We had been trying to get to Istanbul for many years. We had at first booked a cruise that was cancelled due to the pandemic. Then had a second cruise booked with a scheduled overnight stop, but there was an incident, and they cancelled the port again and took us to Izmir instead.
This time we took advantage of a Turkish Airlines stopover program to add a 3-day visit to our trip to Cambodia so that we could finally see this beautiful city steeped in rich history.
Turkish Airlines occasionally offers various perks to entice people to visit Istanbul when they have a longer stopover. They also encourage you to add an extra day or two (and occasionally 3) by offering free hotels and tours.
With just a few days in the city we opted for a hotel in Istanbul’s Old City instead (Sultanahmet neighborhood). This way we would be within walking distance of the many historic sites that we hoped to see: the Basilica Cisterns, Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar to name a few. We also like being close to the attractions overnight so it’s easier to see them lit up at night.
Our flight was arriving very early in the morning and the first thing that concerned us was getting our room to freshen up and to store our bags. We at first regretted not booking the prior night to ensure it would be available but as luck would have it (and perhaps also thanks to some nice emails with the hotel staff before our arrival) we were lucky enough to have the room made available to us at 6am when we arrived.
It was so nice to have the chance to shower and settle in a bit after a long international flight before heading out to explore. Kudos to the Orientbank Hotel Istanbul, a Marriott Autograph Collection.
See our post: 12 Tips for Surviving Long International Flights
Our hotel
Even with our 6am arrival the desk attendant came running out as if shot out of a cannon to get our bags and check us in. Everyone was amazing and the hotel was perfectly situated next to the Spice Market (Egyptian Bazaar) and within minutes of all the major sites. From housekeeping to reception and both restaurants, we were treated like celebrities.
Set in a historic bank building from the 1900s, the location is great and the hotel itself is beautiful. There was even a James Bond film made here, “Skyfall”. If you stay, be sure to visit the upstairs rooftop terrace (day or night) for some spectacular views!
There is also a jazz bar downstairs where we were able to listen to live music and enjoy a great dinner.
Tip: While there is an abundance of yellow taxis, the traffic around Istanbul can be horrendous and we were warned that not all the taxis were honest when it came to charging fair rates. Staying close to the attractions was a great move. It also gave us the chance to explore in the evening by just stepping outside the room, and even come and rest our legs after some sightseeing before dinner.
With our early arrival we had a quick shower and headed straight out at the beginning of the day to some of the main sites in the old area of town, formerly Constantinople.
Basilica Cisterns
This ended up being one of our favorite sites. Maybe partly because we had rewatched Dan Brown’s classic “Inferno” movie on the flight in! It’s really unbelievable how immense it is.
The lighting effects give the place an eerie feel. Be sure to walk around the many paths to see the various statues including the upside-down Medusa.
Hagia Sophia
This former 6th century cathedral converted to a mosque is enormous. There is always a long line to get in, but it is a definite must-see historical landmark.
Above the entrance you can see a Byzantine fresco of Jesus and seemingly a curtain to hide it. While somewhat plain compared to the many cathedrals and basilicas we have seen around the world, the grandiosity of the mosque itself is very impressive.
Check out the Turkish ice cream vendor outside who had a knack of flipping the cones and playing hard to get. Hilarious!
The Blue Mosque
Just across the Sultan Ahmet Park you’ll find the famous Blue Mosque. So named after its azure Iznik tiles this mosque is almost as large as the Hagia Sofia and also impressive in size.
Tourists can visit both mosques with the exception of prayer time. And women must cover their hair, so bring your own scarf, otherwise they will lend you one of theirs!
One of the ancient Ottoman-style hammams is also in the square and you can treat yourself to a Turkish bath and a scrub or massage.
Topkapi Palace and Harem
This 15th century palace was a former imperial residence of Ottoman sultans and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nestled on a hill overlooking the Bosphorus it’s a huge site and one must plan at least 2-3 hours here to visit the various sections.
Oftentimes there was a line to get into some of the more popular buildings. Be sure to visit the treasury regardless of the length of the line to see the impressive jewel collection.
Mehmet the Conqueror built the first stage of the sprawling palace in 1453 and lived there for the remainder of his life. It was inhabited by numerous sultans until the 19th century after which the European-styled palaces such as the Dolmabahçe Palace became the official residences.
The Grand Bazaar
This covered bazaar is like a maze that goes on forever. It’s fun just walking through it with the hustle and bustle of all the shops trying to lure you in. A lot of imitations of designer brands as well as lots and lots of sweet shops selling local fare.
Other attractions in the Old City
Little Hagia Sophia
About a 10-minute walk from Sultan Ahmet Park you’ll also find the Little Hagia Sophia. This was closed for visiting when we were there, but we got to see it from the outside.
Hippodrome of Constantinople
This open-air ancient Roman Circus is just minutes from the Blue Mosque. Now it’s a nice plaza with remnants from the past such as the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpent Column (ancient Greek bronze column with missing serpent heads), and another obelisk-like column.
At the other end of the plaza there is a beautiful fountain. This area was used in the Byzantine era as a racetrack.
Gülhane Park
Next to the Topkapi Palace this park was a beautiful place to stroll down to the waterfront. Gülhane is the oldest and largest park in Istanbul. Its name comes from house of roses.
It was already cold when we visited in November and the flower beds were empty but in March and April it is decorated with millions of tulips. That must be really nice to see.
Istanbul Archeology Museum
Housed in a beautiful building (and former palace of Mehmed II) this extensive collection of artifacts from Türkiye is on display with detailed explanations and many historical facts about the contents.
There were remnants from Ephesus and other archeological sites in Turkey. In some cases, it was noted when and where others had looted the artifacts and brought them to foreign museums as collection pieces. More and more there seems to be a pull and social pressure to get these artifacts back to their rightful cultural homes.
Hagia Irene
Located next to the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Irene is a former Byzantine 4th century Orthodox church. It’s now a museum but when we visited it was under restoration and we couldn’t see much. So, if there is a long queue of people waiting to visit, I would skip it, at least until the renovations are over.
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
A small museum with Islamic and Turkish artifacts such as ceramics, carpets including one of the Golden Horn of Istanbul. The museum is located right in front of the Egyptian obelisk of the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
Cistern of Theodosius
After truly enjoying our visit of the Basilica Cisterns we decided to check out another cistern. This one is smaller but still nice to see if time permits. There was a multimedia show projected onto the walls and columns which was quite interesting.
Waterfront Area
A hustle and bustle area the whole waterfront area was always crowded day or night with its many shops and restaurants. Fishermen dock ashore in their boats to sell fish and many have setup a restaurant in front facing the street. It does not get much fresher than that.
Be sure to see the second level (underneath) of the Galata Bridge with the pedestrian walkways and all the restaurants. You can see many of them proudly showing off the fresh catch of the day and trying to lure you in as you walk by.
Bosphorus Cruises
We unfortunately had rain and high winds and we were unable to get out onto the Bosphorus with a cruise. But we are sure that seeing the mosques and castles from the vantage point of the water must be beautiful.
Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Market)
This 17th century market is a covered venue just filled with the aroma of spices and delicacies. We bought some fresh Turkish delights here and ended up cutting through the bazar daily to get to our hotel just to enjoy the experience.
Yeni Cami Mosque
Also commonly called the New Mosque (even though it was completed in the 1660s), the Yeni Cami mosque is also open 24 hours and is one of the most used mosques in Istanbul. The view of the mosque from the waterfront is impressive.
Further afield
We decided to take the Hop-on Hop-off bus tour which was a very convenient way to reach some of the further palaces. While this worked well for the palaces it proved to be problematic of the sites in town due to the gnarly traffic in the main areas. It took well over an hour to navigate the waterfront area near the Spice Market, and we watched in dismay as the foot traffic passed us by thinking we should just hop out and walk.
We were glad not to have paid extra for the optional boat tour which we would have missed due to the traffic. We’d recommend not taking that option unless you have a two-day ticket and planned to start with the boat tour first thing in the morning. That said, we also saw a long line for this the morning we headed out on the bus.
Galata Tower
Formerly a prison, the 14th century Galata Tower stands out amongst the building on the other side of the Galata Bridge. They were renovating the roof during our visit and we had bad weather so we didn’t get to climb up but I bet it would have great views of the Old City of Istanbul.
The Dolmabahçe Palace
Opened to the public in 1984 this palace was completed in 1856 and inhabited by six sultans and the last caliph. It was used as a presidential residence until 1984.
The name Dolmabahçe comes from “filled garden” as the area, once part of the river, was filled in to create an imperial garden in the 17th century.
The enormous sultan’s palace consists of 285 rooms, 44 halls, 68 toilets and 6 Turkish baths. It is the biggest palace in Turkey with a ground area of 14,595 square meters. You can find baroque, rococo, and neo-classic styles used throughout blended with traditional ottoman styles.
The size of some of the rooms was incredible. We’ve seen the mirror room at Versailles and the Royal Palace of Turin’s armory but some of the rooms in the Dolmabahçe Palace were easily twice that size. Unfortunately, no picture taking is allowed inside the palace.
Beylerbeyi Palace
Just over the bridge on the Asian side of Istanbul, Beylerbeyi has been a residential area since the Byzantine period. The Beylerbeyi Palace was completed in 1865 by the order of Sultan Abdülaziz.
It was used both as a summer residence for the sultan and as a guest house for many visiting dignitaries. The three storied palace consists of 24 rooms and 6 halls. The floors are covered with Egyptian straw mats and much of the original furniture, carpets and paintings are on display.
Be sure to see the crystal staircase which was under construction during our visit. Unfortunately, here too, no picture were allowed inside the palace.
The gardens consist of 70 thousand square meters. The palace’s waterfront façade is adorned by two kiosks with stone roofs made to look like tents.
It’s also quite interesting to spend a few hours in Asia before returning to the European continent.
Departure tips:
- Istanbul Airport can be 45 minutes away with no traffic, if you’re going at a busy time plan for at least twice that.
- There are two security checkpoints so plan accordingly. If flying to the US, a third security point is used and they were searching all bags.
- Our plane was accessed by bus (and it was freezing!) so if going to a warm climate you may want to hang on to your coat if visiting late fall or winter.
- Gate info, like at other airports such as Heathrow, is shown 1.5 hours before departure. That said, don’t dilly-dally in the lounge as the airport is huge. We had a 20-minute walk followed by a bus ride. Not a lot of time to spare.
Conclusion
Overall we were happy to have spent three days in Istanbul. While we missed a couple of things we believe this was the perfect amount of time to get acquainted with the city and its main attractions.
Turkish Airlines has a great network and it may be possible that we have another longer stopover in Istanbul in the future. We might make up for missed opportunities and do the Bosphorus Cruise or visit the Galata Tower on our next trip.
If you’ve been to Istanbul and have some other sites to recommend or highlight, please add them to the comments and give us some ideas for a future stopover.