Home Page3 Days for Istanbul trip
Istanbul can be divided into 4 parts; ancient Istanbul (formerly known as Costantinapolis), Beyoğlu (Pera), Bosphorus and Asia. This article is written with the consideration of the ones who want to see these four parts and take photos. The first two days you can travel the beginning and the ending points just on foot.
Day 1: Ancient Istanbul
Start the day with Beyazıt Square. When you enter the square on your left there will be Istanbul University and on your right there will be Beyazıt Mosque. Walk towards to the university gate and continue from right. When you follow the big walls of the garden, the road will take you to the most important and the biggest mosque of Istanbul; Süleymaniye Mosque. It was built by Sinan the Architect in the year of 1557. now you can return to the Beyazıt Square. Walk through the bazaar of the book shop which is on the left of Beyazıt Mosque, to walk into the the back street. When you walk for 50 metres to the right, you’ll see one of the many doors of Grand Bazaar on your left.
The Grand Bazaar, which is used over 600 years, is a closed centre of trade made of 6 streets and shops more than 3600 on a area of 30000m². when you are finished walking in the bazaar, you should use the Nuriosmaniye Door, which is the other end of the road you’ve entered, to exit the bazaar. By walking through in the garden of the mosque in front of you, cross the Nuruosmaniye street and Yerebatan street. Now you are in the Sultan Ahmet Square. There are three important historical sights in this square. Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern, both museums, have different closing times. Hagia Sophia closes at 16:30 and Basilica Cistern closes at 17:30. you will need to calculate your time according to these hours. The third of the important sights is the Sultan Ahmet Mosque.
Hagia Sophia, was first built in 337 A.D. but was vanished with a fire. The second time Hagia Sophia was built is 415 A.D. but again with a fire the building was several damaged. Hagia Sophia was more like a wooden basilica in the first two times. Today’s Hagia Sophia was built in 537 A.D. when the Ottoman Empire conquered Istanbul in 1453, the building was started to be used as a mosque, and this is how it lasted until 1935. In 1935, Hagia Sophia have been turned into a museum and today still is.
Basilica Cistern is an architecture, made 1500 years ago, to supply the Byzantine palace which does not exist today.
Sultan Ahmet Mosque was started to being used in 1616 and was decorated with more than 20000 İznik tiles. It is the first mosque with 6 minarets that was ever built by the Ottomans.
With the light at evening hours, most of the historical buildings and structures will be great models to photograph.
Day 2: Ancient İstanbul and Beyoğlu
Start the day with the Sultan Ahmet Square which you were at last night. Walking towards the back of Hagia Sophia, you will come to the in front of Topkapı Palace. The fountain on the right and the İstanbul houses which were restored may capture your attention.
Topkapı Palace which was an Ottoman Palace between the years of 1478 and 1924, nowadays is a museum. The biggest different of this great palace is the fact that it is not a whole building like most of the European Palaces, but it is a complex of buildings within the area of the palace.
If you walk not to the first door you see when you walk through the ticket gate, but walk down the street on the right; you will see the İstanbul Archaelogy Museum. This museum was the first museum in the times of Ottoman (1891) and with pieces more than one million, it is one of the biggest museums of the world. You may want to visit this museum if you are interested.
Now continue to walk down the street and follow railway you come across to, to walk to the right. After walking for two stops, you will arrive the Eminönü Square. You may find the Yeni Mosque and Spice Bazaar with the shops surrounding it, rather interesting; before crossing the Galata Bridge. Once you’ve crossed the Galata Bridge, you are no longer in the ancient İstanbul. When you come to the corner of the second street on the left, you will have to make decision. The shortest way that can lead you to the Galata Tower is Yüksek Kaldırım Street but it is a very uphill slope and some may find it hard to walk. If you don’t want to climb the slope you can walk to the Voyvoda Street on the left, you can turn right at any point you feel prepare.
Galata Tower is 600 years old and it is 70 metres long. You can go to the terrace if you want. After the tower, you’ll have to walk to up front. And this road will lead you to Beyoğlu. Beyoğlu with its main street, İstiklal Avenue, is the most important social place for Istanbul and it is lively 24 hours a day. Until you walk to the Taksim Square, you will see plenty of cafes, restaurants and structures. If you want to spend the evening in İstiklal Avenue; Çiçek Pasajı, Balık Pazarı next to it and Nevizade street at the end of Balık Pazarı are filled with entertaining shops and restaurants. In summer time, it would be more interesting to sit out front of the cafes.
In this area, there is a high chance to find not only places to photograph but also people worth to be photographed.
Day 3: Bosphorous and the Asian Part
Start the day from Dolmabahçe Palace. This palace which was started to be used in 19th century, is the place that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had his final days. This Palace which resembles some of the European palaces have been built with the effect of a few architecture styles.
After exiting the palace, you can follow the walls of palace to the Beşiktaş Square which is located near the sea. If it is 12.00 or 13.00 o’clock, you can join a ship which is travelling across the Bosphorous. Take the tour until its last stop. It will be Anadolu Kavağı. Anadolu Kavağı is a fisherman’s village. You can walk around here if you leave the ship. Return to Beşiktaş with the next ship and go to the Asian side by boat, your next stop will be Üsküdar. After leaving the boat, walk towards right from the sea side to the Maiden’s Tower. You can take a boat to the Maiden’s Tower if you want. From Üsküdar you can return to Beşiktaş or Eminönü, by boat.
In this area you will be able to take gorgeous photographs with the ancient Istanbul view at the sunset.
Transportation:
Most of the hotels in Istanbul are located in Sultanahmet and Taksim. You can use the subway or the tram to have transportation between the visiting points and your hotel.