Things to do in Istanbul: History Hunting in Turkey

I cannot believe I am finally here, in the Historic Areas of Istanbul — a UNESCO protected site. On the cobblestoned Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, I am out with a list scribbled “Things to do in Istanbul”. Vehicles are not allowed here. Thankfully, the warm June day is cloudy and breezy. The road is moderately crowded with tourists. My plan is to explore the Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Misir Bazar and the Galata Tower.

Istanbul, a transcontinental city in Eurasia, is the cultural capital of Turkey. Established by people of Greek ethnicity in 660 BCE as Byzantium, it aligned with the Roman Empire after the fall of the Greek Empire. Under the Roman rule Istanbul was mostly known as Constantinople. When Roman Empire split into east and west, Byzantium became the political hub of Eastern Roman Empire.

They made Christianity the state religion (replacing idolatry and polytheism), Greek their official language (replacing Latin) and became the centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Around a thousand years later, the Islamic Ottoman Turks overthrew the Christian Byzantine Empire and seized the city. When Mustafa Kemal Ataturk formed the Republic of Turkey, a secular country, he officially renamed Constantinople to Istanbul.

Contents (Click here for quick access to the specific topic):

Hippodrome

Hagia Sophia

Topkapi Palace

Basilica Cistern

Blue Mosque

Grand Bazaar

Misir Bazaar

Galata Tower

Hippodrome of Constantinople

The Greco-Roman past of the Sultanahmet Square

Before becoming Sultanahmet square, the area was known as the Hippodrome of Constantinople—a place for social gatherings and hosting of chariot races. Successive Byzantine kings invested in developing and maintaining the square. Chariot races were an integral element of entertainment in Greek and Roman civilizations. The U-shaped hippodrome hosted races among four teams—White, Blue, Red and Green—each funded by separate political parties of the senate. The rivalries among them grew so deep that these games often ended up creating massive riots in Constantinople.

The race-track was adorned with fancy Greek sculptures of Gods, Emperor and animals— particularly horses. The crusaders wildly looted the entire city including the Hippodrome during the fourth crusade in 1204. The copper gilded statues of the four horses installed in St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice were once occupants of the Hippodrome. Under the Ottomans, the Hippodrome was used as a quarry and as a ceremony centre of the royals.

Things to do in Istanbul: Checking out Art pieces in Sultanahmet Square

I am surprised to find hieroglyphs on a red granite obelisk while on my way to Hagia Sophia walking through the Hippodrome. The Obelisk of Theodosius is a long pointy pillar with giant hieroglyphs engraved on it. The obelisk was originally erected by Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmoses III (1479-1425 BCE) in the premises of the temple of Karnak near Luxor in Egypt. Roman Emperor Constantius II transported it to Alexandria sometimes during his rule. Finally, Roman Emperor Theodosius brought the obelisk to the Hippodrome and re-erected it in 390 AD as an art piece on show.

Just a few metres south of it stands the Walled Obelisk. Theodosius is believed to have constructed it, though it is yet to be proved. The crusaders plundered the bronze coating of the obelisk causing irreversible damage to its aesthetics. Acquired from the temple of Apollo in Delphi, the third remnant of Theodosius’ collection is the Serpent Column. The serpent heads were destroyed during Ottoman rule and now, only the body remains. Inside the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, one can also see the remains of the underground vaulted tunnels of the Hippodrome. Add it to your list of things to do in Istanbul. I was not aware about its existence hence I missed checking it out.

The domed German Fountain on the Sultanahmet Square is a rather new addition, erected during the Ottoman regime. Constructed by the German government for Wilhelm II, king of Prussia(a German state founded in 1525), the fountain was manufactured in Germany and assembled in Istanbul during his visit to Istanbul in 1898, to execute the idea of building the Baghdad Railway that would connect Berlin with British India and endow the Germans with military leverage in the region. Eight columns connected by arches hold together the octagonal shape of the structure. A plane tree from which several people were hanged used to stand at the site of this fountain previously.

I casually saunter past this structure and make my companion click a thousand photos, unaware of the German Fountain’s most recent part in history. In 2016, a suicide bomber of the terror organization ISIL detonated a bomb here and killed 13 people.

The tomb of Sultan Ahmet Khan I stands right opposite to the Sultan Ahmet Park. Beyond the park is the icon of Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia. Sultan Ahmet died in 1617 at only 27 years of age. He rests here along with his three sons, wife and several other members of the royal family. I enter through the marble facade. The fine geometrical designs on the outer ceiling captivates me. The ebony wood gates of the tomb are embellished with mother-of-pearl, ivory and tortoise shell. Fine floral tiles and religious verses written in sulus calligraphy enhance the beauty of the tomb.

When I started the daytour of things to do in Istanbul, I never imagined that I would have to stop at so many points and be inundated with history even before I enter Hagia Sophia. I replenish my energy by having some crunchy corn on the cob from one of the food carts installed by the Sultan Ahmet Park. I also see hop-on hop-off buses drop people at this point. I finish my corn and head to Hagia Sophia without much delay.

Hagia Sophia : A church, mosque and museum

A fountain shoots up in the air, several metres high, before collapsing on the ground. Encircling its circular water reservoir are benches where families and couples sit to spend a good time. Between me and the nearest such bench is a buttery smooth grassland, dotted by trimmed trees. Overlooking all of us, is the icon of Istanbul—Hagia Sophia.

The minarets seem to pierce into the fluffy clouds in the Istanbul sky. I stand in the queue of Hagia Sophia, studying the detailed map of the monument imprinted on a stone slab. Scattered around it are some semi destroyed artistic marble blocks—remains of the old church that was on the site of Hagia Sophia.

In 360 AD, a Christian church stood at the site of Hagia Sophia. There is a theory that claims that this church was built on the foundations of a pagan temple. This church of 360 AD felt victim to riots and was destroyed in early 5^th century CE. Then, another church was erected at the site on 415 AD but it followed the same fate and was burned in a fire caused by a riot. The marble blocks that I see are the remnants of the second church.

The Hagia Sophia of today was constructed in 537 AD by Emperor Justinian I of Byzantine Empire as an Orthodox Christian Church. The church covers an area of 7000 square metres with a dome 56.6 metres high and 32.5 metres in diameter. Construction of its magnificent dome involved complex geometrical calculations. Greco-Roman architects of the Byzantine Empire accomplished a meticulous job. However, geologically, Istanbul is located on a fault line. Hagia Sophia has been jolted by earthquakes at least five times, always causing severe damage to the domes.

Ticking off the second task on the “things to do in Istanbul” list, I enter the arched narthex of Hagia Sophia. Colourful geometric designs encrust its ceiling while the upper part of walls reveal artwork, featuring Christ. Inside the main nave, numerous chandeliers hang. Daylight pouring in through its windows under the arches of the dome provides an illusion of a floating orb. A scaffolding placed for maintenance work hinders the full view.

Hagia Sofia was plundered during the fourth crusade and became a catholic church under Venice’s rule during 1204-1261. The Byzantines recaptured it in 1261 but couldn’t keep it safe for long. In 1453, the Ottomans captured Constantinople and transformed the church into a mosque.

There are thousands of tourists standing with me in the nave. It was also crowded inside Hagia Sophia the day when the Ottomans captured Constantinople. Except, the crowd consisted only of children, women, sick and the elderly of the town—all of them terrified. They took refuge within the church, believing that God would save them. No god saved them. When the Byzantine army fell, the Ottomans forced inside, raped girls and women, enslaved the male children and killed the sick and old people for three consecutive days.

Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II was however a patron of art. He did not demolish Hagia Sophia but ordered its transformation into a mosque by removing the altar and adding the mihrab and pulpit. Over the years of the Ottoman rule the minarets were added, the mosaic depicting stories of the Bible and Jesus were plastered into anonymity.

A ramp from the northern part of the narthex leads me up to the gallery. The floor of the ramp is uneven, the brick and mortar are without any coat of paint. It is said that the royals were always carried to the gallery in palanquins. The medallions hanging from the marble columns, scribbled with Allah’s, Muhammad’s and the first four Caliphs names, seem closer from the gallery.

In 1935, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, transformed the mosque into a museum. He abolished the use of the structure in a religious way. A true agnostic, Ataturk had realized religious zeal yields regressive results. He made Turkey a secular country, enhanced science-based education and improved the country’s lifestyle.

(Update – As of 14 July 2020 Hagia Sophia has been turned back into a mosque.)

Maintenance of Hagia Sophia is very critical, given its complex construction, grand scale and age. Leakage of water from the cracks on the dome and seepage of underground water onto its floor is gradually weakening Hagia Sophia. Both Christian and Muslim zealots are trying to convert the place into a church and mosque respectively. This conflict and lack of trust often halts the flow of funds and proper preservation of the building.

Downstairs, just before leaving, my guide asks me to put my finger in a hole in a column. This column, always damp, is considered to have healing power. According to a legend, the column has been damp since the appearance of a miracle worker in 1200. In addition, wishes made here supposedly comes true. I put my finger in and wish that Turkey remains a secular republic forever. I hope that the bloody history of Hagia Sophia is never repeated anywhere in the world.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: TL 60 for foreigners. Free for children below 8 years.
Timing: Tuesday – Sunday (9AM-7PM in summer, 9AM-5PM in winter)

Topkapi Palace: Nest of the Sultans

I exit the most famous Byzantine monument and move towards Topkapi Palace, the third one in my “things to do in Istanbul” list. Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, the one who conquered Constantinople, constructed the Topkapi Palace, a residential quarter for the royals, in the 15th century. The palace is located at the acropolis of the ancient Roman city of Byzantium, on a high rocky point, by the junction of the Bosphorus Strait and Marmara Sea, overlooking the Golden Horn. Expanded over the years by various Ottoman kings, the palace covers an area of about 700,000 square metres.

I walk on the imperial street, the one used by the Byzantine and the Ottoman kings to conduct processions. I pass under the first gate of the Topkapi Palace, a marble enveloped gate decorated with verses of the Quran written in Ottoman calligraphy. Beyond this gate is the first and the largest of the four courtyards. I see acres of green parks, bordered by rose plants. This courtyard consists of the royal mint and the Byzantine Hagia Irene Church. It also served as the pre-ceremony waiting area and parade ground of Friday divine services.

I enter through the second gate of the palace, towered and decorated with Islamic scripts in fancy calligraphy. Beyond this gate is the second courtyard of the palace, the premises of which were used as ceremonial grounds. The palace kitchens, imperial stable, external treasury, tower of justice, imperial council and a mosque constitute the courtyard’s prime occupants. Several Byzantine remains were excavated here including sarcophagi. Beneath this courtyard are Byzantine cisterns.

I cross the third gate known as the Gate of Felicity. Entry and exit through this gate were entirely controlled by the reigning Sultan. This courtyard is the most important and intimate courtyard of the palace as it consists of the dwelling places of the Sultan and his family members. Here is the Harem or the residential quarters for the daughters, wives, concubines, the favourite female servants and the mother of the Sultan. It also consists of the Imperial Gallery and an audience chamber, complete with a throne wrapped in gold cloth!

Structures known as ‘kiosks’ bedeck the fourth courtyard. These are mostly marble terraces with roofs supported by pillars. They are like small rooms with huge windows. They overlook the waters of the Golden Horn and are surrounded by gardens. The kiosks have individual names — Baghdad, Yerevan, Iftar, Grand and Terrace are some that I know. The names reflect the purpose of their establishment.

I step into a garden from where I can see the blue waters of the Marmara Sea. I pace up and reach the absolute edge of the palace, the most picturesque part. On the opposite shore, juts out the Anatolian peninsula. Ferries on the waterway leave wakes in the water. I stay put at the Iznik tiles embedded Iftariye Balcony for a while before going back to Sultanahmet Square.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: TL 100 for foreigners. TL 70 extra for the Harems and TL 60 extra for Hagia Irene. Free for children below 8 years. Free entry for all till the first courtyard.
Timing: Wednesday – Monday (9AM-6.45PM in summer and 9AM-4.45PM in winter)

Basilica Cistern: Below Istanbul

The walk around Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace leaves me famished. I take a quick lunch break and head to my next spot, the Basilica Cistern. To provide water to all the buildings in the acropolis, the cistern was constructed by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 6^th century AD. A basilica once stood at the site of the cistern but it was ravaged by fire and destroyed. In its memory, the cistern was named Basilica Cistern.

After queuing for a bit, I climb down its 52 stone cut steps and descend into the bowels of a deep cavern of 9800 square metres area, supported by 336 marble and granite columns with Ionic, Corinthian and Doric capitals. Made of firebrick walls coated with waterproof plasters, the cistern can hold 80,000 cubic metres of water. The Byzantines sourced the water from Belgrade Forest and channeled it to the cistern through two aqueducts.

Nowadays, water level is deliberately kept low in the cistern. A network of platforms connect the various parts of the site. It is considerably dark and humid inside. Mellow lights at the bottom of the columns illuminate the cistern in a soft glow. I pause in front of the two most important columns here.

The first one is called the Crying Column. I touch the column. A wave of damp pierces my skin. The column is wet. The perennial wetness of the column is attributed as tears. The Byzantines incorporated 7000 slaves to build the cistern, many of them died in the process of the construction. It is said the crying pillar was installed in their memory.

A little ahead, a crowd has gathered around two columns, from the carved bases of which stare out an inverted face and a sideway face of Medusa—a female monster in the underground world of Greek Mythology. An example of typical Greco-Roman artwork, historians haven’t yet been able to trace the source of the sculpture.

According to legend, the snake-head Medusa, turns anybody looking at her into stone. In antiquity, Medusa heads were installed during special occasions to thwart evil eyes and protect the ceremony. It was probably placed in the cistern to serve the same purpose. I stare at it for a quite a few minutes but thankfully I am not transformed into stone! Still mobile, I move to the fifth item in my “things to do in Istanbul” list.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: TL 30. Free for children below 7 years.
Timing: Monday – Sunday (9AM-6.30 PM in summer and 9AM-5.30 PM in winter)

Blue Mosque : Hues of Iznik

Located in the Sultanahmet Square, the Sultan Ahmet Mosque was built during 1609-1616 during the reign of Sultan Ahmet I. Inside the structure, blue is the predominant colour. This is why the Sultan Ahmet Mosque is also called the Blue Mosque. For tourists it remains closed for 90 minutes, five times a day, during the prayer hours. Adjusting the timing to get entry to the mosque is the trickiest part. However, the queue here is less.

Following the rules, I put on a scarf over my head and squeeze my footwear in a plastic pack provided by the mosque community. On request, the help desk even provides me a free of cost Quran in English version. After strolling for a bit in the courtyard, I go inside.

The architecture of the Blue Mosque was incredibly influenced by that of Hagia Sophia. Designed by Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, a student of renowned Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, the one who has built mosques with domes bigger than Hagia Sophia and has repaired the earthquake-induced destructions in Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque has five main domes, eight secondary domes and six minarets.

20,000 glazed ceramic tiles in Iznik style etched with tulip patterns adorn the mosque. 200 stained glass windows allow natural light to pour in. The decorations on the lower levels are humble but they turn grander on the upper levels with complex geometric patterns and Islamic calligraphy. Chandeliers gaze upon the carpet. The interiors of the Blue Mosque greatly mimics that of Hagia Sophia.

Another interesting fact about this mosque are its six minarets. I used to think it is mandatory for all mosques to have only four minarets, but my notion changed in Istanbul. Apparently, even the mosque at Mecca has nine minarets. The six minarets of the Blue mosque was a result of a misunderstanding between the Sultan and the architect.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: Free for all.
Timing: Closed to tourists during prayer times.

Grand Bazaar: The mother of all markets in Europe for centuries

From the windows of my hotel in Istanbul, I had seen trams plying on their tracks. I had made a mental note not to miss a tram ride in Istanbul. While covering the stretch between Sultanahmet Square and Grand Bazaar, I got this opportunity. On the tram station, I wait for the conveyance to arrive. Upon its arrival, I am overwhelmed with shock. It is just as overcrowded as the Santragachi-Exide buses in office hours, as the Kalighat-Park Street (Kolkata) metro in office hours! However, the distance to cover is small, so I squeeze in. Also compared to Kolkata humidity and heat, the (summer) temperature in Istanbul is heaven.

The Grand Bazaar is Istanbul’s oldest covered market with 3000-4000 shops in the Fatih district. Constructed in the 15^th century by the Ottomans to boost trade, the collection at Grand Bazaar remained peerless in Europe across centuries. There were 18 gates, 67 roads, 7 fountains and 5 mosques within the market complex. Merchants and their caravanserais of both the eastern and the western world met and cracked business deals here.

The congested market was ravaged by fire more than 15 times. It also fell victim to earthquakes. The recurrence of such calamities and the simultaneous industrial revolution in the western world (by exploiting resources from their colonies in Asia, Africa and America) greatly reduced business conducted in the Grand Bazaar. Consumerism of the west also deemed the Grand Bazaar as outdated and unfashionable, thus ending its golden era.

I enter through the Mahmut Pasha Kapici (gate) into the century old building still bustling with shops. I walk under the yellow painted arched ceiling with semicircular windows on the sidewalls allowing light. I pass by shops piled with carpets and rugs. A right turn takes me to an alley lined by junk jewellery shops. With every turn I find new objects—bags, Turkish lamps, evil eyes and what not!

In another striking similarity with India, the shopkeepers here are almost as pushy as the ones in India. Led by my poor sense of direction, unable to find my way through the labyrinths, I keep going round and round the same shops, so much so that the shopkeepers now start asking me if I am lost and need help.

To save myself from embarrassment, kill some time and to ask the right direction to the Mahmut Pasha gate, I walk into one rug shop and end up buying four cushion covers that I don’t need. The owner of the shop offers me tea (which I welcome) and chats with me for a while before finally asking me out on a date. Time to get out of here, I think.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: Free for all.
Timing: Monday – Saturday (9AM – 7PM)

Misir Bazaar: Spice it up

Misir Bazaar means Egyptian Bazaar in Turkish. It is said that the market was built using the revenue of Ottoman strongholds in Egyptian territories. Set up in 1660, this covered bazaar is Istanbul’s centre for spices. It is considerably smaller than the Grand Bazaar and has 85 shops selling ceramics, spices, nuts, dry fruits and sweets.

The vaulted ceiling of the bazaar is perforated by semicircular windows on the upper walls. Geometric patterns adorn them. The gates are bedecked with calligraphy and scripts. The shops flaunt a kaleidoscope of colours, thanks to the spices. The call of “Antep fistik” attracts me. Fistik means pistachio. The young seller is surprised to learn I have visited his hometown Gaziantep (also called Antep)—the pistachio bowl of Turkey.

Two women welcome me into their spice store. I buy the hottest spice available there—a variety of red chilli flakes (I have since forgotten the exact name). They offer me an herbal tea and teach me a thing or two about the same. I have used the spice in my Indian dishes and I am already planning of ways to re-buy it once I run out. I also regret not buying the herbal tea.

Geared with my chilli flakes I enter another shop, to buy the popular sweet—Turkish Delight. I end up also buying a box of Baklava, tagged ‘Antep Baklava’. The seller convinces me that these are original Baklavas made and packed in Antep and bears the exact taste. Back in Mumbai, while eating the Baklavas I realize it was just a lie. They don’t taste anything like the Baklavas that I had tasted in Gaziantep and are severely lacking in the main ingredient—pistachio!

My time in the market is up. My worst nightmare comes true. I am lost here once again, but this time I don’t have enough time to strike up conversations and ask for directions without wasting my guide and the group’s (everyone went separately in the market) time. My phone has neither call nor internet support. I am going round and round yet again! Finally I show a photo (which I had clicked on a whim) of my scheduled meeting point (with the guide and the group) to a young boy, who gives me the right direction in broken English. I come back just in time.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: Free for all.
Timing: Monday – Sunday (8AM – 7PM)

Galata Tower: Bird’s eye view of Istanbul

I leave the Historic Areas of Istanbul and travel to the northern coast of the Golden Horn. A brisk walk along the shop-lined cobbled-stoned walkway brings me to the base of the Galata tower. I look up along its height. Its conical roof seems to be so tiny from the ground. I join the serpentine queue, waiting for my turn to come—this is the longest queue I have faced in the day. It moves very slowly. Meanwhile, independent artists perform in the square, entertaining the crowd. Some impresses with their musical instruments, others dance.

The Galata tower was built in 1348, as a tower dedicated to the Christ by the Genoese settlers in Byzantine Constantinople. The Romanesque tower was meant to be the highest one in Constantinople replacing the earlier tower, Megalos Pyrgos, which was destroyed by the Venetian crusaders. The Ottomans used it as a watchtower to observe fire hazards in the city. Ironically, the lead and wood roof and stairs of the tower itself caught fire several times. During a storm in 1875, the entire conical roof was dilapidated. The Republic of Turkey restored it in 1960s.

At the entrance of the tower, I find an unwelcome similarity of Turkey with India. Turkish names are randomly scribbled with the heart sign on the walls by the main gate. Inside the tower, an elevator takes me to its topmost gallery. From the balcony, I see the entire cityscape of Istanbul unravel in front of my eyes. Buildings with slate coloured sloping roofs cluster the entire city. Noodle thin walkways and streets cut through, separating them into neighbourhoods. Sometimes, the flat roofed buildings cut the monotony. Far away,  high rises peek from the horizon.

The southern side reveals scenes on the waterway— the Golden Horn, the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus Strait, splitting in different directions. Ferries and vessels sail on its water in myriad ways. Traffic bottlenecks on the Galata Bridge and the Ataturk Bridge are captured in my camera. Meanwhile, the metro bridge breathes easy.

There is a controversial story regarding the Galata Tower found in the records of Ottoman explorer Evliya Celebi. He writes that in the 1630s, Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi flew from the top of the Galata Tower and landed in the Dogancilar Square in Uskudar district of Istanbul. This theory has not been proven, but if it is true, I cannot understand what madness could have grasped Ahmet Celebi in attempting such a feat.

When my stipulated time in the tower is over, I come down. Unlike Celebi, I don’t fly but just board the elevator. One of the cheapest regions to pick up souvenirs in Istanbul is the area around Galata Tower. I hang around, checking out collectibles and buying some—fridge magnets, coasters, key chains and fancy mirrors.

Almost the entire path along the lengthy but pleasant walk back to Taksim Square is cobblestoned. Red trams frequent this route, though other vehicles are not allowed. Musicians play music, dramatists’ conduct plays, maras dondurma ice-cream sellers trick customers, interesting shops catering to everyone’s budgets line the way and cats lounge everywhere—there is not a moment of boredom on this trail.

The sky is golden and the sun is just about to set when I arrive at Taksim Square. Taxis are abundantly plying here. Giving in to my protesting legs, I sit down on the pavement waiting for my pick-up vehicle!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Ticket price: TL 35. Free for children below 7 years.
Timing: Monday – Sunday (9AM – 7PM)

Things to remember

Don’t underestimate the crowd that you will face in the UNESCO sites of The Historic Areas of Istanbul, particularly in the popular structures mentioned here. If you are in a group and fail to stick together, you might just get lost in the crowd. Negotiating the labyrinthine bazaars are even more tiring, although extremely exciting. Always trust your gut feeling. 99% of people are good everywhere in the world. Your ‘gut feeling’ would figure out the remaining 1%. Have a SOS plan ready in place.

Have a fully charged phone, even if you don’t have calling facilities or internet. Download the offline map of the city and pin the meeting point on the map before parting ways. GPS works without both internet and network. At least you would be able to understand which direction to walk in.

Also, click a picture of a landmark of the meeting point (this is what saved me). Carry a visiting card of your accommodation with the address and the phone number. In fact save the number of the hotel in your phone. The UNESCO area is very well-patrolled by police. They are everywhere and very easy to find. Just approach them in case of any emergency.

Just like any other wildly popular tourist places, many scammers hang around here trying to find gullible victims. Be alert and use common sense.

If you stand and listen to the performers on the street or engage with them, a tip is expected.

This entire itinerary will be strenuous on your legs, particularly if you don’t lead an active lifestyle. It involves a lot of walking and queuing up. If you have time or/and if you want to devote sufficient time at every site, I suggest keeping aside two-three days for this itinerary.

To watch my Istanbul video on Youtube, please click here.

Have you been to Istanbul and its famous Sultanahmet Square, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque and Galata Tower? Have you tried shopping at the Grand Bazaar and the Misir Bazaar? What is the best thing you liked about Istanbul? Comment below and let’s talk!

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Disclaimer: Tania was hosted by Turkey Tourism Board. All thoughts and opinions expressed in the post are of her own.

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