A 3-Day Trip to Istanbul
Day 1: Getting Our Bearings and the Grand Bazaar
We stayed at The Royal Tophane hotel in Beyoglu. It turned out to be a great spot because it was super close to public transport and made getting around really easy. After unpacking and grabbing breakfast at the hotel, we headed straight to Sultanahmet Square. The mosques were closed to visitors for prayers at the time, but just seeing the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque from the outside was impressive. We spent some time walking around the gardens near the Topkapi Palace Museum, which was surprisingly peaceful.
Later we checked out the Grand Bazaar. It is packed, loud, and full of cool stuff to look at. We grabbed a late lunch and found a great spot called Sark Kahvesi hidden inside the bazaar for some baklava. Around sunset, we headed back to Beyoglu for a Bosphorus cruise. The lighting on the water was incredible, and we even had an hour stop on the Asian side to look around the shops. We ended the night getting food on a busy street right by our hotel.
Day 2: Going Inside the Blue Mosque and Galata Tower
We went back to Sultanahmet the next morning so we could finally go inside the Blue Mosque. The tile work and the scale of the interior are just massive. For lunch, we ate at the Seven Hills Restaurant. It is a rooftop spot and the view of the Hagia Sophia and the Bosphorus is unbeatable, especially since the weather was perfect.
In the afternoon we walked over to Eminönü to check out the Spice Bazaar. We picked up a bunch of tea, coffee, and Turkish delight. Right around sunset we made it to the Galata Tower. We walked through the local streets towards Istiklal Street and saw the classic red tram going by. After walking all day, we were exhausted and booked a spa session to recover.
Day 3: Taking It Easy
For our last day we decided not to rush around too much. We started by visiting the Dolmabahçe Palace, which is right on the water and looks huge. We found a small restaurant for lunch and ordered way too much food: lamb chops, Turkish pizza, and a bunch of kebabs. It was probably the best meal of the trip. We spent our last evening just walking along the river, watching the boats go by as it got dark.
Wrapping Up
Three days was just enough to see the major highlights, but honestly, we barely scratched the surface of Istanbul. Between the food, the boat rides, and the history everywhere you look, it was a great trip. I definitely want to go back.