Istanbul

I first published this post on Istanbul in 2019, after spending five weeks traveling across Turkey. I returned in June 2024 for another week and, in July 2025, I began a three-week journey through Turkey once again in this incredible city.

So, I decided it was time to refresh the post and give it more prominence, a homage to a place that continues to captivate me. Of course, no single article can truly capture Istanbul. Its history runs deep, and there is always more to see, do and experience.

ABOUT ISTANBUL

Istanbul is an enormous city, home to roughly 16 million people and spread over a vast area.

For visitors, however, the size of the city matters less. Most of the main attractions are concentrated in the city’s oldest quarter. While this historic area is still large, it’s entirely walkable.

In Istanbul, every impression feels magnified. The view from the Galata Bridge, as you cross from Beyoğlu to Eminönü, is nothing short of spectacular. The Bazaar Quarter and the legendary Grand Bazaar buzz with life and colour.

And then there’s the miracle of three monumental landmarks standing side by side – Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Each one alone would be reason enough to visit, but to find them together, within steps of each other, is simply extraordinary.

You’ll also encounter a wealth of history, particularly the Ottoman heritage which, while perhaps less famous than Istanbul’s main attractions, is no less significant in historical or artistic value.

Broadly speaking, the city’s highlights can be explored in three main areas:

• Sultanahmet and the Bazaar Quarter

• Beyoğlu, Istiklal Street and Taksim

• Üsküdar

SULTANAHMET AND BAZAAR QUARTER

Every trip to Istanbul begins in Sultanahmet and the bustling Bazaar Quarter, where the city’s most famous landmarks sit just steps apart. In many places, even one of these wonders would be a point of pride. Here, you’ll find three, side by side. Their closeness isn’t just luck, it’s the legacy of centuries of history shaping the heart of the city.

HAGIA SOPHIA

The magnificent Hagia Sophia, completed in 537, occupies perhaps the finest location in all of Istanbul. First built as a Christian Orthodox cathedral, it later became a mosque, then a museum and today once again serves as a mosque. It remains one of the world’s most treasured monuments.

When Fatih Sultan Mehmed captured Constantinople in 1453, his very first act was to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque, marking the beginning of a new chapter in its history.

BLUE MOSQUE

Directly facing the Hagia Sophia stands the Blue Mosque, a masterpiece that did not yet exist when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople. Sultan Ahmed I commissioned its construction in 1616, choosing a spectacular site worthy of an imperial vision.

It is the only imperial mosque in Istanbul with six minarets. In Ottoman times, only mosques built by the sultans could have two or more minarets. Prominent figures such as pashas and other dignitaries also commissioned mosques, but theirs were limited to a single minaret.

TOPKAPI PALACE

A short walk from Hagia Sophia brings you to Topkapi Palace, the former seat of nearly 30 sultans who ruled the vast Ottoman Empire from within its walls.

Shortly after the conquest of Constantinople, Fatih Sultan Mehmed ordered the palace’s construction. Completed in 1478, it occupies a commanding peninsula with spectacular views – the Golden Horn on one side and the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus on the other two.

Much like the Forbidden City in Beijing, the palace was far from open to the public. Entire sections, such as the Harem, were strictly off-limits to anyone outside the Ottoman dynasty.

After nearly four centuries, Topkapi ceased to be the imperial residence in the mid-19th century, when Sultan Abdülmecid I moved the court to the newly built Dolmabahçe Palace.

GRAND BAZAAR

Not far from Sultanahmet, you’ll find the Grand Bazaar, known as Kapalı Çarşı in Turkish, a truly awe-inspiring historic site. It is one of the largest and oldest covered bazaars in the world.

Fatih Sultan Mehmed commissioned the bazaar’s construction shortly after his conquest of Constantinople, with the original core completed in 1461. Today, the bazaar features over 60 streets and thousands of shops.

Over the centuries, the Grand Bazaar expanded into a vast, roofed complex, including tradesmen’s inns and hans in the surrounding area. It reached its current size by the 17th century.

Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. When you visit this magnificent structure, try to look beyond its touristy side and focus on its architecture and intricate details. One of my favourites is a beautiful fountain, shown in the photo below.

Whenever I’m in Istanbul, I always make time for at least a short visit.

BAZAAR QUARTER

Surrounding the Grand Bazaar is the Bazaar Quarter, one of the oldest parts of the city, filled with Ottoman-era buildings. It’s also one of the most vibrant shopping districts I’ve ever experienced.

The sheer abundance of goods is astonishing. You’ll find entire streets devoted to a single item, whether socks, underwear or T-shirts. I often say that shopping in Istanbul is the best.

COLUMN OF CONSTANTINE

History is everywhere. Between Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar stands the Column of Constantine, often overlooked amid the area’s many sights.

Commissioned in 330 by Emperor Constantine the Great, this nearly 1700-year-old monument marked the declaration of Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire.

SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE

From the Galata Bridge, one of the most striking features of the skyline is the Suleymaniye Mosque. Designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan for Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1557, it dominates the view alongside the Yeni Mosque.

EGYPTIAN SPICE BAZAAR

Next to the Yeni Mosque in Eminönü lies the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, Istanbul’s second-largest covered market after the Grand Bazaar.

Built in 1664 as part of the mosque complex, it is touristy yet beautifully constructed, colourful, fragrant and bursting with spices and other goods.

BEYOĞLU, ISTIKLAL STREET AND TAKSIM SQUARE

On the European side, I consider Beyoğlu the best place to stay in Istanbul. Separated from the old city by the Golden Horn, it lacks the density of historic sites but boasts the medieval Galata Tower, built in 1348 by the Genoese community.

Its imposing form remains a symbol of the district and the city.

YUKSEK KALDIRIM STREET

From Beyoğlu, it’s an easy walk to Sultanahmet and the Grand Bazaar via Yüksek Kaldırım Street, a steep, shop-lined road dating back to the Genoese period.

ISTIKLAL STREET

The area’s main artery is Istiklal Street. It’s a lively pedestrian boulevard packed with shops, cafés and restaurants open until midnight, unlike the old city where almost everything closes in the evening.

TAKSIM SQUARE

At the Istiklal Street’s northern end lies Taksim Square.

REPUBLIC MONUMENT

Taksim Square is home to the Republic Monument and the historic tram line, that runs the length of Istiklal, starts its journey from there.

ÜSKÜDAR

Across the Bosporus on the Asian side is Üsküdar, a historic yet often overlooked part of Istanbul. On my sixth trip to the city, I visited for the first time and noticed there were hardly any foreign tourists.

Still, Üsküdar is rich in Ottoman heritage, with numerous notable sites. I spent nearly the entire day exploring, enjoying its calmer pace compared to Istanbul’s busier districts.

Reaching Üsküdar is simple. Take a ferry from Eminönü. The ride is quick, frequent and offers spectacular views of the city from a different perspective.

THE REST OF ISTANBUL

The historic core of Istanbul is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rightly so. With even a little knowledge of Ottoman history, every monument falls into place, deepening your appreciation of this extraordinary city.

That’s why I’ve published numerous posts covering different aspects of the city, from its Byzantine to its Ottoman heritage. Still, there’s so much I haven’t seen yet and I’m eager to return and explore more.