Istanbul , A Trip to the Queen of Cities

Known as the Queen of Cities, Istanbul holds immense significance for all Greeks, with many dreaming of visiting the City at least once. Join us as we explore the most important landmarks worth seeing and what to sample from Turkish gastronomy.

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What to see in Istanbul

Below are some of the city's most important attractions. We recommend that if you plan to visit several museums in Istanbul, you purchase a museum pass valid for three days, costing approximately 19 euros, or 85 Turkish Lira. Furthermore, you won't have to queue for tickets, which can sometimes be very long, especially at Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is located in the Sultanahmet area, and its opening hours during the summer months are 9:00 – 19:00 and during the winter months 9:00-17:00, operating every day. You can enter the museum up to one hour before closing, as ticket sales end then. Tickets cost 40 Turkish Lira, which is 7.5 euros.

When Hagia Sophia was built, it functioned as an Orthodox church. After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, it became an Islamic mosque, and from 1934 until today, it has operated exclusively as a museum.

The most impressive feature of the Church is undoubtedly its spectacular dome, which has a diameter of 31 metres. This dome was destroyed by an earthquake 20 years after Hagia Sophia was built. Isidore the Younger was tasked with recreating the dome that his uncle Isidore and Anthemius had designed. The exterior of the Church is incredibly impressive and inspires awe in anyone who observes it, yet nothing compares to the grandeur hidden within.

The interior of Hagia Sophia includes three gates, the middle one being twice as wide as the other two. A characteristic feature of the Church is the diffused light entering from the 100 windows located in both the dome and the walls. The decoration consists of many magnificent mosaics, which have suffered some damage, and efforts are now being made for their preservation.

[ Find the best hotels in Istanbul city centre here  ]

Blue Mosque

Istanbul's largest and most beautiful mosque was built in 1616 and is located opposite Hagia Sophia. Its position is far from coincidental, as it was intentionally built to dominate the view for approaching ships. It is considered one of the most important structures of Islamic architecture. Its architect is Sedefkar Mehmet Agha

The interior of the Blue Mosque features many domes and semi-domes, with the central dome measuring 33 metres in diameter and 43 metres in height. Part of the decoration consists of 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles and 200 windows throughout the mosque. The mosque's design ensures that even when it is full, all worshippers can see the imam.

The Blue Mosque's opening hours are from 08:30 until one hour before sunset. During the day, it closes during prayer times, when photography is also not permitted. Specifically, it is open to the public from 8:30-11:30, 13:00-14:30, and 15:30-16:45. On Fridays, it opens after 13:30. There is no entrance fee to enter the Blue Mosque, but women must cover their heads and shoulders so that no hair is visible, while men must wear long trousers. Everyone leaves their shoes outside the mosque.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is built on a hill overlooking the Bosphorus and was the residence of the Sultans until 1924 when it became a museum, making it one of Istanbul's most famous attractions. Parts of the palace include the gate, the four courtyards, and the Harem. It is very close to Hagia Sophia, which you can even reach on foot.

It is open every day except Tuesdays, and operating hours are 9:00-16:00 during winter months and 9:00-18:45 during summer months. It is closed on some public holidays, which you can view in detail on the website: http://topkapisarayi.gov.tr/en/visit-information

The entrance fee is 40 Turkish Lira (7.45 euros), while if you wish to enter the Harem, it is an additional 25 Lira (4.65 euros), and for Hagia Irene, an additional 20 Lira (3.72 euros).

Galata Tower

It is located on the northern side of the Golden Horn in the eponymous Galata area. From the top of the tower, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and the peninsula. The tower reaches a height of 35 metres.

The entrance ticket is 25 Lira, which allows you to go up to the balcony to enjoy the view. Inside the tower, there is also a cafe and a restaurant.

Bosphorus Suspension Bridge

This is a suspension bridge over the Bosphorus, connecting the European side from Ortaköy with the Asian side of the Bosphorus, Beylerbeyi, and is exclusively for vehicle traffic.

It is a very impressive bridge, especially when lit up at night. Our suggestion is to visit a restaurant with a view of the bridge in the evening to enjoy both your dinner and the magnificent scenery.

[ Find the best hotels in Istanbul city centre here  ]

 

Where to take a stroll and shop

Taksim Square

The busiest and most bustling part of Istanbul. The city centre is always full of people. All public transport passes through here, and traffic on the roads is heavy throughout the day. Always be careful with your belongings when you are on the streets of Istanbul.

Egyptian Bazaar – Spice Market

It is located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul and covers 384 blocks. You can find everything imaginable, from all kinds of spices and herbs. As soon as you enter, you immediately notice the intense aroma in the air. Take a stroll and browse the products, but be very careful what you buy, because while not everything is useful, it is very expensive. Outside the market, you will find small shops selling the same items at much better prices.

Grand Bazaar – Clothes Market

The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world, covering an area of 30,700 square metres. As you can imagine, it is a very large bazaar where you can find anything you can imagine, and it is one of the places all tourists visit when in Istanbul.

Inside the Bazaar, you will find a wide variety of items such as leather goods, fabrics, antiques, jewellery, carpets, and much more. Always remember that you should haggle over prices! Shopkeepers really enjoy it, and you might indeed get a good deal! Besides shops, you will find restaurants, cafes, mosques, offices, and even homes.

The Grand Bazaar is located in the Beyazit district, and you can enter through 11 different gates, at various points around the market.

Shops are open from 9:00 to 18:00 and in tourist areas until 21:00. When shopping, especially in small shops, be careful as it is very likely you might end up with imitations.

What to eat

Turkey is famous for its cuisine, which shares some similarities with Greek food. The desserts, in particular, will truly be unforgettable.

Kebab – one of the most famous Turkish dishes, essentially grilled meat of all kinds, except pork, of course. Shish kebab is served on a skewer. All meat portions are always accompanied by vegetables.

Simit – very similar to the Thessaloniki 'koulouri' (sesame bread ring), Turks usually eat it for breakfast.

Lahmacun – the well-known lahmacun is one of the most delicious Turkish foods. It is a thin dough topped with a thin layer of minced meat and various spices.

Manti – This is a type of pasta filled with minced meat and traditionally served with yoghurt. You'll find them in a few traditional restaurants; try them at "Hala Manti" located at Büyükparmakkapı Çukurlu Çeşme Sokak No:26, Beyoğlu district. It's a dish you'll also find in Armenian restaurants.

Traditional Turkish sweets

There's no way you can go to Istanbul and not try the most famous Turkish sweets.

Turkish Delight: The traditional Turkish delight can be found everywhere. It comes in many flavours, but the most well-known are rose and mastic. You can also buy plain Turkish delight or with a nut filling. Make sure to buy some for your loved ones back in Greece!

Baklava: Here in Greece, the taste of baklava is very familiar to us, but in Turkey, it is made with a pistachio filling and is usually lighter in colour. Give it a try, and you won't regret it!

Künafe: This is the most famous and delicious oriental sweet. It's essentially kadaif pastry filled with cheese. The authentic cheese they use there has a very mild flavour, somewhat similar to our anthotyro. After baking, the sweet is drenched in syrup and served with clotted cream. This dessert will be unforgettable!

[ Find the best hotels in Istanbul city centre here  ]

A trip to the Princes' Islands

The Princes' Islands are an archipelago of 9 islands located in the Sea of Marmara, south of Istanbul. Specifically, they are 8 to 11 nautical miles from Istanbul. They consist of 4 large islands that have always been inhabited: Prinkipo (Büyükada), Antigoni (Burgazada), Chalki (Heybeliada), and Pringipos (Büyükada). The remaining islands are Pita (Kaşık Adası), Neadros (Yassıada), Oxia (Sivriada), Plati (Tavşan Adası) and Antirovithos (Kınalıada), which has been inhabited since the 20^th century.

Prinkipo, which gave its name to the Princes' Islands, is the largest island with a population of 12,000 residents. Many Greeks maintained their summer residences there, which is why it is filled with beautiful mansions, many of which are abandoned. Currently, few Greeks reside permanently on the Princes' Islands, perhaps fewer than 100 across all four islands. In the summer, however, many choose to spend their holidays there.

If you go to Istanbul during the summer months, a day trip to the Princes' Islands is a wonderful idea. The port from which boats depart for the Princes' Islands is located in the Kabataş area. You can reach Kabataş by tram.

Ferries run approximately every hour, and it's a good idea to check their most recent schedule. They depart from Kadıköy and terminate at Büyükada (Prinkipos), which is the furthest island, reached after an hour and a half.

Tickets can be purchased from the automatic machines at the port. The tickets are very affordable, under 5 euros for each journey.

On Büyükada (Prinkipos) is the monastery of St. George Koudounas, and directly opposite is the building of the old orphanage, which is the largest wooden building in Europe. It housed destitute Greek children from Istanbul until 1964.

The island fills with tourists during the summer months who want to enjoy the wonderful but cold waters. More information can be found here:

http://omogeneia-turkey.com/cg/prigiponisia/buyukada/guide.html

How to get to Istanbul

The simplest and easiest way is, of course, to travel by air. Turkish Airlines and Aegean offer direct flights from Athens and Thessaloniki. From Thessaloniki, the flight takes 1 hour and 20 minutes, while from Athens, it takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Flights from Thessaloniki to Istanbul can be found on the TRAVELO homepage!

KTEL Makedonia in Thessaloniki operates two daily routes to Istanbul, at 10:00 and 22:00. The journey duration is 8 hours, and the round-trip cost for one person is 72 euros. More information can be found at 2310595431, the international station ticket office.

There are also private buses that run daily from Athens and Thessaloniki to Istanbul, but tickets are much more expensive than those of KTEL.

Unfortunately, there is no train connection to Istanbul, so options are limited to plane and bus.

Of course, if you wish, you can also drive to Istanbul to have your own vehicle in the city.

From Athens, the distance is 1100 km, and your journey will take approximately 12 hours. However, the cost of tolls and petrol you'll pay is very likely to exceed what you'd spend on two plane tickets. Alternatively, the best option is to book flights from Athens to Istanbul and be in the City in just 1 hour and 10 minutes from the capital!

From Thessaloniki, driving is clearly easier, as the journey duration and cost are reduced by approximately half.

Where to stay in Istanbul

There are many hotels in Istanbul that can accommodate you. Choose to stay in an area close to the centre so you don't have to travel long distances every day to explore the city.

Where you stay in Istanbul depends on what you want to do, how many days you'll be staying, and whether it's your first time visiting the City or not!

Find the best hotels in Istanbul city centre here. 

 

Useful links for your trip

• Cheap flights from Travelo.gr
• Cheap hotels in Istanbul