We arrived in Istanbul on a Friday night. Istanbul has two airports now, and we flew into the newer one (IST). It has only been open since 2018, so it's huge and pretty fancy. After we grabbed our bags, we hopped into the private van transfer that our Airbnb host helped coordinate for us. The ride took about 80 minutes, but we didn't see a ton since we were mostly driving through the outskirts of the city. Our Airbnb was located near Taksim Square in the Beyoğlu neighborhood, across the Golden Horn from Sultanahmet and most of the main attractions. Our Airbnb was off a busy main road, but on a quiet and darker street that definitely felt a little sketchy pulling up to late at night since there were some old and abandoned looking buildings around and not very much light; but, our Airbnb host met us and assured us the neighborhood was safe. We felt more comfortable after we checked in, too, because despite the look of the building from the outside, the apartment was spacious, cozy, and stunning - full of exposed brick, antique furniture, and art. Apparently the building was completed in the late 1800s, and the apartment had been renovated with a lot of care to maintain this history (they even had "before" pictures of what the apartment looked like before renovations in the hallway). We settled in and waited for our friend Matt to arrive since his flight from New York was arriving closer to midnight. He finally made it a little after midnight, and we caught up for a bit before we went to bed.
The next morning, we took things slow, hung out in the apartment for a while, and began to plan out our next few days. When we couldn't resist the pull of a Turkish breakfast any longer, we went out for breakfast at a local place Matt found online. We ordered the full Turkish breakfast, and instead of having to specify what we wanted, you just tell them how many people are sharing. The table was overflowing with plates and bowls of food- bread, spreads, vegetables, and of course strong Turkish coffee for Matt and Melissa. The food was amazing and full of flavor, and it was really fun to try everything.
After breakfast, we decided to walk around the city and explore. We didn't have specific plans for the day other than to get oriented. We headed toward the bridge that connects the Beyoğlu and the Sultanahmet neighborhoods, and along the way we stopped at the Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque that we saw on the way; the mosque was beautiful and simplistic, with a deep red carpeted floor. After the mosque, we kept making our way toward the bridge, and along the way picked up baklava at Karaköy Güllüoğlu which has been making baklava since 1843! We crossed the Golden Horn over a long bridge full of tourists, vendors, and local men fishing. We also got our first real glimpse on the bridge of the whole bustling city of Istanbul and could see the Asian side of the city across the Bosphorus Strait, minarets from all of the mosques, Galata Tower, and all of the boat and car traffic.
After crossing the bridge, we followed the flow of foot traffic underground through a small bazaar, and came back up the other side of a main street. From there, we were right on the doorstep of another one of the mosques, the Yeni Mosque, so we paid it a visit. Women have to cover their heads and shoulders with a scarf when entering the mosques, but fortunately for Melissa all the mosques in Istanbul had free scarves that you could borrow.
After the Yeni Mosque, we kept wandering and stumbled upon the Egyptian Bazaar (aka the Spice Bazaar), which was full of amazing smells, spices, teas, and desserts. Everyone working was trying to lure you in to look at stuff and sell you something. Most of the stalls sold similar items, but we still enjoyed walking around and seeing all of the different ailments you could buy tea to help with (diabetic tea, cholesterol tea, Viagra tea, you name it!).
We exited the spice bazaar and found ourselves in a street full of people surrounded by shops selling clothes. Almost all of the clothes were fake name brands; some of the Nike stuff looked ok, but the obviously fake Gucci stuff was everywhere. There were also a lot of shops selling luggage, and we had to dodge a number of massive roller suitcases as we made our way through the street. We followed the street to one of the entrances of the famous Grand Bazaar, which lived up to its name. The bazaar is located indoors and massive, full of currency exchange stores, and stores selling gold, jewelry, clothing, pottery, rugs, and more. We started to look at rug stores because Turkish rugs are very beautiful and Matt was potentially interested in getting one for his apartment in New York. We walked into a store that looked promising, and the two men working there just started to immediately unroll and throw rugs onto the floor for us to look at. At one point, they handed us Turkish tea to welcome us (and keep us in the store longer). We eventually left that store to see other options, and at one of the next stores, Matt saw a rug he liked and the man working there started trying to make the sale. While Matt was negotiating, Carson was doing research on the side to figure out how to identify a real handmade Turkish rug, and based on what he was seeing, he didn’t think the rug was truly handmade. Carson got up and left and advised Matt not to buy. The salesman was determined to get a sale, though; his original offer was $3,000 and by the time Matt walked out, he was down to $1,000. We elected to take a break from the rug stores and opted to do more research first to try and find better store options with real Turkish rugs. All in all, we still had a great time getting a taste of the bazaar and dusting off our haggling skills.
After leaving the Grand Bazaar, we found ourselves near the famous Blue Mosque and decided to go ahead and visit it. It was larger than the first two mosques we went to, and there were thousands of beautiful and unique blue tiles covering the inner walls and ceilings creating a unique look and giving it its name. There were a lot of other people visiting the mosque at the same time as us, but since you are not supposed to talk inside the mosque, it was still a very quiet and calm atmosphere. The Blue Mosque and the other mosques that you can visit are still active mosques, but in general, the mosques are closed to the non-worshipping public during prayer times. We experienced this when we were in the Blue Mosque, as the afternoon prayer was about to start and they were asking everyone to leave. It seems like a nice way for outsiders to be able to appreciate the mosques without interfering with those practicing their faith.
After leaving the Blue Mosque, we decided to visit the Basilica Cistern. To do this, we descended stairs down into the heart of the city's underground. None of us really knew what this place was before arriving, but we learned that it was the largest of the city's ancient cisterns (water reservoirs) that used to supply fresh water to Constantinople's Great Palace. The Basilica Cistern is extremely impressive - it consists of 366 columns and two Medusa head statues, and it was capable of storing 80,000 cubic meters of water (~21,000,000 gallons). Water is still stored in the Basilica Cistern now, but the water level is kept very low so that it can be accessed by the public. The cistern was constructed in the 6th century, and has survived throughout the centuries and about 22 significant earthquakes. Walking around the dark and cavernous chamber was a little eerie, but it was also really impressive to learn about the engineering that went in to storing and supplying water for the city of Constantinople.
After our visit to the Basilica Cistern, we decided to walk back toward our Airbnb (but not before stopping at a bench and meeting the friendliest cat that fell right asleep on Matt's lap). On our walk back, we made a point to walk past the imposing Galata Tower; we elected to just view it from the street though due to the high cost to climb it. For dinner, we went to a local restaurant that was set up a bit like a cafeteria. You order at the counter and pick up to five items from the many tubs of food to eat for less than 300 lira each. We didn't know what half of the food was, but we chose with our hearts and were all pleased with our choices. Finally, we grabbed a beer at the bar next door then headed back to the Airbnb to relax after a long day of walking.
On Sunday morning we were treated to a local neighborhood pop up bazaar that was set up right outside the front door of our building and went on for many blocks. This completely transformed our rough-looking neighborhood to a bustling market with friendly locals. We were the only tourists we saw walking around, and we had a great time observing and looking at all of the booths. We purchased some spices (saffron and a Turkish mixed spice) and Melissa got some fun flowy pants. We also tried a Turkish wrap called Gozleme that is made from flour, salt, and water, and stuffed with cheese, spinach, and potato. We all agreed later that this was one of the best parts of the day, and a truly local experience.
After the market, we dropped off our purchases and then headed to the ferry that would take us to Karikoy (aka Asia)! The ferry was quick, but it was fun getting to see the city from the water. The Karikoy neighborhood looked more modern and newer than the European side we had been exploring. It had a lot of cute shops and cafes, and seemed to have a younger and hipper population; it was really fun to walk around! We ate lunch at Çiya Sofrası, a restaurant featured on Netflix's Chef's Table, and had delicious shared plates, including Lahmacun, kebab, rice pilaf, and peach beef. Everything tasted amazing! We hung out in Karikoy the rest of the day chilling, shopping, and playing cards, and then took the ferry back in the evening. Most of the mosques are lit up at night, and we got a really cool view of them from the ferry.
The next morning we walked to another restaurant for a large Turkish breakfast but this time we got our own plates of Menemen. It's served scalding hot in a pan and includes eggs, veggies, tomatoes, and other toppings with spices cooked in olive oil and served with bread. Delicious. After breakfast, we took the metro to visit the Hagia Sophia, the only active mosque in the city that you have to pay to visit. We waited in line for about 40 mins to get tickets and enter; unlike the other mosques in the city, we found out that you had to pay to rent a head scarf here, so Mel got creative and was able to fashion a head covering out of Carson's spare long sleeve shirt instead. The Hagia Sophia has a long and interesting history. It was originally a Byzantine church built in the 6th century (really, it was built in the 4th century, but its predecessors kept burning down), but was later converted into a mosque following the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. In 1935, it was converted into a secular museum, and then recently in 2020, it was again turned back into a mosque, which was seen as controversial. Due to this history, the Hagia Sofia is important to both Christians and Muslims, and there are historical relics and iconography of both religions inside the Hagia Sofia.
We entered the Hagia Sofia on the second level (only practicing Muslims are allowed on the prayer floor) and were able to walk around its interior perimeter. The color scheme inside consists of many yellows, blues, and blacks, and the standout feature of the building is its impressive middle dome. There are many old mosaics still present, including some showing the Virgin Mary and angels; these mosaics, while preserved, are covered up with tarps so people praying on the floor do not see them. The carpet of this mosque was also a deep turquoise, which was different from others. The Hagia Sofia is beautiful in it's own way; while not as intricately stunning as the blue mosque, it's age, history, dome, and mosaics are just as impressive.
After visiting the Hagia Sofia, we stopped at the Seven Hills Hotel that has amazing views of both the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque for rooftop drinks and cards. The views were amazing, but there were a lot of people feeding and trying to take photos with seagulls flying by, which was a little chaotic. Fortunately, it started to drizzle and everyone left, so we were able to take a ton of photos without anyone in them.
We then walked to the Grand Bazaar for round 2 of rugging (a new verb we created) to check out some more authentic stores that Carson researched. The store we visited was fairly smaller than the others we had been in, and was owned by a third generation rug seller. We went in and told the two men that we were interested in getting a Turkish rug. After some time, the men realized we were serious shoppers, and they slowly closed the door for privacy and started to show us a couple of rugs. Murat Ozturk, the owner, was very knowledgeable and knew all about the different regions, time frames the rugs were made, and the different patterns. We could tell that everything he was showing us was legit, and in general the cost of the rugs was between $700-$3,000, which was what we expected based on our research. Matt ended up purchasing a roughly 7x12 ft blue and orange Turkish Rug from the 1910's. Matt got a good deal on the rug, and was even able to add shipping to New York. We celebrated the purchase with the owner with some delicious vegetable tea, and got to know each other more. This was such a great experience, and the rugs were so beautiful that after Matt got his, Mr. Ozturk showed us some others, and we were very close to getting one as well. We eventually told him it wasn't the right time for us, but that we would be in touch in the future. We started following his store on Instagram, and we're still tempted every time we see a new one! Feeling high on our rug purchase we headed back to our Airbnb via public bus and relaxed before dinner. For dinner, we ate at one of Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurants in Istanbul which was really close to our Airbnb, and we had very cheap and delicious kebab plates and wraps.
On our final full day in the city, we visited the colorful neighborhood of Balat. There were a lot of fun antique stores and cafes to explore. Matt purchased a few nice trinket boxes from antique shops, but nothing caught our eye (well, nothing we could fit in our backpacks). Later that evening, we walked to the Turkish hammam (aka Turkish bath) that Mel had found and booked us appointments at. The hammam we went to, Ağa Hamamı, is one of the oldest hammams in Istanbul, and has been around since 1454! When we first got inside, we waited for instructions and Carson saw a delivery man that was wearing a red Wisconsin beer t-shirt. Carson approached him and asked for a photo. The man didn't speak English, but one of the employees helped translate. Once the man understood why Carson wanted a photo, he was happy, and asked for a picture on his phone with Carson too. After this cute photoshoot, we changed into just towels and headed to the first part of the hammam- the hot steam room. We poured cold water on ourselves and relaxed on white marble slabs in the hot sauna. The room contained a single window in the middle of the space that let sunlight in. It was very relaxing and sweaty. Following this initial steam, our paths diverged, and everyone had a different experience after this point. Matt and Carson were called to go to the next room for their exfoliation and traditional foam massage. Matt had a pretty normal experience, but Carson's was more of an adventure. The guy massaging Carson started by asking him where he was from and then started talking about the NBA. He was also messing with him throughout by dumping cold water on him after hot and even meowing at one point when Carson flinched at a really tight muscle. He could clearly tell Carson hadn’t gotten a massage before because of how not relaxed he was; it was all in good fun, but a pretty memorable experience for Carson! Melissa's experience was more normal, but she was brought into a small room with a another woman she didn't know and they were simultaneously scrubbed down by two other women. What they don't tell you is that at some points you will be stripped down and casually sat up facing this stranger during the experience. Luckily Melissa had some previous experience in Japanese onsens and this didn't bother her, but it was a funny reminder that nudity and modestly can be viewed differently in different cultures.
Once that portion was over, we were all wrapped in new towels and sent upstairs to relax with some sherbet tea and Turkish delights. The tea was delicious and served cold. At this point, Melissa and Matt were also given face masks since they opted for this extra. The next part of this experience was an add-on oil massage that we all got, though it's not a traditional part of the Turkish bath. As you can guess, it was tough for Carson to relax due to how tight some of his muscles were, but he got a different masseuse this time, so at least there wasn't any more meowing!
The hammam experience lasted over 2 hours and was worth the experience. We got dinner nearby at an Ottoman restaurant where plates were delicious and unique, and had a hilarious time relaying our various experiences at the hammam.
On our final morning in Istanbul, Matt spent the morning visiting the palace, but we opted to save money and chill/work out. For lunch, we got yet another kebab wrap from a local stand in our neighborhood that we had been wanting to try and it didn’t disappoint. After lunch, we waited for a car transfer to get to the airport to head to our next destination in Turkey- Cappadocia.
It's safe to say that we absolutely loved Istanbul. It is such a unique city, and we enjoyed the history, the food, the busy streets, the haggling, the Turkish coffee and teas, the stray cats, the beautiful mosques, and the friendly people. Visiting Istanbul has become exponentially more expensive in recent years, particularly for the main tourist attractions like the Hagia Sofia, Galata Tower, and the Palace, but we were still able to enjoy our time and supplement the expensive attractions with more free ones.
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