What to do in Istanbul? What is there not to do? I had no idea what to expect from Istanbul. I was blown away by the differences between Istanbul and other cities in Turkey. While there, I found that spending only two full days exploring was not a good decision. I could’ve spent a week exploring the whole city. However, I made the most of my time and saw as much as I could. With that, here are some places that you can’t miss when visiting Istanbul:
Topkapi
Once a resident of the Ottoman Sultans and now a palace that holds so much history for its visitors. While there, we supposedly saw the staff of Moses and other artifacts from Islamic and Christianity. The palace has so much history that every corner holds something new.
Even if you are short on time, you have to visit this palace, and I’d highly suggest having at least 2 hours to walk around all the grounds. The details here were incredible, and we definitely could’ve stayed longer. However, I was short on time with so much left to explore.
Hagia Sophia
Once a church in Constantinople, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman Empire conquered the city. Don’t be surprised if there is a line to get in, as this is a stop for many a while in Istanbul. For us, the line seemed to move quicker than I would’ve thought. It is still best to get there early in the morning when it first opens.
While it may be a mosque now, there are still some elements from when it was a church that can be seen. There are some Christian mosaics that must be shown when open to the public, but during Islamic times of prayer they will be covered with a cloth. Otherwise, they keep most of the mosaics covered that represent Christianity. While there is major controversy over this famous historical and cultural site, being able to see it in person is something that can’t be missed.
P.S. Don’t miss seeing the Blue Mosque after visiting the Hagia Sophia.
Basilica Cistern
This had JUST reopened when I visited Istanbul in 2022. I waited in the longest line for this, hoping that it would be worth it. Well, this ended up being one of my favorite stops that I made! This is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. When I went in July, it was quite crowded, and we all know how people get in smaller walking spaces. So, bear this in mind if you go during the summer, you may move slower while walking through the whole cistern. I am still uncertain about the timing of this, but there is a light show in the cistern. It makes the cistern look incredible. No words to describe it, so you must go!
P.S. The ticket line was LONG when I went. However it looks longer than it actually took. I was happy I chose to stand in line because if you know me I’m not always patient.
Viyana Kahvesi
Some of you may have seen this famous café in TikTok. We all know we can’t always trust the hype on social media. However, the San Sebastián cake is worth every penny. Enjoy your cake and have the best view of Galata Tower. Everyone will have their thoughts on the cake and, if it’s worth it, I’m excited to hear your review.
Ortakoy Mosque
I know there’s a ton of mosques that you could see around the city, it’s the location that makes this one unique. Being situated along the Bosphorus, make this already beautiful mosque even more stunning. I loved going at sunset as this mosque is very photogenic. Since this mosque is located further from the more central part of town it was less crowded than most of the other sites.
P.S. There is a wonderful Asian-Fusion restaurant, Banyan, that I’d highly recommend eating at!
I can’t wait to go back and spend more time in Istanbul. I wish I had stayed longer on y first visit to see more. However now I have more reason to return!
Bffswhotravel 