I am always dreaming of my next travel destination. So far I have been to 17 countries. I know for some that isn’t a lot but we are not in a competition here, are we? Some of the countries I have been dying to go to are Portugal, Greece, Peru, and Turkey.
This year, I created a tiny human and as much as I would love to go on an adventure, my travel plans are currently put on hold. So, here I am, limited to Googling my dream destinations during my spare time. In this blog post, we will be focusing on one destination in particular that I would want to visit someday: Istanbul, Turkey.
To be honest, when I think of Turkey, the hot air balloons in Cappadocia quickly comes to mind. It’s a very iconic image (thanks to Instagram!) that just stuck with me. However, as I was doing more research on things to do and places to visit in Turkey, my interest in visiting Istanbul grew. Of course, I looking at unique boutique hotels in Istanbul made me even more excited to visit!
If I were given a chance to visit Turkey’s largest city, here are some of the things I would love to do.
Watch a Whirling Dervishes performance
This is probably one of the most not-be-missed activities in Istanbul. This is a spiritual and traditional ceremony in Turkey that has been around for about 800 years. This dance is considered as a form of prayer by the Mevlevi Order.
Visit Hagia Sophia
This marvelous piece of architecture, built in 537 AD, was once a Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral for 916 years which was then turned into an Ottoman imperial mosque for 482 years and is now a museum since 1935.
Explore the Basilica Cistern
Just 150 metres southwest of Hagia Sophia is another historical landmark of Istanbul, the Basilica Cistern. This underground water cistern called Yerebatan Sarayi, meaning Sunken Palace, by the locals, was built in 532. Just looking at pictures already takes my breath away and I’m sure seeing it in person will leave me in awe.
Shop at the Grand Bazaar
One of my favourite things to do when I travel is to check out local markets and shop or just treat myself to local food available. It would be a shame if I miss out on Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar which is now over 500 years old. I would be happily lost in its approximately 5,000 shops and also get a taste of Turkish food in some of its 60 restaurants!
Get a bird’s eye view of the city from Galata Tower
It’s always a good idea to see a city from a different perspective so I am always on the lookout for a good spot that overlooks a city. For example, when I was in Iceland, I went up Hallgrímskirkja, which is the highest building in Reykjavík and when I was in Venice, Italy, I went up the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica. If I get a chance to visit Istanbul, I would love to go up Galata Tower or Galata Kulesi in Turkish. Standing at 63 metres high, it is a good place to get a panoramic view of Istanbul’s old town.
Relax and rejuvenate in a hammam
It is nice to take a break from sightseeing and learning about a country when traveling. I believe it is a good idea to include relaxing and rejuvenating activities in any itinerary. Just like when I went to Japan, I made sure I get to slow down from my jam-packed itinerary and soak my tired bones in an onsen. Experiencing a Turkish bath called hammam would be something I would definitely add to my list of things to do in Istanbul. In a traditional-style Turkish bath, an attendant will wash, massage, and scrub you after you have spent enough time to sweat in a steamy room covered in marble.
I am sure that there are plenty more to do in Istanbul that I have not read in my research but the ones mentioned above already excites me! If you are going to that part of the world soon or are just in the planning stage, do your research and make your own itinerary or if you have no time for that, you may also look at getting a private tour in Istanbul. If you are looking for other places to visit in this country aside from Istanbul, here are 25 Amazing Places to visit in Turkey.
When did you have your little one!? Congrats!!! If I visited Turkey I would want to see a Whirling Dervishes performance too 🙂
I’d love to experience the Turkish bath too! Being from Japan, I grew up going to the onsen so often that I miss it so much now that I live in the US. I have friends who have visited Istanbul and everyone has such positive things to say about their experience. I too have been mesmerized by those IG photos of the hot air balloons in Cappadocia 🙂
I recommend a river cruise on the Bosphorus. Its amazing to see Istanbul from a different perspective.
I have yet to visit Istanbul so I want to see and do everything on your bucket list. Visiting Hagia Sophia has always been something I’ve wanted to do but this is the first time I’ve heard of Whirling Dervishes performance.
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