Istanbul is a wild place full of wild adventures. It’s a big bustling city but it’s full of history, mystery, and a lot of Turkish delight!
How we got there.
Flights in Europe are so much cheaper than flights in the U.S.
Getting here was a slight pain in the butt. We were supposed to be flying through LA to Tokyo on Air Canada. It wasn’t until a few weeks before our trip that Japan finally opened up to tourism. By this point, we had flipped our flights to Athens. We were a little bummed out but it ended up being a great trip.
After spending time in Santorini we took a flight from Athens to Istanbul.
What we did.
We walked and walked. For good or bad we explored an impressive amount of the city. It’s unlike anywhere we’ve been so we were continually amazed by what it had to offer.
Some of the places we stopped were:
Blue Mosque/Hagia Sophia – These two mosques are breathtaking. In our opinion, they’re more so on the outside than the inside, but they’re absolutely worth visiting. Remember though, women must cover their hair!
The Grand Bazaar – Absolutely worth visiting as well. It’s a 4000 shop market. All under one roof. It has everything you can think of and it’s again, unlike anywhere we’ve been before. Do be warned, however, it’s quite touristy and if you’re looking for bargains, it’s probably not the place. Definitely worth the visit though. You can spend hours there wandering through the narrow aisles.
Basilica Cistern – We didn’t plan to go here before our trip but we were glad we did. It’s a giant cistern only a few feet below the city. It’s full of history and it’s an ancient masterpiece.
Asia – Europe and Asia split in Istanbul. Kind of fun. A quick metro ride and you’re in Asia. It’s definitely the slower more relaxed side of Istanbul. So, if you’re looking for a break go wander the markets in Asia. They’re less touristy and more unique in our opinion.
For real though, find the markets on the Asian side and give them a shot. Kadikoy specifically has some nice spots. We enjoyed them more than the touristy markets on the European side.
Galata Tower – Ancient tower with history and views. We mostly wandered past but it’s up on a hill and has some unique views even from its base.
Where we stayed.
We again lucked out with a great Airbnb. It had a nice rooftop view with breakfast and we had a great ocean view from our window. The staff was great and the proximity couldn’t be beaten.
Transportation.
Istanbul has a great transit system. It took us everywhere we needed. With one exception. The new airport. It’s far from the city. They’re working on the metro reaching out that way but as of now, it doesn’t. This means you have to get a taxi or take a bus. We took the bus. It’s pretty far so hunker down and take a nap.
Get the IstanKart if you plan to take public transportation. It’s great and makes things easy.
What we ate.
Not enough. As usual, we left feeling that we should’ve eaten more, but we did get a good feel of their cuisine.
Marbella was a great choice on our first night. We got a mixed platter and it gave us a good taste of what they have to offer.
Gyros on the street. They’re everywhere and they’re delicious.
Mivan Restaurant & Cafe. Again, another great place with great food.
Markets. Markets are cheap and delicious. The best way to experience the culture and cuisine is to find a market and eat their food.
Turkish Ice-cream. It’s weird but it’s delicious. Look it up on google. It’s quite the show to get some.
Street Corn. It’s everywhere. Not sure why, but every corner has a guy selling it.
Hafiz Mustafa. Delicious deserts and Turkish delight.
Gluten-Free in Greece
It does exist. Like most places, it just takes a little more effort to find, but it should never be a deterrent. Mediterranean food is typically pretty gluten-free, minus the pitas.
What we learned.
Istanbul is a fun mix between Europe and Asia. It’s European in a lot of ways but it’s crazy, unlike many European cities.
There isn’t much English spoken. The touristy areas, of course, have English but outside of that, it’s pretty sparse. We had one driver that spoke it well, but the other spoke none.
The drivers are insane. They go and do whatever they want. This means they’re not stopping for you to cross so you just have to go for it. It’s how they all do it so be confident and step into the street.
The Lira and dollar have no comparison. When you take out Liras from an ATM, don’t panic when you’re taking out hundreds or even thousands. We had to keep going back for more and paying the fees because we couldn’t wrap our heads around how much we really needed to take out to get around. We took out probably 2000-3000 and it seemed wrong.
Hafiz Mustafa has the best Turkish Delight and pastries. Don’t stop at every other shop. Go to Mustafa!
The call to prayer goes off 5 times a day. We knew what it was, we knew when it went off, and we were still surprised every single time.
Some mosques charge for Hijabs, and some don’t. Prepare yourself.
You have to have a visa and travel insurance to go. Though they never actually checked for either. There are dozens of different sites for that. It takes less than a day and it’s fairly inexpensive. Go to the government site and you should be about $20 a person. It can be slow and glitchy so give yourself plenty of time to get it. Not the day before like us…
Hair transplants and nose jobs are huge in Istanbul. They have great doctors and low prices so people come from all over. You’ll likely see bandaged noses and heads if you’re out and about.