Istanbul Bucket List
Two continents. One city. Breakfast in one, lunch in the other. That's not a mixed metaphor; it's Tuesday morning in Istanbul. The call to prayer rings out above the city's skyline, which has heard church bells and has the scars to prove it. In between the two extremes of faith and architectural style, you'll find a fish sandwich served off a rocking boat on the Golden Horn for three dollars, which may be the best three dollars you'll ever spend.
Why Istanbul belongs on your bucket list
Three empires have left their mark on this city and no one bothered to remove the fingerprints of the latest. Roman water storage lies beneath the mosques of the Ottomans. Byzantine mosaics light up the interior of churches that have been converted to mosques and back again. The latest generation of Turkish artists has begun to make their mark on converted warehouses along the Golden Horn with art that's beginning to get international attention. And then there's the food. Turkish breakfast alone – cheeses, olives, eggs, honey, kaymak cream, fresh bread, and all the rest of it – would be worth making the trip for alone. Add bazaars with scents of leather and spice wafting through them, hammams steaming for 500 years, and tea houses with views of the Bosphorus, and you get the picture. You'll be overwhelmed. In the best way possible.
When to go
April, May, September, October. Good weather, fewer tourists, beautiful light. The tulip festival in April has millions of tulips in the parks. Here's something you might not know: Tulips actually originated in Turkey and came to Holland, not the other way around. In the summer, it's hot and humid. Ramadan season has its own charm, especially if you are there for iftar during the evening. The daytime dining will be affected during Ramadan. Winter is cold and gloomy. The Bosphorus has its own dramatic charm during this time. The prices will be down by 50 percent too. If you are comfortable with layers and don't mind the cold, Istanbul during the winter has its own charm and beauty and cannot be beat.
Must-visit places in Istanbul
Hagia Sophia
It has been a cathedral for 1,000 years. Then it was a mosque. After that, it was a museum. Now it's a mosque again. The dome towers 55 meters above you. The sheer scale of it all will make your neck ache from looking up. Byzantine and Islamic art are side by side, literally. The Byzantines and the Muslims are literally talking to each other through the ages. It's free to get in. Be prepared to wait in line for a while. You are welcome to get in during prayer times too, but you must be genuinely respectful of the prayers happening around you.
Blue Mosque
Six minarets. Domes upon domes. The picture of Istanbul's skyline. Inside, 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles with floral patterns in blue cover every inch of the interior. That's how it got its nickname "The Blue Mosque." It's free to get in outside of prayer times. Remove your shoes and cover your head if you are a lady (scarves are available for purchase at the entrance if you don't bring one with you). But get to the courtyard for sunset. The picture will be perfect with the water feature in the foreground, Hagia Sophia behind you, and the sky behind you with hues of orange. That's the picture. That's the memory.
Grand Bazaar
4,000 shops. 61 streets. All covered. You will get lost. That's the whole idea. Ceramics, hanging lanterns, textiles, leather, gold – every corridor is a different world. Never accept the first price. Ever. Haggling is expected, and it is genuinely fun once you get the rhythm. The shops at the entrance are the most touristy. Venture further in. The further in you go, the better the prices and the more fascinating the artisans. When your brain is about to melt from the overload of sensory input, have a glass of Turkish tea. Then go back in.
Topkapi Palace
400 years of sultans ruling the Ottoman Empire from this exact same spot. The Harem section requires a separate ticket. Buy it. It's worth it just for the tile work alone. Beautiful rooms designed for intrigue with some of the most beautiful tile work you will ever see. The Treasury has the Topkapi Dagger and an 86-carat diamond. But it's the view from the terrace that will get you. Standing there looking at Europe on one side and Asia on the other. One continuous view with the Bosphorus stretching out before you. It's the moment that will get you the hardest.
Basilica Cistern
336 marble columns holding up a vaulted ceiling beneath the streets of Sultanahmet. Built in 532 AD as a water storage system. And just... forgotten for centuries. People found it when someone realized that people were catching fish through holes in the floors of their basements. Let that sink in. The two Medusa head columns at the far end are turned sideways and upside down. No one really knows why. It's like a dream you would have about ancient Rome.
Spice Bazaar
Smaller than the Grand Bazaar but just as interesting. More manageable. Mountains of spices, dried fruits, Turkish delights in colors you never even knew existed, and teas by the barrel. Vendors will give you samples. Taste everything. Buy everything you love. Stock up on sumac, pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes), apple tea. The streets around the bazaar are just as interesting. Pet market, flower market, hardware store. Real Istanbul. Not the tourist version.
Bosphorus Cruise
Skip the tourist boats. Take the public ferry from Eminonu – same Bosphorus, a fraction of the price. You'll see Ottoman palaces, yali (beautiful waterfront mansions), and the Rumeli Fortress rising on the hillside. Buy a simit (sesame bread ring) from a vendor on the dock, get a cup of tea at the bar on the ferry, and just sit back. The return trip at sunset is a must. The minarets glow gold in the pink sky, and the whole scene is like a painting. Don't miss it.
Galata Tower
14th-century Genoese Tower. 360-degree view. Golden Horn, Bosphorus, old city – all in view at once. Go in the evening. At night, the mosques shine like jewels, ships glow like fireflies crossing the dark water, and Istanbul at night is truly one of the most romantic views in the world. What's more, the view is over the neighborhood that is the hub of Istanbul's thriving arts scene – Galata and Karakoy.
Kadikoy
Take a commuter ferry to the Asian side. This is where people really live – eat, shop, etc. Kadikoy's Bahariye Street has bookstores, bars, clothing stores – nothing like the tourist areas. Kadikoy Market has the best produce, cheeses, olives – and prices that reflect a local economy, not a tourist trap. Ciya Sofrasi has regional Turkish food made with recipes that were literally disappearing from Turkish culture until this chef went around the country collecting them. This is where you'll have the best meal of your entire trip. I'm not kidding.
Suleymaniye Mosque
Ask an Istanbulite and many will tell you that it is more beautiful than the Blue Mosque. The proportions of the interior were perfectly judged by the architect Sinan. The dome appears to float on a circle of light from the windows below it. There is a great view of the Golden Horn from the marble courtyard. And the bonus? A fraction of the tourists visit this mosque compared to the Blue Mosque. You can actually sit down, think, and take it all in. Behind the mosque is the tomb of Suleiman the Magnificent and Hurrem Sultan in the beautiful gardens. Well worth the visit.
Istanbul insider tips
- Istanbulkart: A rechargeable card that can be used on the ferries, trams, buses, and metro. Get one at any station. Saves money on all your fares and makes ferry-hopping between two continents easy. Essential.
- Turkish Breakfast: Must be done at least once. Van Kahvalti Evi in Cihangir is the famous one. Be there by 9 a.m. on the weekends, otherwise it's an hour wait. The spread will be the most that's been laid in front of you for breakfast. You will not eat it all. You will try it all.
- Hammam: Must be done. Cagaloglu Hamami and Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami are the most atmospheric. Get the works: scrub, foam massage, relaxation room. Budget 1-2 hours. You will leave there feeling like a new person. I am not exaggerating.
- Scams: Friendly guy near Taksim asks you to follow him to "his friend's bar"? Don't. You will get a bill that will make your eyes water. Say no nicely. Go where you want to go. This is one of the oldest tricks in Istanbul.
- Tea Culture: Someone invites you for cay (tea)? Say yes. From the shopkeepers to the taxi drivers to the random passers-by on the street? They all do it. It's free. It's genuine. It's the way things work in Turkey. Don't refuse the offer.
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