Quick Guide to 3 Days in Istanbul, Turkiye

My trip to the Balkans was divided into two portions, one with my family and the other with my friend. My family’s trip was coming to an end so we made our way to Istanbul to prepare for their direct flight in two days. Meanwhile, a friend of mine will be meeting me in Istanbul to start the second part of my Balkans tour. Istanbul is a vibrant place with a long history and unique culture. I had two consecutive days in Istanbul and another full day on the last day of my trip. This quick guide will also include an itinerary of how I spent 3 days in Istanbul. 

Getting Around:

There are 2 major airports in Istanbul: one located on the Asia side and the other on the Europe side. Both airports are quite far from Istanbul’s city center. 

To/From IST airport

Istanbul Grand Airport or İstanbul Havalimanı Airport (IST) is the primary airport in Istanbul. This airport is located on the European side. It takes approximately 40 minutes to travel from IST airport to the Blue Mosque/Hagia Sofia area with no traffic. The economical method to get here is by taking the Havaist Bus. Hop in from İstanbul Havalimanı to Aksaray Metro for about 150 – 200 Turkish Lira. From there you will need to take the metro to your final destination. This process takes about 2 hours. The fastest option is through Taxi or a shuttle service. I opted for the shuttle service. There are so many options. I chose the Istanbul Transfer Airport because they accepted credit card, and cash in Euro, Dollars, and Liras. One way is about $40. They pick us up in a limo-like transportation. Some vehicles have TV screens and dividers. A shuttle here took about 45 minutes. My friend took a taxi and she paid 35 euros. All other options can be found on the Istanbul International Airport website here. 

To/From SAW Airport

The other known airport is the Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), located on the Asia side. SAW airport to the Blue Mosque/Hagia Sofia vicinity is also about 40 minutes with no traffic. Taking public transportation here is a bit more complicated and requires using a tool like Google maps to plan out bus routes. I have only been to this airport once. I booked my shuttle through the GetYourGuide App with the company DMR. I paid about $58usd. Like IST shuttle, their vehicles are also limos. I found this company more comfortable. 

Transportation:

Uber and public transportation are easily accessible. The T1 train cuts through the major tourist spots in Istanbul. To get on the T1 train, you will need to purchase a metro card. Metro cards are 70 Lira and can be purchased at the ticket machines. While at the ticket machine, you will need to add a balance. The machine accepts TRY and credit cards. Each T1 use was about 15-20 TRY. It is easy to reload the card when its out of balance. Multiple people can use the same metro cards. My family and I would scan one card, and let each person in after every scan. 

Ubers here are typically yellow cabs. Ubers are affordable and I recommend if the Metros are too packed or do not want to walk. One thing to note is that there are certain places where vehicles do not have access such as the Spice Bazaar. You will need to walk to a street where it is easy for the driver to find you. Also note that streets can be quite congested at times and Metros could be a better viable option as it has its own lanes. 

Ramadan: 

I traveled to Turkiye during Ramadan. While many people are fasting, I found the country, or rather this city more liberal in terms of eating and drinking in comparison to other Muslim countries. I allude this to the diversity in Istanbul. Nonetheless, people should still be respectful of the culture. Most businesses continue to operate like normal and I did not experience any interruptions. 

Istanbul Tourist Pass:

For most tourist passes, you will get more bang for the buck when you purchase it but not the Istanbul Tourist Pass. The Turkish currency has declined in recent years, yet the prices on their websites remained the same. The prices are in Euros. A day pass is €120. With the pass, you will gain entry to all the major attractions such as the Hagia Sofia and the Dolmabahçe Palace. During my three days, I spent a total of €90 on attractions without the pass. With that said, I recommend paying in TRY when possible. In addition to the diminishing currency, several attractions are no longer offered on the tourist pass. For example, the Galata Tower is currently closed for renovations. Unless you intend to do everything in one day, which is quite impossible, this pass is not worth it at the moment. 

Attire:

Istanbul is a religious city with many incredible Muslim landmarks. However, to visit these sights, guests must wear appropriate attire. This includes sleeves covering the arms and wearing trousers or long skirts covering the legs. Shoes must also be taken off before entering the building. Women are also required to cover their hair with a scarf. A hoodie is also a sufficient form of hair coverage. 

Itinerary:

March 13, 2024

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Destination:

1. Dolmabahçe Palace

Dolmabahce Palace is a grand house that features architectural styles from Ottoman and European eras. There are over 200 rooms with intricate paintings, round staircases, and bohemian crystal chandeliers. Additionally, the palace has an incredible backdrop of the Bosphorus River. Photography is not permitted inside the palace. Guards are located throughout each room monitoring guests’ behaviors. 

To visit, tickets can be purchased online or at the ticketing booth. I suggest purchasing entry tickets at the ticketing booth since they are 1050TRY for foreigners (about €30) while it is €42 online for the same package. 

To enter the palace, all guests must go through a mandatory security check. 

2. Food and Culture Tour

I recommend the food and culture tour to anyone who loves to try local cuisine. For $128, it included 16 different bites and a ferry. Most of the foods we sampled were on the Asian side. We took a short ferry from Karaköy to Kadıköy Sahili. The view from the top deck was incredible. At the bottom deck, there is a live musician. Our tour guide described each dish to us. The tour group was small and intimate. I met some wonderful people on the tour that I hope I will meet again. 

Where to Eat:

Dinner: Food Tour

→ Kundurdžiluk 35, Sarajevo 71000, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Here is a list of food items we ate during our food tour:

Arzum Şarküteri

• Pastırma : Sun dried spiced beef, served in thin slices as a cold cut.
• Yaprak Sarma : Vine leafs stuffed with rice, dried berries, spices cooked in olive oil. 

Ozcan Famous Pickle

• Turşu : Picked vegetables with fermented purple carrots juice 

Ecevitler Gurme Şarküteri

• Halva : Roasted flour with tahini, coco bean, nuts and sugar
• Kabak Çiçeği Dolması ( Seasonal ) : Zucchini flower stuffed with rice, dill, spices cooked in olive oil, 
• Tulum peyniri : Goats, cheese aged in the goat skin 

Borsam Taşfırın

• Lahmacun : A thin crust pitta with a topping of minced meat of lamb, onions, tomatoes, paprika baked in a wood fire bakery. 
• Ayran : A drink made of natural yoghurt with little Salk and water 

Ayık Çorba Kebap

• Tantuni : Diced beef and chicken roasted and wrap in a lavash bread with parsley, onion, tomatoes, with yoghurt and sumac sauce 

The Tantuni was my favorite savory dish on the tour. It was full of flavor.

• Midye Dolma : Stuffed mussels with rice, a mixture of spices, butter and bay leafs. 
• Soup option:

• Ezo Gelin : Lentil with tomatoes, bulgur and spices. 
• Aşçı Eli : Lentil with chicken and vegetables 
• Kelle paça : a soup made of lambs head with garlic, vinagre and lemon 

• Adana kebap : Hand diced lamb stick to a skewer cook on oak charcoal steve with salad and lavash bread. 
• Kanat : chicken wings marinated in yoghurt, tomatoes, paprika cooked on charcoal 
• Çiğ köfte : Bulgur wheat with tomatoes paste, paprika, onion, parsley, 

Beyzade Sokak

• Künefe : Ángels’ hair noodles stuffed with a layer of mozzarella cheese, pistachio and honey syrup. 
• Dondurma : Turkish ice cream made from goats milk and roots of mountain orchids

Where to Stay:

In Istanbul, we stayed in an AirBnB by the Dolmabahçe Palace that overlooked Dolmabahçe Mosque. This 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom was $154 per day including cleaning and service fees. The AirBnB was comfortable; however, a major disadvantage was that we had to climb three flights of stairs to get to our room. A bonus to the AirBnB is that it was near the T1 metro. Our place also had access to a street which gave us easy access for Uber or Shuttle pickups. 

March 14, 2024

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Destination:

1. Blue Mosque

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque is arguably one of the most iconic Ottoman architecture. Entrance to the Blue Mosque is free. All guests must take off their shoes before entering the mosque. There are shelves to place shoes; however, I recommend carrying a trash bag to carry your shoes. Shoes placed on the shelves can be taken by mistake. In addition to no shoes, all guests must wear proper attire. No short sleeves and full trousers/long dresses. Women must also wear a scarf. There are workers policing attires before visitors can enter. The Blue Mosque is closed during prayer hours.

The interior of the mosque is covered in Iznik tiles, has over 200 windows, and many intricate domes. Once you exit the mosque, you enter a beautiful courtyard. 

2. Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia is located near the Blue Mosque. The Hagia Sophia is quite fascinating as it depicts both Muslim and Christian influences. Entrance here was free until January 2024. It is now 2€5 or 850t to enter. The 2nd floor is the only level accessible.

Professional guides are no longer permitted inside Hagia Sophia. Instead, there are QR codes placed next to notable stops. By scanning the QR code on your phone, it will direct you to an audio and description of the stop. 

3. Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is a market that sells pretty much anything and everything that you would want. There are many sections dedicated to a specific category. For example, there are streets dedicated to just leather and streets dedicated to just jewelry. Workers can be very persistent. The Bazaar can be overwhelming but interesting to experience. 

4. Istanbul Archaeology Museums

The Istanbul Archaeology Museums consist of three museums featuring collections of valuable artifacts. Due to its large nature, you can get lost here for a few hours. The museum is located next to the Topkapi Palace. The entrance to this museum is €17. At the ticketing booth, TRY notes are the only acceptable payment. If you do not have TRY, tickets can be purchased online. 

Where to Eat:

Lunch: Dolmabahçe Cafe 

→ Ömer Avni, Dolmabahçe Gazhane Cd. No:3, 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye

I was meeting up with my friend at our AirBnB next to this cafe. The cafe decor was chic but the food was only mediocre at best. I ordered a chicken and pita dish and a strawberry lemonade that had a lot of artificial flavors. I do not recommend this place at all. 

Dinner: Gulhane Sark Sofrasi

→ Alemdar, Alayköşkü Cd. No:22, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

Gulhane Sark Sofrasi serves incredible food. First, our server dropped off some hummas and this red pepper paste. It was love at first bite. For our meal, we ordered the beef shesh kabab (41t), chai tea, kikeli (220t). Everything was tasty and hit the spot. Later in our dinner, they had live performances. A woman performed Ed Sheran songs. Everything about this restaurant past the vibe test!

March 19, 2024

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Destination:

1. Basilica Cistern

Cistern were used to distribute water from waterways and rain to the Great Palace and Topkapı Palace. The entry fee here is 660t. Basilica Cistern is one of the few attractions that opens late at night. With that said, there are long lines to enter here in the late evening. We attempted to visit here on day two in Istanbul but decided to cut our losses. Instead, I returned here in the daytime. 

The Basilica Cistern has pathways for visitors to roam around. There are crowds at the entrance, so I advise walking past them to get a better view. Towards the end of our exploration, we found a hole in the wall. Next to it was a sign that stated that new tunnels were recently discovered. 

2. Obelisk of theodosius

The Obelisk of theodosius is an Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III. It is located close to the Blue Mosque and free to the public. 

3. Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum

The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is located near the Blue Mosque. The museum has interesting artifacts and Islamic artwork. Like all other museums in Istanbul, the entrance to the museum is €17. TRY payment was only acceptable at the ticketing booth. If you do not have TRY, tickets can be purchased online. 

Where to Eat:

Dinner: Deraliye Ottoman Palace Cuisine

→ Alemdar Mahallesi Ticaret Hane Sokak Giriş Kat No 10, 34122, Türkiye

Deraliye is an excellent restaurant that has been raved by the Michelin Guide. This restaurant definitely lived up to the hype. The service was spectacular.  Hot pita bread was constantly brought over to the table, even when we still had bread left. They kept replacing our bread to ensure freshness. For food, our servers threw out suggestions. I immediately knew I wanted beef kebab. Here, we ordered hummus (185t), beef kebab rested with coarse herbs (1120t), Adana Kebab(710t), katmer (420t), and deraliye special cocktail (1100T). Yes, we went a little overboard on the drinks. We did not realize the price tag of it. Everything tasted amazing but my favorite was the adana kebab which our server strongly suggested. Overall, I highly recommend it!

Where to Stay:

Mest Hotel 

→ Rüstem Paşa, Çiçek Pazarı Sk. No:22, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

We stayed at the Mest Hotel located in the Spice Bazaar. The Mest Hotel does not have vehicle access. Our shuttle driver stopped about a block away and called our hotel for assistance. The bellboy ran to our shuttle and assisted us with our bags. Check-in was a breeze. Our room was not ready when we checked in, but they had complimentary dessert in the lobby and offered tea and coffee. We booked a superior twin room for €260. They gave us a room with a view of the New Mosque. The Mest Hotel is about a 20-minute walk to the Blue Mosque. Upon checkout, they gave us a box of Turkish delights. It was such a nice gesture. Absolutely love the service of this hotel!