Short Circle Cruise which was 2 hrs (boarded in Eminönü, just across the bridge from Pera). The ship was very crowded and you had to buy a pre-recorded guide (which we didn't do). If we were to go again, we'd look into a smaller guided cruise or a lunch cruise. Or we'd just take the ferry to Ortakoy - a little town north of the city center that looked really cute from the boat.
1. Sultanahmet - We did the following in one and a half days:
Topkapi Palace - Make sure to buy the extra tickets for the Harem. It's not to be missed. Lined with Iznik tiles, this was the home of 1,000 women that comprised the Sultan's harem (harem means forbidden in Arabic). It was fascinating to learn about life in the palace and it was easy because there were many informational signs posted throughout the palace in English. It might be worth hiring a guide because there must be many more palace stories and legends . Try and go early to avoid the crowds in the jewel & weapons display. It was madness when we arrived.
Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) - The Cathedral of Constantinople. Built in year 537 by the emperor Justinian, it was the most important church in the world until St. Peter's was built. Mehmet II converted it to a mosque in the 1450's and Ataturk made it a museum in 1936. Make sure you go upstairs to see close ups of the gorgeous golden Byzantine mosaics of Jesus & The Virgin Mary.
Blue Mosque - It's true name is Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but it's commonly called the Blue Mosque because it's covered in blue tile. It was built between 1601 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. You must cover up and take off your shoes. They give you scarves and cover-ups at the door if you need them. I advise wearing socks.
Basillica Cistern- Very peaceful and a great way to cool off on a hot day. This is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul. It is located very close to the Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque. It was built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian. Many of the columns date back to the original construction.
Spice Market & Grand Bazaar - These covered markets are a shopper's paradise, especially if you like bargaining. You can buy everything here - spices, pottery, lanterns, clothes, leather goods and plenty of fake watches & bags. The markets were cool to see, but we were definitely overwhelmed by the selection and preferred shopping in the smaller stores of Sultanahmet. It is very common for store owners to offer you tea and engage in conversation. Note for women - if you are shopping alone the store owners (who are usually men) can be very forward. Just say your husband is sitting outside waiting for you to shop and they will back off.
Pera (The other side). We spent most of our time in Beyoglu which is the artsy/bohemian part of Pera. We did the following in one and a half days:
Istiklal Cadessi - (Independence Street) This is the main shopping street for the city. You can find all your typical global brands here as well as lots of Turkish stores. It is a wide street full of people shopping and eating at cafes. One one side of Istiklal is Taksim Square - a giant intersection of streets where parades and public events take place. On Saturday night, the street was very crowded and felt like a roaring river of people from around the world!
Beyoglu: The other side of Istiklal street turns into smaller side streets that eventually lead to Galata tower. These little side streets are full of bohemian shops, small cafes, bookstores and little restaurants. There is a lot of cool street art in this area too. This neighborhood seems to be undergoing restoration. It is lined with gorgeous 19th century buildings - some run down and others restored. Because it's on a hill, the views are beautiful.
Bosphorus Cruise - We went on the IDO Short Circle Cruise which was 2 hrs (boarded in Eminönü, just across the bridge from Pera). The ship was very crowded and you had to buy a pre-recorded guide (which we didn't do). If we were to go again, we'd look into a smaller guided cruise or a lunch cruise. Or we'd just take the ferry to Ortakoy - a little town north of the city center that looked really cute from the boat.
Eat, drink, be merry....snooze
We loved both of our hotels in Istanbul:
Sirkeci Konak in Sultanahment - Great location! Set on a quite side street near Gulhane park, it was in walking distance to all the main historic attractions. Their hospitality & service was by far the best we've ever experienced. Upon arrival they gave us a welcome drink, sat down with us to show us how to find our way around the area, provided many recommendations. When we left they even gave us a parting gift and followed up with an email the same day to make sure we had a good trip to our next destination. They had an amazing breakfast and lovely roof deck with views of the river and the minarets of the Blue Mosque. The rooms were basic, but adequate. We also enjoyed the hamam!
Tom Tom Suites in Beyoglu - This is a modern hotel set in a refurbished 19th century building that used to house Franciscan nuns. The suites are stunning, with huge ceilings, doors and windows. Our room had wide plank hardwood floors and an amazing marble bathroom. The breakfast here was delicious (hazelnut butter!) and the view from the restaurant was stunning. The hotel is situated in between several embassies which makes the immediate surrounding area very quiet and somewhat deserted. While it's very close to Istiklal street the shortest way to get there was steep hill through small back alley streets. We didn't feel safe walking down those streets late at night so we would walk the long way along a less isolated street. We wouldn't recommend that anyone walk down the smaller streets alone. If you are traveling alone, it may be better to stay somewhere situated on a busier street.
Restaurants:
Con Obra Cafe in Sultanahmet - After waiting a while for service, we were greeted by the owner who was very friendly. He treated us to dessert and apple tea after our meal.
Neyzade - Rooftop restaurant at the Sirkeci Konak hotel. Good food. Amazing view. Chris had his first raki here.
360 Istanbul (Beyoglu) - This is a tourist trap that is trying really hard not to be one. Although it was a little cheesy (think disco ball & bedazzled jeans on waiters) and overpriced, we still enjoyed it, mainly because of the view. The views are pretty and the food is more creative than what you would get elsewhere. However, I'm sure there is better rooftop restaurant out there. Please comment if you find one!
Ada Cafe (Beyoglu) - This is a nice little bookstore/cafe on Istiklal street
House Cafe - This is a chain in Istanbul and the pizza is great!
Sirkeci Konak in Sultanahment - Great location! Set on a quite side street near Gulhane park, it was in walking distance to all the main historic attractions. Their hospitality & service was by far the best we've ever experienced. Upon arrival they gave us a welcome drink, sat down with us to show us how to find our way around the area, provided many recommendations. When we left they even gave us a parting gift and followed up with an email the same day to make sure we had a good trip to our next destination. They had an amazing breakfast and lovely roof deck with views of the river and the minarets of the Blue Mosque. The rooms were basic, but adequate. We also enjoyed the hamam!
Tom Tom Suites in Beyoglu - This is a modern hotel set in a refurbished 19th century building that used to house Franciscan nuns. The suites are stunning, with huge ceilings, doors and windows. Our room had wide plank hardwood floors and an amazing marble bathroom. The breakfast here was delicious (hazelnut butter!) and the view from the restaurant was stunning. The hotel is situated in between several embassies which makes the immediate surrounding area very quiet and somewhat deserted. While it's very close to Istiklal street the shortest way to get there was steep hill through small back alley streets. We didn't feel safe walking down those streets late at night so we would walk the long way along a less isolated street. We wouldn't recommend that anyone walk down the smaller streets alone. If you are traveling alone, it may be better to stay somewhere situated on a busier street.
Restaurants:
Con Obra Cafe in Sultanahmet - After waiting a while for service, we were greeted by the owner who was very friendly. He treated us to dessert and apple tea after our meal.
Neyzade - Rooftop restaurant at the Sirkeci Konak hotel. Good food. Amazing view. Chris had his first raki here.
360 Istanbul (Beyoglu) - This is a tourist trap that is trying really hard not to be one. Although it was a little cheesy (think disco ball & bedazzled jeans on waiters) and overpriced, we still enjoyed it, mainly because of the view. The views are pretty and the food is more creative than what you would get elsewhere. However, I'm sure there is better rooftop restaurant out there. Please comment if you find one!
Ada Cafe (Beyoglu) - This is a nice little bookstore/cafe on Istiklal street
House Cafe - This is a chain in Istanbul and the pizza is great!
Tips
Take a private taxi to and from the airport. It's a lot more expensive but the one time we took a shared taxi (about 20 TL) there was no air conditioning and the windows didn't open, resulting in a sweaty, stifling experience.
The tram is really easy & convenient, especially because the traffic in the city is bad. It's a great, inexpensive way to travel between Pera and Sultanahmet.
While all the guidebooks say the markets are closed on Sundays, they aren't. Some shops are closed but we did all of our shopping on a Sunday! Also, if time permits shop around to get a good idea for what things are really worth. Pricing varies a lot.
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The tram is really easy & convenient, especially because the traffic in the city is bad. It's a great, inexpensive way to travel between Pera and Sultanahmet.
While all the guidebooks say the markets are closed on Sundays, they aren't. Some shops are closed but we did all of our shopping on a Sunday! Also, if time permits shop around to get a good idea for what things are really worth. Pricing varies a lot.
Back to Turkey Main Page
