“If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul”. – Alphonse de Lamartine

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Istanbul, but I was excited. We all grew up learning about the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, and Istanbul being the ‘center of the world’ but what does that mean in modern day? The country spans between the European and Asian continents. There’s a strong Middle Eastern influence as well – so what was this city going to be like?

I have to say Turkish Air was not my favorite airline on the flight over – definitely would be worth the upgrade because us peasants in coach were really packed in pretty tight. And it’s just a bit longer than the typical trip to Europe, so you’re looking at 9 hours on the plane.

Til I was checked into the hotel it was dark out and rainy but I decided to go for a little walk anyways. I was about a 15 minute walk (8 for speed walkers like me) to go to what looked like a ‘center’ of town. I had that moment of ‘should I be walking around these windy, dark streets, alone, at night….’ moment. It felt a lot like Morocco actually. Uneven streets, garbage in the gutters and corners. I got to the main street which was poppin’ with shops open, restaurants full, lots of lights and people lighting up the way. And a giant, glowing Mosque! It was pretty incredible.

Every aspect of this city was incredible. I’ve never felt like I was simultaneously in so many places at once as I did in Istanbul. The winding streets and vibe reminded me of Morocco, the ally’s with views down to the water made me think of Venice. The (amazing) fakes being sold everywhere reminded me of NYC. The food had a strong mediterranean influence of olives, cheese, meats. The adhan heard throughout the day reminds you of the Islamic culture. The buildings give a feeling of ancient Greece, and there are even statues and monuments that were brought over from Egypt. There’s even that south/central America feeling in some of the burial rituals and temple remains found. The cultural and historical significant of this city is profound.

I HIGHLY encourage you to read Strolling through Istanbul leading up to your trip. I highlighted a few sections of it and re-read at the locations referenced in the book. It made me feel like I was watching history unfold around me as I was sitting for coffee. It transports you through the city over thousands of years and amazingly not much has changed.

With more time I’ll dig into each of these places in a little more detail, but until then, this is the list of places I saw and highly encourage you to start your list with as well!
– Ortakoy Mosque
– Seven Hills
– Suleymaniye Mosque
– Blue Mosque
– Topkai Palace
– Theodosius Cistern
– Umbrella Street
– Balat
– Hagia Sophia
– Galata Tower
– Spice Bizaar
– The Bridge
– The Grand Bazaar