Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s so easy to fall in love with it. I’ve lived there for two years and tried to explore every little corner of it and see all that was possible. That’s why I think it makes perfect sense to start this blog with a post about Istanbul. Hope you’ll enjoy it and you’ll find useful information about this magical place.
Let’s start! Ten must see sights in Istanbul are:
-
Galata Tower
-
Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya)
-
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii)
-
Sultanahmet square
-
Dolmabahce Palace
-
Golden Horn
-
Topkapi Palace
-
Suleymaniye mosque
-
Ortakoy Mosque
-
Maiden’s Tower
1. Galata Tower
Galata Tower is one of the symbols of Istanbul and one of the most visited landmarks. It’s one of my favorite places and that’s why it’s number one of ten must see sights in Istanbul. During the Ottoman period, it functioned as a jail, observatory house and watch tower. I found this very interesting since I like to know the history of a place I’m visiting. After the restorations in 1960, Galata Tower was commercialized and opened to the public. Today, the tower has a 360-degree viewing platform and it offers one of the best views of Istanbul.
On the top floor there is a restaurant/coffee shop where you can have a cup of Turkish tea or coffee and enjoy the view. There’s also a spot where you can take photos dressed in traditional Turkish clothes. My husband and I did it and it was so much fun!
Queues at the Galata tower can be very long sometimes so I suggest coming early in the morning or just bring a lot of patience with you. The view from above is definitely worth it!
Galata tower is situated in the European side of Istanbul close to Karakoy port and M2 metro station. After visiting it you can take a walk in the lovely Beyoğlu neighborhood which has the most interesting little shops with handmade stuff and souvenirs, postcards, musical instruments and cute little coffee shops.
2. Hagia Sophia
One of my favorite buildings in Istanbul is Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya). It is located in the Sultanahmet square, easily reachable from Eminönü port by tram or metro bus. With its impressive history, it’s certainly one of ten must see sights in Istanbul.
In my opinion this is one of the most impressive sights in the city. It was built as an Orthodox church, later it became a mosque and today it is a museum full of history. Let me just say that the oldest mosaic dates back to the 9th century AD!
The entrance to the museum is 40 Turkish lira.
3. Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii)
Just opposite to Hagia Sophia is Sultan Ahmet mosque, one of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul. It was built in the beginning of the 17th century.
It is called a Blue mosque because of the amazing 20,000 (yes, twenty thousand!) handmade ceramic tiles that decorate the interior which looks very impressive. It’s the only mosque with 6 minarets (usually they have 2 or 4 minarets although you can find a mosque with one 1 minaret). According to the legend this happened because of a misunderstanding – when the Sultan decreed there should be altın minare (gold minarets), the architect heard altı minare (six minarets) – an easy mistake to make since the pronunciation of these two words is very similar.
If you are a tourist you can’t visit the Blue Mosque during prayer time. The important thing as well is to dress properly which means no shorts or short skirts and dresses. Man should have pants. If you came unprepared women will be given a long skirt and a headscarf to cover their hair.
The entrance is free of course, since it’s a religious object and yes, it’s worth a visit!
4. Sultanahmet – Old City
Since you visited Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque you can find a bench in between these two beautiful buildings to sit and relax, have a simit (a Turkish bagel). You can also visit the Hippodrome which was once a center of public life in Istanbul.
In this area is situated Basilica Cistern which is a giant underground cistern built by Justinian in 532. How amazing is that?
There are many beautiful hotels in Sultanahmet area and some of them have great views of Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque. Even if you’re not a guest at the hotel you can go for lunch or a cup of tea. Some of the hotels I would recommend are: Four Seasons Sultanahmet (which was actually a jail in the past and now it has a beautiful garden and dark yellow facade and practically looks like a small castle); then there is Seven Hills hotel with nice restaurant on the top floor with a gorgeous view of Hagia Sophia and Ajwa Hotel Sultanahmet.
Close to Sultanahmet Square is the most colorful and busiest shopping area – The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı in Turkish). There you can find anything and everything. If you don’t mind the crowds and you love bargaining this is the right place for you. I’ve been to Grand Bazaar only once in two years because my sister was visiting and wanted to see literally everything so we spent a few hours here and I must say I didn’t mind the crowds. It was actually nice to see this part of Istanbul’s busy life.
5. Dolmabahçe Palace
One of the most impressive buildings overlooking the Bosphorus is Dolmabahçe Palace. It is 600 meters long and it took 13 years to build it.
I suggest taking a full tour of the palace which is very nicely guided and includes a tour of the Harem area as well.
Unfortunately the last few years it is not permitted to take photos inside the palace, but the things you’ll see will stay in your memory for a long time. Turkish leader and founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died in this palace and the clock is set to 9:05 – the time he died.
Inside the palace you will see handmade parquet floors in the Dining Hall which are carved from rosewood, ebony and mahogany. One of the most impressive things inside the palace is the 4.5 tonne chandelier, in the ceremonial hall, which was a present from Queen Victoria and it is the world’s largest Bohemian crystal chandelier. You certainly won’t be able to take your eyes off of it for some time.
When you finish the tour of the inside you will go out to one of the most beautiful gardens in Istanbul and you’ll be able to enjoy a stunning view of the Bosphorus. You can take a break at one of the benches. Photos are most definitely allowed in the garden and take as many as you can – you’ll see what I’m talking about.
6. Golden horn
The Golden Horn (or Haliç in Turkish) is a natural estuary that joins Bosphorus strait at the point where the strait meets the Sea of Marmara. It separates the historic center of Istanbul from the rest of the city. You can see the most amazing sunsets looking at the Golden Horn from viewpoints in Eminönü or simply standing by the Bosphorus. The sky turns into all shades of orange, red and pink and it is really a sight to see!
You can cross Galata bridge on foot and watch the fishermen preparing their hooks and patiently waiting for fish to get caught. Below the bridge you can eat freshly caught fish while watching the sea. Galata bridge crosses the Golden Horn connecting Eminönü and Sirkeci in Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet area) to the south with Karaköy and Beyoğlu to the north.
If you like you can take a Bosphorus tour which is about 2 hours long. Tour boats depart from the port in Eminönü. I suggest taking a tour when the weather is not cold so you can be in the open boat.
Neighbourhood closest to the Golden Horn are Fener and Balat – one of my favourite areas of the city. They are less touristy but if you want you can take a guided tour of the areas and learn a bit about history of these places.
Why are they so special? Firstly, you will be able to see real Istanbul life, then the prettiest streets with all kinds of coffee shops and restaurants (all beautifully decorated to the last detail). You will see kids playing in the middle of the street, men playing cards, women sitting outside in front of their houses drinking tea. The most colourful houses are located in Balat. The streets are narrow and steep so prepare yourself for a good walk. This neighborhood was historically home for the Jewish community of the city and now a multicultural community inhabits the area. If you like exploring less touristy areas and if you want to see something more than the most popular sights you should definitely go to Balat.
7. Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace (or Topkapı Sarayı in Turkish) is the most visited museum in Istanbul (according to the Tourism board of Istanbul), receiving nearly 3 million visitors a year! It is huge, therefore you will need about 2-3 hours to see everything. You can take a map at the entrance so you can choose what interests you the most and make your own tour through the palace.
Topkapi palace has stunning views of the Bosphorus. In the 15th century it served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans.
An interesting thing you can see in Topkapı palace is the Spoonmaker’s Diamond. It’s an 86 carat diamond and you’ll find it in the treasure section. It is the 5th biggest diamond of the world! The legend says that it got its name because a fisherman found it and, thinking it was glass, he swapped it at a jewelry market for just three spoons. This place definitely deserves to be in ten must see sights in Istanbul.
8. Süleymaniye Mosque
This is one of the biggest mosques in Istanbul and one of the most beautiful. Just look at the photo below and how impressive it looks and you will understand why it’s here as one of ten must see sights in Istanbul. It took 8 years to build it. Both, interior and the exterior of the mosque are very beautiful.
One of the best things about it is a beautiful garden which has the view of the Bosphorus. It is perfect for taking photos. You’ll have some of the most beautiful photos from here overlooking the Golden horn and Galata Tower.
I don’t need to mention that if you are going inside the mosque please dress properly.
9. Ortakoy mosque
Ortaköy mosque is located in the Ortaköy area, near the sea.
It’s not big as the other mosques I mentioned but the interior is nevertheless beautiful. It’s located exactly near the sea and that’s why it’s on my list of ten must see sights in Istanbul. After that, you can go out and enjoy a cup of Turkish tea or coffee in one of the coffee shops nearby. There is also a market with handmade products close to the mosque.
10. Maiden’s Tower
Maiden’s Tower (or Kız Kulesi in Turkish) is located in the middle of the Bosphorus strait. That right, you’ll need to take a small boat to get to it.
Boats to Maiden’s Tower are leaving from Uskudar, a lovely area in Istanbul. Here you can also enjoy a walk near the Bosphorus or have a cup of tea on the steps by the sea while sitting on the pillows with traditional Turkish patterns. You can stay here until the evening when you’ll be able to see some of Istanbul’s most beautiful sunsets.
The legend says that a princess was locked in the tower to protect her from being bitten by a snake hence the name Maiden’s Tower.
I hope you will find my post about ten must see sights in Istanbul useful. You can also see more of my Istanbul photos on Instagram.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
