Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

📍 Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Byzantine cathedral turned mosque — the massive dome (built in 537 AD) defied engineering expectations for centuries. Book entry in advance.

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)

📍 Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul

Six minarets and an interior tiled with 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles in shades of blue and white. Free entry, cover shoulders and remove shoes.

Lunch at a lokanta near the Grand Bazaar

📍 Beyazit, Istanbul

Traditional Turkish everyday lunch spot — lentil soup, imam bayildi (stuffed aubergine), and ayran yoghurt drink.

Grand Bazaar

📍 Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

60 covered streets, 4,000 shops, and 250,000 daily visitors — ceramics, spices, leather goods, and carpets. Bargaining expected.

Egyptian Spice Bazaar

📍 Eminönü, Istanbul

Built in 1664, Turkey's most atmospheric market — lokum (Turkish delight), saffron, dried figs, and every spice imaginable.

Bosphorus ferry cruise

📍 Eminönü Ferry Terminal

Public ferry (just 15 TL) from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavagi (Asian side). Two continents, Ottoman palaces, yalı waterfront mansions, and the Black Sea.

Dolmabahçe Palace

📍 Beşiktaş, Istanbul

The 285-room European-style palace on the Bosphorus shore — the largest in Turkey. Atatürk died here in 1938; all clocks stopped at 9:05.

Dinner in Beyoğlu

📍 Istiklal Avenue, Beyoğlu

Meyhane (taverna) with meze, grilled sea bass, and raki (anise spirit). Çiçek Pasajı and Nevizade Sokak are the best streets for this.

Ferry to Kadıköy (Asian Istanbul)

📍 Kadıköy, Asian Side

Cross the Bosphorus by ferry for 15 TL. Kadıköy market, Bahariye Caddesi, and the bohemian Moda district feel distinctly different from the European side.

Karaköy & Galata Tower

📍 Galata, Istanbul

14th-century Genoese tower — climb to the observation deck for 360° views over the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and both sides of Istanbul.

Lunch at Karaköy Güllüoğlu

📍 Karaköy, Istanbul

Istanbul's most famous baklava shop since 1871 — fresh-from-the-oven pistachio baklava and strong Turkish coffee.

Sunset from Çamlıca Hill

📍 Çamlıca Hill, Asian Side

The highest point in Istanbul — panoramic views of the Bosphorus strait, bridges, and the entire city stretching to the horizon.