Istanbul in Two Days

Somewhere between living and dreaming, there’s Istanbul.
 
The best airfare we found for our trip to Cairo was on Turkish Air, and it had us going through Istanbul. We both love Istanbul for the history, the culture, and of course - the food. So we were excited to extend our trip a few says and give the kids a taste of one of the coolest cities on earth.
 
We planned for 2 ½ days in Istanbul before we had to head home. Which is definitely not enough time to see everything, but we did pretty good at hitting the highlights. We arrived early in the morning from Cairo so we would have the whole day there.  We like to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Istanbul. On the European side of the Bosphorus. It is in a great location in the Besiktas neighborhood, it is close to the ferries, and their breakfast buffet is one of the best in the world. In season the rooftop pool is pretty epic with a great view of the Bosphorus.
 
After dropping off our bags we grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading to the Dolmabahce Palace. My strategy was for the kids to see and experience this palace before visiting Topkapi Palace the next day. Dolmabahce Palace was built between 1843 and 1856 and is the largest residential palace in Turkey. It served as the main administrative center and official residence for the Ottoman Sultans from 1856 to 1922. The Sultan moved his court here from the medieval Topkapi Palace so that he would have a contemporary residence that would rival the luxurious European palaces. The grand palace was home to six Ottoman Sultans. The final major public figure to spend time here was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey following the fall of the empire. Ataturk used the palace as a presidential residence. He passed away in a very plain bedroom here on November 10, 1938, at 9:05 a.m.—the exact time at which the palace clocks are historically stopped in his honor.

​After touring the palace, we soaked in the city while walking along the Bosphorus to Galataport. This is a lively district of modern stores and restaurants, but most of all our destination was some gelato at DD Scoop. DD is our son’s nickname since those are his initials), plus the place is famous on TikTok so we had to stop.  From there we headed to the historic Galata Tower and wondered the neighborhood to catch a sighting  of the iconic red trolley that runs along Istiklal Caddesi that leads towards Taksim Square.

​Our next destination was the European side of the Bosphorus for dinner, so we headed towards the waterfront to catch our ferry. While the trip across doesn’t take long, we wanted the kids to experience the crazy amount of boat traffic on the Bosphorus. It ended up being a perfect ride since it was just about sunset when we boarded, and we even got to see dolphins playing near the boat.   We disembarked at Kadikoy Iskelesi and had a terrific dinner at the Hamsi Pub Fish Restaurant before heading back to the hotel.

After enjoying the hotel’s fabulous breakfast the next day, we headed out to the Cisterns. But just outside of the Basilica Cistern is a monument that should not be overlooked: the Milion Stone, which was used as a reference point to measure the distance of all roads to the capital. Emperor Constantin had it constructed in the 4th century AD during the building of the new capital of the Roman Empire. This Milion Stone was regarded as the center of the world. It marks the starting point of the main street known as the Mese during the Byzantine period, and was located in an area where imperial processions and public events took place. It remained intact in its original form as a tetrapylon with a central dome and adorned with sculptures and reliefs until the Ottoman period . By the late 13th century, it had come under the authority of the Hagia Sophia Church, which is located close by. Archeologists uncovered the remnants in 1957.

The Basilica Cistern is hard to describe. It is the largest of the several hundred cisterns that are scattered throughout the city. This one is just 490 feet away from the Hagia Sofia on the First Hill of Constantinople, and was built in the 6th century during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.
 
The cistern is known for the stunning columns that have been recycled from the ruins of older buildings, likely brought to Constantinople from various parts of the empire and that are carved out of different types of marble and granite. The first major modern restoration of the Basilica Cistern was undertaken by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality between 1985 and 1987. More than 50,000 tons of mud were removed from the reservoir, uncovering the Medusa-head column bases. Elevated wooden walkways and platforms were erected to replace the boats previously used for touring the cistern. The cistern was opened to the public in September of 1987. It underwent additional cleaning In May 1994. Then in 2017 it was once again closed for restoration and earthquake-proofing, reopening to the public in 2020.  It also featured prominently in the James Bond film "From Russia with Love" in 1963 as well as Dan Brown's "Inferno" in 2016.

Our next stop was the Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. It was completed in 537 AD and was the world’s largest interior space and among the first to have a fully pendentive dome. The Hagia Sophia was dedicated in 360 AD and served as the cathedral of Constantinople until the fall of the city in 1453. After that, it served as a mosque, and the minarets were added to it. The site became a museum in 1935 and was re-designated as a mosque in 2020.  It is currently undergoing its most extensive restoration in its 1,500-year history. The project is estimated to take almost a decade and focuses heavily on structural reinforcement, seismic protection against expected earthquakes, and the repair of lead coverings on the exterior domes. As a result, the building is covered in a large amount of scaffolding and access is limited. But even with all the construction going on, it is still breathtaking.

We took a moment for a small break to rest our feet and to have a quick lunch at one of the cafes located in between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque called Mihri Restaurant. A Turkish tea and some salmon fortified me for the rest of our day.
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Our next stop was the Grand Bazaar. There is truly nothing like it anywhere in the world. It is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world. It encompasses 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops, and attracts between 250,000 to 400,000 people every day. The core of the Bazaar was constructed in 1455/56 shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople to stimulate economic prosperity in the city.

​After the Grand Bazaar we headed to the Blue Mosque which is truly stunning inside.  It is formally known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It was constructed during Ottoman rule between 1609 and 1617 and is one of the most iconic and popular monuments of Ottoman architecture.  The mosque's interior is dominated by its 141ft tall dome and tis surrounded by cascading semi-domes. The lower walls of the mosque, especially around the galleries, are covered in blue Iznik tiles, a style of tile work named after their production center, Iznik (which was ancient Nicea). Starting in 1607, orders for these tiles were sent out continuously and in 1613 the sultan even forbade the production and sale of tiles for any other purpose, so that his own commissions could be completed on time.  A total of 21,043 tiles, featuring over fifty different designs, are found inside the mosque. They feature floral designs and bathe the interior of the mosque in a stunning blue light, hence the nickname the “Blue Mosque”.
 
After our visit to the Blue Mosque, we passed the Obelisk of Theodosius in Sultanahmet Square. It is the oldest monument in the city. Commissioned by Pharaoh Thutmose III for the Temple of Karnak (see more about Karnak in my Egypt post), it was moved to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius I in 390 AD.

We had one last historical site that we wanted to make sure the kids experienced on this whirlwind trip, and that was Topkapi Palace. There is a cute little outdoor café inside the palace grounds, across from the ticket windows and before the gate to the second courtyard, The Gate of Salutations.  We rested our feet there for a few minutes while enjoying some Turkish tea and pastries before exploring the palace. 
 
Topkapi Palace is now a museum, but from the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahce Palace (which we visited yesterday morning) in 1853, it served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire as well as the main residence for the Sultans. The complex was given the name of “Topkapi” (meaning “Cannon Gate”) in the 19th century.
The museum does a very good job of informing you as to what each building’s original purpose, as well as educating you about the collections that they currently showcase.  I highly recommend following along with the free audio guide so that you can learn all the details. My favorite collections are Imperial Wardrobe Collection, and the collection of Islamic calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts.

​In the third courtyard is the section that I really wanted the kids to see: the Privy Chamber. The Privy Chamber houses the chamber of the Sacred Relics. It used to house the offices of the Sultan. Housed here are two of the most important relics in the Muslim world including the cloak of Muhammad, as well as two of his swords, a bow, a tooth, hair from his beard, and an autographed letter. There are other sacred objects from Biblical figures on display, including the staff of Moses, the turban of Joseph, a pot used by Abraham, and David’s sword from his battle with Goliath. While the chain of custody and authenticity of these items is often disputed, it is still interesting to walk through the collection.

We wanted to get back to the hotel in time to have dinner and watch the local rival soccer match at Bestikas stadium from our windows. But we made sure the walk through the Spice Market on the way. The Spice market is it is the most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.  Built in 1660, it was and still is the center for the spice trade in Istanbul. It is both aromatic and visually stunning, with nicely organized pyramids of fresh spices vying for your attention. If you like saffron, I recommend stocking up on it here. The prices were much better than back home.

A Note about Catstanbul:
You cannot visit Istanbul or talk about Istanbul without talking about the cats. In our two and a half days in Istanbul we counted over 300 cats. Istanbul’s cats are considered sacred and are cared for by the local communities. We saw shopkeepers scooping them up and bringing them inside. Bowls of food and water are placed out all over the city, and there are even vending machine feeding stations.
 
The Ottomans revered the cats as symbols of good fortune and protection. Over the centuries that has evolved into everyday life, and the cats have become a part of the city’s identity. A common local saying reflects their revered status: “If you kill a cat, you need to build a mosque to be forgiven by God.”
 
We can’t wait to go back. There is still so much to see. And many more cats to pet.

Here is the link to my 3 Days in Istanbul Itinerary from our last trip if you are looking for some more ideas.