Istanbul City Tour: Traveling through the old and new city areas, and the Asian region in one article! Must-do activities in Turkey: Introduction to Turkish baths
Istanbul is a city that spans across Europe and Asia, and of course, there are many cultural features that are a result of the convergence of the two continents! This time, I would like to share with you some of the attractions in Istanbul, and let’s walk around Istanbul together. Istanbul is divided into three main districts: the Old City, the New City and the Asian District. The Old and New Town districts are located in Europe, while the Asian district is located in Asia, separated by a harbor. Each of the three districts has its own special features, so let’s take a look at them now!
Old Town
The Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque, formerly known as the Sultan Ahmad Mosque, also known as the Blue Temple, named after its blue color, is Turkey’s most iconic religious building and the most famous landmark in Istanbul. The Blue Mosque is special because it has 6 minarets (generally there are only 4 minarets in a mosque), one of the reasons for this is that Sultan Ahmad I asked for the construction of a “golden minaret” (altın minare), but because of the similarity of the pronunciation of the Turkish words for “golden” and “6”, the architects thought it was a “6 minarets” (altı minare), which led to this beautiful misunderstanding.
▼ In the outer courtyard of the blue-colored mosque, shoes must be taken off when entering and women are required to wear a headscarf.
St. Sophia Cathedral (Ayasofya Camii)
Originally a Christian church built in 537 AD, St. Sophia Cathedral was converted into a mosque by order of 1453, and after the establishment of the Turkish Republic it was converted into a museum, but in 2020 it was decided to be restored as a mosque again. The church has undergone many religious changes, and the Christian elements have been slowly erased, with many of the frescoes covered up or cleaned away. However, the pink exterior of the church contrasts beautifully with the blue mosque across the street.
The church’s pink exterior is a real eye-catcher
Grand Bazzar
“Grand Bazzar” means market or bazaar, and it is the largest and oldest bazaar in Istanbul, with more than 4,000 shops, and the roads cut in and out, making it super easy to get lost. There are many kinds of goods here, including Turkish lamps, spices, sweets, carpets, dishes and so on, but also sell trousers, shoes and socks, gold and silverware, etc. There are also several restaurants and coffee shops. There are also several restaurants and coffee shops. However, since the Grand Bazaar is mainly for tourists, the prices are relatively high, so if you want to shop here, remember to bargain as much as you can!
▼ Entrance to the Grand Bazaar
Spice Market (Egyptian Bazzar)
Egyptian Bazzar is also known as Egyptian Spice Market. It is also a Bazzar, but it is much smaller and newer than the Grand Bazzar. Outside the Spice Market is a spice street where you can find all kinds of spices and Turkish snacks, so if you want to buy spices at home, you can’t miss this place. Inside the market, you will find a wide variety of stores, which can be very confusing.
▼ Outside the spice market there are also many stalls
Topkapi Place
This palace was built during the time of the Ottoman Empire and is divided into a front courtyard, a back courtyard, a king’s room, and a back palace. It is worth visiting because it has a lot of artifacts from the past. Inside the palace, there are different exhibition halls to show the customs of the Turkish royal family in different eras. Among them, there are several rooms displaying the weapons used in the past, jewelry collection, etc., which is a must-visit place in the palace. In addition, it is forbidden to take photographs inside the palace, so the related photographs are almost impossible to be found on the internet, so you have to visit the palace in person. The palace is built in the Ottoman style, with marble and floral tiles, so you can take beautiful photos of the palace one after another!
▼The interior of the palace is luxurious (Source: World Wanderista)
Underground Water Palace (Cistern)
There are 2 underground water cisterns in Istanbul: Basilica Cistern and Theodosius Cistern. The former is the largest and oldest water cistern in Istanbul, while the latter was only officially opened in 2018. The water palaces were originally large underground cisterns that provided daily water for the residents. The special thing about these cisterns is that they were all built by hand, and sometimes you can see the different patterns on the columns of the cisterns, which were carved by hand by the people of the past, which is very impressive!
▼The Basilica Cistern’s underground water palace is illuminated in different colors to give it a different look and feel.
Balat
Balat is the literary quarter of Istanbul, with many artisanal stores and cafes, and the most special thing about the huts is that they are all painted in different colors, creating a rainbow of colors. It is also a popular spot to visit because of its bright colors, which make it a great place to take photos!
Bharat’s famous rainbow staircase, next to a coffee shop.
Pierre Loti Hill
A hill named after a French writer, you can take a cable car to the top of the hill and enjoy the views of both the old and new towns at the same time. There are also cafes and stores on the hill, so you can take a break and relax here. If you come here at dusk, you can even enjoy the sunset! >
▼ Take the cable car up to the viewing platform at the top of the water and see both the Old and New Towns.
▼ A Day Trip to the Old City ▼
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Xincheng District
Independence Street (İstiklâl Caddesi)
İstiklâl Caddesi, connected to Taksin Square, is the busiest street in Istanbul and is basically open all year round. It is basically the busiest street in Istanbul and is open all year round. İstiklâl Caddesi is 3 kilometers long and is lined with a variety of restaurants, stores, bars, etc. You can find most of the things you need here. If you don’t want to walk, you can also take a vintage tram ride along the street, which is another special experience!
▼Independence Street is always busy, too!
Galata Bridge (Galata Köprüsü)
This bridge is very important for Istanbul as it connects the old and new districts of the city. There are pedestrian and vehicular paths on the bridge, so you can experience crossing the two districts on foot. Rumor has it that people used to fish from the bridge and supply it to the restaurants underneath. I don’t know if this is still the case, but it is true that there are still a lot of people fishing, and there are many restaurants underneath the bridge, so if you want to have a meal with a view of the sea, this is a good place to do it!
▼There are plenty of restaurants to choose from under the bridge, but they are expensive!
Galata Kulesi (Galata Tower)
Galata Kulesi, also known as the Tower of Christ, is a stone tower built in the Middle Ages and is located at the highest point of the New Town area. Galata Tower has 9 floors, and the highest floor has an observation deck to which visitors can buy tickets. Because of its geographical location, the observation deck of Galata Tower can see the sea view and is also a good place to watch the sunset.
Galata Tower is at the end of Independence Avenue.
Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı)
Dolmabahçe Sarayı is the most luxurious palace in Turkey. It is built in European style with hundreds of rooms, crystal staircases, and ceilings made of gold. Inside the palace, there is a café by the sea, so if you are tired of walking around, you can sit down and take a rest and feel the life of an emperor.
▼Dolmabahçe Palace is a magnificent, massive palace (Photo courtesy of Istanbul Tourist Information)
Asia
Kuzguncuk
Kuzguncuk is the first Jewish settlement in Istanbul, so the whole atmosphere is very different from the usual Istanbul, pervaded by a relaxed and gentle feeling. There are many boutique coffee shops, cake stores, bookstores and so on in Kuznar Kuk, which I call it the literati street in Asian area. There are a lot of trees on both sides of the street, even in the summer walking is very comfortable.
▼ Walking on the streets of Kuznjarnekuk is very pleasant (Photo Source: Mozart Cultures)
Maiden Tower (Kız Kulesi)
The Maiden Tower is a lighthouse on a small island in the center of the Istanbul Strait. It has been an important military tower since the beginning of time, but nowadays the lighthouse still operates even though it is not used for military purposes! To get to the Maiden Tower, you have to go there and back by boat, otherwise you can only see it from the shore. There is a café on the tower, famous for its chocolate!
▼ The Maiden Tower is located in the center of the sea and must be reached by boat (Photo courtesy of Istanbul Tourist Information)
Camlica Tower
At 369 meters high, this TV broadcasting tower is currently the tallest building in Istanbul, resembling a blooming tulip flower, and will only be officially opened to the public in 2019. The tower is equipped with a public observation deck, which offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the whole of Istanbul.
▼This TV tower has become a new tourist attraction in recent years (Source: dailysabah)
Turkey’s Must-Do: Turkish Bath (Hamam)
One of the must-do things in Turkey is to take a Turkish bath! The Turkish bath is a form of bathing in Turkey that is derived from the Roman way of bathing, but has been transformed into a large domed bath where the body is warmed up with steam and washed with warm and cold water. Ancient Turkish baths were usually performed in a public bathhouse, but modern Turkish baths emphasize privacy and therefore have some private baths available. There are many different types of Turkish baths available, with many people describing themselves as being like a fish being slaughtered at will or being beaten many times. Therefore, there are now some more advanced Turkish baths, which are similar to massages, but of course they are more expensive. However, the main point of Turkish bath is to rinse the body clean, and everyone who has experienced the Turkish bath really feel that the skin is white and smooth! I highly recommend you to try it!
▼ Turkish Bath Recommendations ▼
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▼Turkish baths are taken in marble baths with domed ceilings (Photo: timeout)
