Istanbul Travel Guide- Things to See in Turkey Day 3
My third morning in Istanbul began with a sunrise walk along the Bhosphorus River.I usually hate mornings, but when I travel, I always get up early. Sunrise is (in my opinion) the best time for photographs. Few people, cooler temperatures, and different lighting than sunset. I walked along the 19th-century Galata Bridge spanning the “Golden Horn,” shooting photographs of the lights of the awakening city.
Galata Tower illumined at dusk from the Halıç Metro Bridge. I don’t miss the days of having to use a tripod to get these photographs- my Canon Mark iii is such a good camera I can jack up the film speed and shoot all these hand-held.
A watercolor batik painting of the Galata Tower at dusk from the opposite side of hte Bosphorus River. This was a demo for a batik workshop I recently conducted. Prints and original painting available.
I enjoyed photographing the Turkish flags silhouetted in front of the New Mosque near Eminönü Square. I enjoyed it so much this photograph became the reference for my first watercolor painting from Turkey- an 11×15″ quarter sheet painting. Prints and original painting available: https://ryanfoxpainting.com/products/istanbul-skyline-turkey-landscape-watercolor-painting-mosque
I tried to visit the Grand Bazaar near the Sultanahmet area of town. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Unfortunately, I forgot it was closed on Sundays.
I am not good at keeping track of the “days” of the week when I travel. Oops.
Views of the city from the Galata Tower were spectacular. I am sure a few of these images will become watercolor paintings shortly. Admittedly, Tower tickets were a little expensive and I did have to wait for people to move to get the vantage points I wanted to shoot, but it was a nice photo stop. Arrive early- I was there when the building opened and it was SUPER crowded when I left at 10am.
After NOT seeing the Grand Bazaar, I headed back across the river to the Beyoğlu neighborhood to tour the Galata Tower. Lunch was at a cheap Köfte restaurant off Istiklal Street- a super popular pedestrian/tram street in the city. I would highly recommend this area if you are looking for food/shopping.
After lunch, I took a break back at my hotel. I left again around 2pm to take boats on the Bhosphorus River. The Istanbulkart (information below in RESOURCES section) includes trams, buses, and boats. It was a fabulous deal and you can refill as needed.
This is embarassing, and I know it happens to a lot of people when you travel. I meant to take a boat to the Hagia Sofia. Instead, I accidentally took a boat to the Asia side.
Only in Istanbul can you end up on the wrong continent!
Silhouette of the Kiz Kulesi- a tower on a small islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus strait. I walked by the tower on the Asia side of town while I made my way down to the Harem-Sirkeci boat landing that would take me back to the “European” part of town.
I timed the boat ride perfectly and was rewarded with a beautiful sunset over the Hagia Sofia on the way back…
…and I still had enough time to get some nice photographs of the Galata Tower illuminated at dusk. Not a bad ending to the day.
My trip to Istanbul will be continued. My next stop was Armenia for a week. Read about those adventures and experiences HERE
Resources
Metro/Ferries/Trams
Istanbul is a big city with lots of transportation options. I made my way through the city using (mostly) the Istanbulkart. This reloadable card can be used for the metro, ferries, and trams within the city. The metro reaches both airports (though it is more difficult to reach the city center from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport).
https://istanbulepass.com/how-to-get-istanbul-kart.html
You can purchase/top-off the card at various kioska available at (almost) all transportation stops:
Flights:
I booked my flight on Expedia with British Airways. I was not super happy with their service (they charge for water on the London-Istanbul leg). I think that is ridiculous. Just my two cents.
Hotels:
For a city of 13 million, it is safe to assume there are a LOT of hotels. I found mine on Expedia:
For the first part of the trip I stayed in the Taksim/ Galata Tower area. I do not spend much on hotels- all I need is a clean and quiet room. Urban Quarters 42 met the requirements. A short walk to the Metro and Galata Tower, this was a nice area to stay in. It was not very busy. There is no one on staff (entry is with code at door) so make sure you have your code before arriving.
If I had the money, I would have stayed at the Wings Hotel. What a freaking view (I went to the restaurant for photographs): https://expedia.com/affiliates/istanbul-hotels-the-wings-hotel-istanbul.SdNQzM7
Tours:
There is so much to see in the city. Luckily, there are tons of tour options:
Guidebooks:
Lonely Planet Istanbul– Even with the internet’s unlimited resources, I love to research trips with a real guidebook. I usually use the Lonely Planet guides (they have nice photographs). I like having a bedside book to look through at night. Yes, I am that old.
Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World– great read on the history of Istanbul. Paperback or kindle
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