Istanbul was an amazing city that exceeded all of our expectations – there is SO much to see. To read an overview of this full two week trip in Turkey, including our itinerary, head to our Two weeks in Turkey post.
Where we STAYED
We stayed at the Rixos Pera Istanbul in the Beyoğlu district and were very satisfied. Our room was spacious, they helped arrange a birthday cake and wine surprise in the room for Nat’s birthday, and the roof deck is amazing. Istanbul is a city where you can’t go too wrong with hotels; you don’t have to empty your pockets to get great service. The last night of our trip when we returned to Istanbul, we stayed at Hagia Sophia Mansions in Sultanahmet neighborhood which was great, however cabs cannot access it.
Both areas are great options to stay. The convenience of Sultanahmet was great during the day as it is close to the top tourist spots. Beyoğlu, specifically Karakoy, had a lot to offer for dinner and evening activities. If you aren’t interested in nightlife at all or are in Istanbul for a short time, I definitely recommend Sultanahmet.
Splurge: Raffles is my dream hotel, followed by Swissotel Bosphorous which is tied with the Four Seasons. Oh, there are TWO Four Seasons in Istanbul by the way, both equally as amazing. Half the price and still luxe is Soho House Istanbul, although there’s no pool.
Econ: Rixos Pera Istanbul’s basic room can run as low as $115. A similar hotel in the Sultanahamet neighborhood is the White House Hotel. However, if you are going during popular travel times the basic rooms will sell out quickly.
What did we DO and SEE
day 1 – arrive, Istiklal, SALT, Kamondo, Galata Tower
day 2 – oversleep, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Bacilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar
day 3 – Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Rumelihisari, Bebek, Arnavutkoy, Taskim Square
day 4 – Gulhane Park, Bosphorus Cruise, Balat, Chora Church, Nevizade Street
day 5 – (at the end of our trip) hamam spa
Our first day ripe with jetlag, we set out on foot to explore the Beyoğlu district, focusing mostly on the Karakoy neighborhood. Accidentally we walked down the most overwhelming street, Istiklal, which was quite a rush and not to be missed. SALT Galata is a great spot to visit in this area, if only just to appreciate the building itself. It was an old bank transformed into a museum. We stopped at Kamondo Stairs for some fun photos, which led us up to the Galata Tower for a 360 view of the city. This was the longest line of our trip, about 40 minutes. If you skip this there are other good view points to be found. Beware if you are afraid of heights, as it is not a well protected edge and the narrow balcony can be crowded. Hold your phone and selfie stick tight!
On our second morning I learned a valuable lesson: Even the most carefully laid plans cannot withstand the power of jet lag!
We slept through alarms and woke past 11am. I was awash with panic, gripping our itinerary to my chest. But, alas, this is why we have partners, is it not? Nat assured me that we still had time to do it all, and we set off. We headed to Sultanahmet and were met with an insane rainstorm, keeping us trapped inside a shop for 45 minutes. After it passed, we were able to enjoy the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque (check the prayer times as it closes to visitors frequently), and Bascilica Cistern. We purchased our Istanbul Museum Pass at Hagia Sophia, where due to the rain we waited only 5 minutes in line. The Museum Pass ensured that we never waited in lines the rest of the trip.
After this we went to the Grand Bazaar, which is closed on Sundays. If you are a shopper…brace yourself. We were both in love. As New Yorkers, the “aggressiveness” of the shop keepers was utterly entertaining and we loved joking with them, the banter, and the bartering. They were respectful and never rude. Note that shop’s closing times vary – many closed before 7pm and it also can become dark. We used this map to help guide us to general areas like “leather”, “t-shirts”, “antiques”. Nat revisited the Grand Bazaar and also the nearby Spice Bazaar on our penultimate day of the trip for souvenirs.
On day three we accomplished our goal for the previous day to explore Topkapi Palace before the crowds. It was worth it; by 11:45am the place began to swell with people and the magic of it slowly dissipated.
We then headed to Dolmabahce Palace, which along with most other museums is closed on Mondays. Along with the palace, we were excited to see the amazing gates that open to the Bosphorus. Don’t be caught waiting for a photo at the first gate you see, there are many more inside! Afterwards, we wanted to explore the area a bit. I was set on going to Vogue. We nearly did not find it, but after asking 3 different people for help we settled in at Vogue for a fairly American feeling (and priced) meal with a view that only Istanbul could deliver.
From there we headed the furtherest north we went on land to Rumelihisari, a medieval fortress on the Bosphorous. It was great for photos, views, exploring and cats. We walked from the castle to Bebek, which was posh, refined and had fabulous people watching. Lucca is the best spot for catching the most fashionable people and local celebs. You should also peep inside the Starbucks, rumored to be the most beautiful in the world. We took a relaxing stroll along the Bosphorus to Arnavutkoy. Along the way we caught a couple of wedding parties departing on boats, before settling in to watch the sunset at Alexandra Cocktail Bar. There were great views, conversation and a very hip vibe.
Bebek and Arnavutkoy were a great way to get out of the super tourist parts of Istanbul, although as these are affluent neighborhoods, this was definitely not an “off-the-beaten-path” trip. If it had not been a Sunday there could have been a ferry ride home, but we missed the last one and took the bus to Taskim Circle. From there we walked down Istiklal Street, an entirely different experience at night. To begin from Taskim you come down a hill and can truly appreciate the great mobs of people. Don’t believe that there are 15 million people living in Istanbul? This will do it.
Our final day we walked through Gulhane Park to Eminonu Pier for the Bosphorus cruise. We opted for a 2-hour cruise, but would have done a full day if time had allowed. Originally I planned to do the cheapest option, Sehir Hatlari, Istanbul’s official ferry company. Upon the recommendation of our awesome hotel concierge, we opted to spend a bit more and took TurYol, as they had more departure options and more comfortable seating. Note the departure point is not at the Eminonu Pier where the commuter boats launch, but west where the tourists boats dock. We nearly missed it due to this! A Bosphorus Cruise is truly a must-do for any Istanbul trip, and there are many options, including sunset and dinner cruises.
After this, we had a tough time deciding if we would venture to the Asian side of Istanbul. Ultimately, we felt we did not have enough time to do it justice (and I had not properly planned for it either), so we chose to head to the highly recommended Chora Church and explore Balat. We took a bus from the depot near Eminonu Pier. Balat is known for its brightly colored houses and steep incline, which offers some great views—and a workout. Chora Church is famous for its mosaics and the very well-known, fancy Asitane Restaurant is nearby. We weren’t able to get a reservation due to a private party – or was it my romper? This evening we stumbled onto Nevizade Street, which is an excellent street for live music, food, drinks and entertainment. This was our longest day in Istanbul and kept us out from 9am until 1am! And that’s a wrap. We headed to bed, and set off for Cappadocia the next morning.
What did we EAT
On other trips we have focused a lot on eating at highly rated restaurants, but based on the advice of friends and other travelers, we did not stress too much about that on this trip. We were rarely disappointed. Here are some meals we enjoyed:
Antakya Restaurant – Sultanahamet – near Grand Bazaar – great for clay pot dish
Leb-i Derya – Beyoglu – beautiful rooftop views, great service, fancier food with casual atmosphere
Nevizade Restaurant – Beyoglu – good for a long, leisurely meal with music
Bilice Kebap – Beyoglu – fun presentation on a huge platter, recommended by locals
Tarihi Karaköy Balıkçısı – Karakoy – charcoal grilled fish stand recommended by our friend and loved by us. Search it on Google Maps, it’s the stall on the corner.
Karakoy Guilloglu – Karakoy – desserts galore, bustling atmosphere
We hope this inspires you to get out, wherever you are. Follow us on Instagram to see more photos!
-Nat and Riki
Nat + Riki 
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