Discover these places worth visiting in Istanbul and select a hotel nearby for ultimate convenience
Hagia Sophia
EE15***00It is worthy of being the famous Hagia Sophia. The marble and murals inside are very exquisite. The QR codes provided explain the key points, which gave me a deeper understanding of it. Thumbs up 👍 for buying tickets on Ctrip, which is quick and convenient, and there is no need to queue. It is very good!
The Blue Mosque
馨馨宝很忙The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia face each other. The two buildings are very close and can be visited on the same day. The park in the middle is beautiful. You can sit there when you are tired. It is super comfortable! The murals and patterns in the mosque are beautiful, but there are many people. You need to take off your shoes before entering. Many tourists go in with their shoes in their hands. The smell is a bit strong🤦♂️, which is an important factor affecting the visit. Therefore, it is recommended to bring a mask. If you have strong foot odor, it is recommended to wash it next to you before entering, or don’t carry your shoes when you go in. No one will take them if you put them in the cabinet next to you.
Taksim Square
携携Cheng携ChengThe starting point of the pedestrian street
We will stay in Istanbul for two days. The first day is a group tour, and the second day is a self-funded group tour or a free tour.
The first stop on the first day was Taksim Square. This square is a circular open space with some statues in the middle. However, this square is also a relatively large square in Istanbul. There are many pigeons in the square. Don't use others to feed them, because it costs money.
Next to it is the pedestrian street, and the square is the beginning of the pedestrian street. We arrived too early and many shops were closed. We came again the next day and had a good look. There are large shopping malls, small supermarkets, jewelry stores, Watsons, and various places to eat. The pedestrian street is still very playable.
Bosphorus
MM25***87The sunset view of the Bosphorus is very beautiful. It is recommended to go to the Eminönü pier to take the turyol company cruise. Be sure to buy the sunset ticket 2 hours before sunset, then go to the nearby restaurants to enjoy the food and wait. The most basic pure tour is about 90 minutes, the boat fee is 150 lira (about 30), On board, there is no performance, no explanation, no food and drink, the boat is average. In fact, the most important thing is to take pictures and enjoy the sunset. There are many places of interest along the coast. You must not miss the Suleimaniyah Mosque and Dorma Bakhche Palace.
Istiklal Avenue
携携Cheng携ChengIstanbul Riverside Road previously said that the Grand Bazaar is the big alley of Istanbul, and the Independence Street is the Istanbul Riverside Road. On the first day, I came to Taksim Square with a group tour and left us only an hour to stroll around. Of course we didn't go shopping enough, so we all set the time here the next day. We took the bus from the hotel to this neighborhood (it is said that Istanbul taxis are expensive and blocked, because the blockage will be more expensive, so we chose to take the bus) We went to the rainbow ladder first, and then walked through a residential area to the nearby Carrefour. In the middle, I also went into a drug store. The boss was very talkative. He said that he had been to many places in China, and he had even been to Tianjin and Hohhot. It was a mistake to go to Carrefour first. I bought a lot of things, which caused us to carry these things behind us. After buying snacks and souvenirs, I came to Independence Street. This street may be the busiest pedestrian street in Istanbul. There were a lot of people on the day we went. It can be seen that not only foreign tourists came to visit, but also locals came to go shopping. There are large and small shopping malls, restaurants, jewelry stores, souvenir shops, clothing stores, and the types of shops are very, very complete. We went to Pandora, mado, St. Anthony Church, baked potatoes, regular restaurant barbecue, street stall barbecue shop, candy shop, many clothing stores, Watsons, two shopping malls... I don’t know if I didn’t say it all, I went shopping for a whole day, it was dark before I went back, I bought a bunch of things, Also ate local specialty barbecue. Although I arranged on this street for a whole day and didn't go to other places, the various eating, drinking and shopping on this street was really rich. Although I was a little tired, I had a good time. Free travel was much better than eating with the group.
Historic Areas of Istanbul
NNickolas CThe historical areas of Istanbul are very charming. Colorful houses, cute decors and charming pebblestone streets. You’ll also see lots of mosques in turkish style
Galata Tower
SsevvalkBuilt as a watchtower within the Galata Walls, the tower serves as an exhibition venue and museum as of 2020, after being used for different purposes in different periods. It is one of the symbolic buildings of both Beyoğlu and Istanbul. According to a rumor, it is said that you will marry whoever you come here with.
Grand Bazaar
KKileceya McknightTurkey was absolutely beautiful, the people were very kind and there was so much beautiful culture and history here. Great Gem!!
Topkapi Palace
EEketikoIt’s a very beautiful palace with a nice city panoramic view. Don’t miss to explore the palace itself, the place is amazing and the historical importance is great.
Basilica Cistern
DDenizKandemirBasilica Cistern is a must see place in Istanbul Sultanahmet. In order to get in you probably wait in a line for a while but its totally worth it. The atmosphere and the views in the cistern are amazing. The light colors are always changing through soft and warm colors for creating a dynamic and interesting atmosphere.Also, you should walk all the way through the cistern in order tı see the famous Medusa head. Overall it is a great place to visit in Istanbul.