Istanbul-Tours – C'est le Brie

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Istanbul is truly a unique city. It offers decadent food, stunning architecture, and a rich, historic culture. It’s an easy city to just wander the neighborhoods and take in the sights, smells, and sounds. This is why I would recommend not over-planning a trip there, but instead allowing yourself to get lost in the city. The views from around the city are truly breathtaking, and there is just so much to see and do. But, if you’re type A like we are, I highly advise having a list of places you want to see and then centering your explorations around those landmarks! Below is a list of my top ten must-do recommendations for this awesome city!

I was in Istanbul for work and stayed at the Sheraton Istanbul City Center. It was a great venue for my work conference, had comfortable rooms, and a lovely breakfast buffet with a variety of wonderful Turkish dishes. The best part was that the hotel offered a free shuttle that took us straight to Taksim Square (see #4) for sightseeing, people-watching, and plenty of shopping! The Sheraton also provided some nice treats in the room when I arrived!

And if you’re interested on catching up on Istanbul’s history, I read a non-fiction book about the city called Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World that helped me understand the city’s history before my trip.

Bosphorus Strait Cruise

I always love to travel to cities with beautiful rivers or bodies of water flowing through them. Istanbul might just be the most ideal spot for water views! I wrote a review about the GetYourGuide Istanbul: Bosphorus and Black Sea Cruise with Lunch in Istanbul, and I absolutely recommend it! A cruise like this lets you put your feet up and just enjoy the majestic beauty of Istanbul and the Bosphorus Strait.

2. Explore Ortakoy Mosque and have dinner with views at Banyan

This corner of Istanbul may just be my favorite. The Ortakoy Mosque (also known as Büyük Mecidiye Mosque) has stunning views of the Bosphorus, and the sights feel like they are out of a movie. There are so many great photo opportunities, and I just loved being right on the water! After exploring the mosque, my mom and I had dinner and drinks at Banyan. It’s a restaurant perched on the water with stunning sunset views and delicious food. We were able to watch the boats drift by in the water and relax over some nice cocktails.

3. Basilica Cistern Tour

This Istanbul: Basilica Cistern Fast-Track Entry and Audio Guide Tour was unexpected, but so much fun. It was a bit eerie because it is underground and quite dark, but there were so many beautiful sculptures and breathtaking architecture. The atmosphere is what makes it such a unique and surprising activity! My mom and I loved taking photos down here and watching as the lights changed color on the columns and water reflection. The highlight is definitely the Medusa sculptures in two of the columns – be sure not to miss this!

The ancient cisterns are just 150 meters from the Hagia Sophia, making it an easy pitstop while sightseeing and should only take an hour or less to explore. Be sure to book here if you’re interested in a tour and fast-tracked entry.

4. Taksim Square

While Taksim Square is a bit touristy, it’s a central hub that offers a segue into some of the beautiful shopping streets in Istanbul, including İstiklal Street. You can grab a Simit (Turkish bagel-like treat) or Pide (Turkish flatbread) from a food stand or find one of the famous ice cream performers.

I also recommend popping into Hafiz Mustafa which is a famous cafe known for its Turkish coffee and desserts, including its baklava (pictured above). This is a great stop for souvenirs 🙂

5. Galata Tower

Galata Tower is an iconic landmark in the city that is in a bustling corner of Istanbul. It’s beautiful for photos and exploring. You can also climb atop it and explore the small museum inside. It’s a picturesque tower with much to see and do nearby! If you would like to skip-the-line and pre-book with an audio guide, I recommend this entry with an audio guided tour.

6. Topkapi Palace Museum

Topkapi Palace is truly a must-visit when in Istanbul. I would compare it to seeing Versailles when visiting Paris. It’s a large palace complex with so much history to unpack. It has beautiful and well-maintained grounds with stunning views of the city and water below. It’s also close to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, but note that visiting all three in one day may be a bit tiresome. There is a lot to see at the palace, and I recommend having a tour guide like we did. This really helps bring the history to life and understand the past. Again, there are so many beautiful photo opportunities in and around the palace. This two-hour tour: Topkapi Palace & Harem, Skip-the-Line Small Group tour is similar to the one we had booked that included the Harem as well.

7. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

If this is your first time in Istanbul, I highly recommend planning to visit both the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque together – they are both absolute must-sees! They are next to each other, with a beautiful square sitting between the two mosques. Be mindful of prayer times, and also be sure to bring a headscarf and to cover up appropriately. As is custom for all mosques, you must remove your shoes upon entering.

If you prefer to travel with a tour guide and learning more about the history and architecture, you can book the GetYourGuide Istanbul: Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Tour w/Entry Tickets
here. And if you want to combine multiple excursions, this combination tour offers a tour of the Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, and the Hagia Sophia (you would need to enter the Blue Mosque on your own).

8. Sahaflar Bazaar (Book Market) and the Grand Bazaar

For great souvenirs, I always love to get vintage maps, stamps, postcards, or paintings. I love anything I can hang up in my house or use to scrapbook and journal my adventures. Right outside the Grand Bazaar, are winding pathways filled with antique books, paintings, maps, and anything you can imagine. We managed to snag some really great items that are hanging on my walls now. There are so many beautiful items here and I find it less overwhelming than the Grand Bazaar and is more my cup of tea (literally because we sat inside a store and had tea with one of the vendors!).

If you’re curious, like we were, to at least see and explore the Grand Bazaar, I recommend it. Be wary that the vendors can be aggressive, but we did end up buying a few lamps we love!

9. Attend a Whirling Dervish Show

We had arranged to see a Whirling Dervish show on our last night, but I got an awful cold that I couldn’t shake and had to stay in my room for the night. The shows are put on by Sufi groups that perform an active meditation. Whenever I am back in Istanbul, I am going to make sure I see a Whirling Dervish show, it seems like a once in a lifetime experience!

10. Indulge in the food!

While we didn’t have time to arrange a food tour, I really wish we had! There are just so many delicacies to try in the city. GetYourGuide has a few offerings for food tours that look fun to try. If I could book one, I would choose this Istanbul: Guided Food Tour with Ferry Ride and Tastings. The tour takes you to a few different locations around Istanbul and looks like a fun day of city exploration tied into yummy food experiences!

A few of the restaurants we really enjoyed were Divan Brasserie (which had spectacular rooftop views), RestoHan (had live music), Seven Hills Restaurant (mainly just for the view!), and Arada Cafe.

11. Bonus – Find alllll the cats!