Lauren ViolaIstanbul has been on my hitlist for a very very long time. Six months before our Summer 2023 trip to Turkiye and the Greek island of Kos, I sat down to begin the meticulous task of planning out our long-awaited two week adventure to this stunning part of the world. Naturally, Istanbul was a top priority, and it made sense to start the trip there. Firstly, because Turkish airlines operates a good selection of well-priced flights from the UK straight to Istanbul in under four hours, and secondly, because I personally prefer to start multi-leg trips with more of the busy city-break activities, and end it off with a more relaxing stint at the beach away from the busyness, so that I can return home feeling fully relaxed and recharged with a healthy summer glow!
We spent three full days in Istanbul, flying straight in from London Gatwick. I had done some research on transport from the airport to the city centre (note that it is a fair distance away), and decided on a taxi being the quicker and less stressful option. Well, let me tell you that it turns out Turkish taxis and stress go hand-in-hand. They drive it like it’s stolen in every sense of the word. I felt like we were participating in an F1 qualifying run, all while the driver video called his family, who were clearly very much enjoying themselves at a childrens’ birthday party.
Anyway, once we were (un)safely deposited at our hotel, we made our way up to the rooftop bar and restaurant, took a deep breath of warm summer air, and finally took in the beautiful cityscape. Istanbul is famed for being the city that straddles two continents – Europe and Asia – and you can feel that unique mix and thousands of years of cross-cultural influences all around you so tangibly. I seriously couldn’t wait to get up the next morning and sink my teeth into all it had to offer! So onto the good stuff, what we got up to…
The Mosques
What makes Istanbul distinct from other European tourist cities is that instead of centuries-old churches, you’ll find a variety of huge, beautiful mosques scattered throughout, and the Adhan (call to prayer) will quickly become a very familiar sound. Visiting the popular Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia was a must. Conveniently, they are located right opposite each other, so if you’re in the area you can do both in one go, or visit them on different days like we did.
- Bring a scarf to cover your head if you are female, and make sure that your legs aren’t exposed when entering a mosque.
- Scarves are sold for 30TL outside the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia if you don’t have one.
- Men are expected to wear long trousers when entering.
- The queues, especially for the Hagia Sophia, can get incredibly long in the day so try going early in the morning or in the evening to avoid waiting. Prayer times also affect affect access, so make sure you check these before you go.
- Since we visited, they have now introduced a €25 entry fee for non-Turkish visitors to the Hagia Sophia.
The Grand Bazaar
The famous Grand Bazaar was an absolute treat, and surprisingly much less busy and chaotic than what we had anticipated. As one of the oldest covered markets in the world, you can’t help but imagine the millions of transactions that have occurred there over time. We spent ages wandering the maze of stalls, trying the many testers eagerly offered up as soon as we showed the slightest interest in slowing down to take a look. I didn’t find the haggling too forceful, in fact, most of the salesmen were incredibly charming and friendly even when we chose not to buy anything. Predictably, I couldn’t control myself though when it came to the Turkish delight testers, and ended up walking out with a pretty sizeable box of them, and about a kilo of Turkish fruit tea. What can I say? Treat yo-self! If your vibe is knock-off designer gear, you’ll be absolutely spoilt for choice, although you may want to hunt for better bargains away from the main tourist centre. Try to give yourself enough time to stop and have a cup of traditional Turkish tea inside the Bazaar so you can do some people-watching. And one last thing to bear in mind is that the Grand Bazaar is closed on a Sunday, so make sure you plan around that when you’re working on your itinerary!
The Topkapı Palace & Gülhane Park
These two attractions are located right next to each other, and are very close to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, so if you’re really pressed for time and don’t mind moving quickly you could realistically see the whole lot in a day. The Topkapı Palace features beautiful courtyards, pavilions and ceremonial rooms that allow you to see into the royal lives of the Sultans. More on the Palace tour we took another day…
Technically on the Palace grounds, but with a separate, free entrance is Gülhane Park, which is a public garden where you’ll find tourists and locals alike walking, picnicking and enjoying the lush scenery. I wouldn’t say it’s an absolute must-see, so skip it if you’re pressed for time, but we thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely wander through and a cold drink in the cafe before packing up and heading through to the airport.
Galata Tower & Taksim
Over on the ‘new side’ of Istanbul (but still on the European side) is Beyoğlu, where you will find the Taksim area, full of vibrant cafes, shops and restaurants, as well as the Galata Tower. We decided not to go up the tower, instead opting for a rooftop bar just opposite to enjoy the view (and the drinks!). Up the hill is the shopping district and Taksim Square. Let me just tell you, if you go in summer and it’s a super hot day, don’t try be brave and walk up the hill – we almost passed out in a puddle of sweat and defeat on the walk up, and I had to admit to my husband that my route planning was absolutely not on point that day. Down towards the water you’ll find the waterfront shopping and restaurant district, as well as the Dolmabahçe Palace, which you can reach by walking or using the tram. On our wanderings, we came across the baklava cafe of DREAMS – Karaköy Güllüoğlu – where you can try their delicious ‘cold milk baklava’, which sounds very strange, but I can assure you is absolutely unreal. If I’d had time I would’ve gone back to try even more baklava varieties – my mouth is watering just writing about it!
Pierre Loti Teleferik (cable car)
On our last day we took the cable car up the Pierre Loti hill (named after the French writer, who wrote about his love of Istanbul and the girl he met on the hill itself) to take in the stunning views over the Golden Horn. The cost is just 4TL each way and you can choose to walk instead if you’re feeling energetic. At the top, there are a number of cafes where you can grab a Turkish meal or cold drink while enjoying the sights of Istanbul. The hill is a little bit out of the way of the other main attractions, but you can catch a bus there pretty easily, and it does make for a nice relaxing activity that doesn’t involve too much walking if you’ve got aching tourist feet! Whenever I visit a city I try to make sure I get to see it from lots of angles and viewpoints to get an overall sense of it. Something that becomes apparent about Istanbul pretty quickly is that it’s HUGE. We didn’t even have time to get over to the Asian side of the Bosphorus, but I was glad we could pack in as many of the main sights as possible, and get a quiet moment away from the hustle and bustle to view the city from above.
Transport
Apart from our hair-raising taxi experience, we found transport cheap, easy to understand and (mercifully) air conditioned! Between the trams and the underground you can reach most major attractions in the centre with ease, although we often chose to walk instead so that we could soak in the sights. You can buy an Istanbulkart, which you can top up with credit at most stations, and use this to get around on all forms of public transport. It is possible to get a train from the airport if you’d prefer not to get a taxi although this may be a slightly longer and more complex journey depending on where your accommodation is.
Furry friends
How can I not mention Istanbul’s most charming inhabitants – the dogs and cats! I was worried that I’d get really upset by seeing all the strays around the city, but I found that all the animals we saw looked healthy and well-fed. The people of Istanbul care for them well and many have ear tags showing that they have been vaccinated and health checked by local authorities. Although the animal lover in me would have liked to take them all home, I did get the sense that they’re leading a pretty happy life for the most part! The dogs laze on pavements and lawns as if they own the place, and the cats are very happy to cosy up to your legs, or even your lap, while you’re sat having a drink or a meal.
So overall, Istanbul was a ’10/10 would recommend’ for me! The only thing I would change when we go back is to visit in spring or autumn, as the August heat was pretty fierce at times and we relied heavily on the hotel pool to revive us between excursions. After our time in Istanbul, we headed back to the airport to catch our flight (again using Turkish Airlines) over to stunning Bodrum, on the Turkish Riviera.