Our suggested Things-to-do in Istanbul, Turkey

We were in Istanbul in January 2019. While it may not be the best time to be visit, travelling in the non-peak season has its perks – lower airfare, more accommodation options at lower rates and less crowds. Despite it being biting cold, we had a great time in this city and you can check out our itinerary, at this link.

In this post, we are jotting down the 10 things that come to mind when we think of Istanbul.

Grand Bazaar

Is a centuries old market, similar to a souk if you’ve been to the middle east. This one is fully covered and you can keep exploring the labyrinths for as long as you want. The building is quite old, so much so that you can see the cracks in the walls and ceilings and can see the bare stone where the paint has peeled off in places. But that’s what makes is all the more interesting. Other than that, there is no lack of activity in the bazaar. Shop owners, locals and tourists throng the place from 9am to 7pm everyday, except on Sundays. If you fancy turkish ceramics, glassware, lamps, carpets and other handicrafts, this is the place to check them out in the 4000 odd shops here.

Spice Bazaar

Built in 1664, this is another market and as the name suggest, this is where to get to see, touch and smell all the turkish spices that makes their food so finger licking good. As you enter, you cannot help but notice the vividly colored spices displayed in small mounds with a label for each type. Besides the spices you can also purchase many different kinds of teas and turkish delight. If you do buy them, make sure you get them vacuum seal packed so that carrying them in your check-in baggage won’t be an issue.

Galata Bridge

A walk across the Galata bridge introduces you to all kinds of sights and smells of this town. Men fishing, boats crossing underneath, gulls creating a ruckus, vendors selling simit, boiled corns and seafood, the call for prayer from the overlooking Suleymaniye mosque and the best bit – the sunset. Two days out of three, we were here to soak in the most stunning sunset views.

Hagia Sofia

Is a former christian basilica, later a mosque, now a one of a kind museum. While the structure is huge and spectacular, what made it fascinating for us was it’s history and how the motifs from both Christianity and Islam co-exist peacefully within.

Blue Mosque

Right across Haga Sophia is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, which is still a functioning mosque. We didn’t spend much time here but what we saw inside was extremely pretty and ornamental, a testimony to the amount of love and labor that must have gone in this building.

Nargile (aka Sheesha, Hookah or Waterpipe)

Sitting back, relaxing and having a Nargile with chai is one of the local pastimes you must indulge in. To get a real kick though, try the really traditional Nargile places near Grand Bazaar.

The City Squares (e.g. Eminonu and Taksim)

Feed or chase hordes of pigeons, rest your feet on the steps, munch on some water chestnuts from the many red and white carts or just people watch. We promise, you won’t be bored.

Boat Ride over the Bosphorous

All for 2.5 Lira, you get a picturesque ride from European side of the city to the Asian side. Enroute, feast your eyes on the blue waters, the mountains in the distance, the city and it’s historic towers and architecture.

Kadikoy

Explore this bustling area teeming with restaurants and cafes. Getting here around lunch is perhaps the best option to go for.

Turkish Food

An amazing food culture awaits you in Istanbul. From their hearty breakfasts to their falafels, from their kebabs to their breads, from their desserts to their coffee, you’ll be left wanting more. Read our vegetarian turkish food post here.

We hope this gives you a head-start when planning your own trip. And if you have any questions, leave them in the comments and we’ll try to answer as best as we can.