We landed in Istanbul around 5 PM — tired, excited, and as it turns out, a bit unprepared. We didn’t realize the city had two airports, and we had flown into Sabiha Göckçen, way out on the Asian side.
Our hotel, of course, was in Sultanahmet, right near the Blue Mosque… on the European side.
So we began our trip with a 1.5-hour private transfer ride through Istanbul’s messy traffic — winding through the chaos while the sun dipped behind distant minarets.
The next day, we walked into Sultanahmet Square and saw the Blue Mosque on one side, still partly covered in scaffolding but impressive up close. Right across from it was Hagia Sophia, massive and quiet. Seeing both in one morning was like flipping through two very different chapters of history side by side.
We made our way to Galata Bridge for lunch and sat down at one of the restaurants tucked underneath it. The view was great — the bill, not so much. We ended up paying 300EUR for two people. 💸 Total tourist trap. Just a heads-up: if you’re ordering fish, the menu price usually refers to the cost per gram or kilo — but they won’t mention that unless you ask (which we didn’t).
Later that afternoon, we strolled across Galata Bridge and took a ferry across the Bosphorus to the Asian side, just in time to watch the sun dip behind the city. It had been on my bucket list for years, and it didn’t disappoint.
The next day, we joined a day tour to Prince’s Island — another bucket list item, finally checked off. But to be honest, it fell short of expectations. The island was charming, yes, but without plans to swim, we quickly ran out of things to do. With Google Maps barely functioning there, we ended up wandering around in the summer heat with no real direction. Looking back, I kind of wish we had chosen Troy instead.
On our last full day in Istanbul, we spent the morning in Balat, a colourful neighbourhood we ended up enjoying the most. My friend was thrilled — mostly because she got to pet so many cats. Before heading to the Grand Bazaar, we stopped outside the University of Istanbul for a few quick photos. In the afternoon, we had tea at the historic Pera Palace Hotel — something I’d been wanting to do for a long time, and it was absolutely worth it.
Istanbul didn’t just give us sights — it gave us moments. It’s one of those places that stay with you long after you leave. Would I go back? Definitely. But next time, I’ll make sure to stay at the Pera Palace.
Learn from our mistakes (and wins). Here are a few tips so you don’t have to suffer, sweat, or spend 300EUR on fish 🐟:
- ✈️ Check your airport — Istanbul has two, and they’re not close.
- 🧕 Dress modestly when visiting mosques — shoulders and knees covered; women should bring a scarf.
- 🐈 Cats are everywhere — and they’re part of the charm.
- 🚻 Public toilets usually charge 5-10 TL — have coins ready.
- 🪪 Get an Istanbulkart — it works on trams, metros, buses, and ferries. You can buy and reload it at kiosks or vending machines.
Sehnsucht in Sepia 
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