This was published 8 years ago
Things to do in Istanbul, Turkey: One day three ways
PENNY PINCH
Stay at spotless, friendly Side Hotel and Pension (sidehotel.com; $55) and save on transport, since old Istanbul's sights are within walking distance. Great street food will provide pastries for breakfast ($5) as you make your way to the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (free), popularly known as the Blue Mosque for its sumptuous interior tiling. Nearby, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art (tiem.gov.tr; $10) has gorgeous treasures that include illustrated Korans, inlaid boxes and swooping calligraphy. A 20-minute walk takes you to Galata Bridge, where you can buy fresh-grilled fish on bread for lunch ($10). Take a bus (iett.gov.tr; $1) across the bridge to Taksim Square and stroll down bustling, trendy Istiklal Caddesi for the contemporary Istanbul of shops, fish markets, beer halls and taverns. Dine on meat skewers, flatbread and salads at Canim Cigerim (162 Istiklal Caddesi; $15).
TOTAL: $96
EASY DOES IT
Meander the morning away at vast Topkapi Palace (topkapisarayi.gov.tr; $22 including harem), pleasure ground of the Ottoman sultans, where Arabian Nights architecture combines with glittering treasures and Bosphorus views. Nearby Aya Sofya (ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr; $15), decorated with Byzantine mosaics and Arabic calligraphy, is majestic. Lunch on kofta and white-bean salad at Sultanahmet Koftecisi Selim Usta (sultanahmetkoftesi.com; $11). It's a 10-minute walk to the gigantic Grand Bazaar (free), with its fourteenth-century arcades and commercial frenzy. Finish the afternoon at the elaborately tiled Rustem Pasa Mosque (free) and spice-laden Egyptian Bazaar (misircarsisi.org; free) before watching the Golden Horn sunset by the Galata Bridge. Have a great kebab meal at Hamdi (hamdi.com.tr; $25) – and leave room for the baklava. Stay in the linked townhouses of the Empress Zoe (emzoe.com; from $195), which mixes character with charm and leafy courtyards.
TOTAL: $268
SPLASH OUT
Start at the Archaeological Museum (istanbularkeoloji.gov.tr; $7), a superb clutter of statues, mosaics and ancient objects. Feeling acquisitive? Head to Istanbul Handicrafts Market (Kabasakal Caddesi; free), where artisans preserve Ottoman craft traditions such as hand-painted silk, glassware and porcelain. Indulge in fresh fish and mezze at Balikci Sabahattin (balikcisabahattin.com; $50). Spend the afternoon at Cagaloglu Hamami (cagalogluhamami.com.tr; $70), the full Turkish bath experience with massage in an upmarket 1741 hammam. A quick taxi ride ($5) takes you to the austere but beautiful Suleymaniye Mosque (free), where Suleiman the Magnificent is buried. Sunset views spread over Istanbul. Taxi across the water ($8) to rooftop Mikla (miklarestaurant.com; tasting menu $123) for contemporary Anatolian cuisine and incredible minaret-studded views. Stay in style at iconic Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah (jumeirah.com; from $310), which retains its nineteenth-century atmosphere and oriental style.
TOTAL: $573
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