With well over 15 million residents, Turkey presents a cosmopolitan mega city packed with an endless list of things to do for first-time visitors in Istanbul. As the largest city in Europe, Istanbul offers an incredibly diverse culture. The city’s sheer size alone will leave you in awe. One of the most exciting aspects of Istanbul is its unique position as a transcontinental city, straddling both Europe and Asia and separated by the Bosporus Strait.
During my three-day visit to Istanbul, time seemed to fly by. The sheer size and magnificence of this city made the days feel shorter, almost frustratingly so, as I wanted to explore as much as possible. For travellers planning a weekend city-break or a swift stopover in Istanbul, I have compiled a list of the top 10 things to do for first-time visitors in Istanbul.
Go on a mosque run.
This was a favourite of mine. So much of a country’s history lies in the religion it practices or has historically practiced. I found it interesting that Turkey was a Christian country turned Muslim. I learnt all about this during my visit to the mosques. Moreover, I love architecture in all its various forms and the well-built mosques of Istanbul are pleasing to the eye and a sure treat.
As mosques are a place of religion, you will need to consider the dress code; women must cover their hair, arms and wear above knee-high bottoms while men should wear long trousers. The most famous mosques in the Sultanahmet area are the Blue Mosque and the ever-gorgeous Hagia Sophia, which is a mosque turned into a museum.
Travel Tip: This is probably the most crowded tourist attraction area in Istanbul so go early in the morning (9 a.m just as they open) to avoid queuing for an extremely long time with the big group tours that start around 10 am.
Go shopping at the Grand Bazaar.
Shop the Grand Bazaar where you can buy anything from Turkish textiles to Turkish crafts. It closes at 7 p.m so be sure to be there well before that and don’t forget to bargain with the vendors.
Travel Tip: It’s very close to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque so schedule your attractions accordingly to save time.
Indulge in street food.
If you are a bit time restricted like I was, street food is your best bet. It’s also very delicious. Try a Pide, which is a Turkish flat bread with meat and cheese toppings. Indulge in a Nutella Simit which is a Turkish bagel topped with toasted sesame seeds. I also highly recommend trying a Döner-Kebab wrapped in a flatbread or sandwich.
Visit the Basilica Cistern.
This is a large cistern that lies beneath the city with a capacity to store 100 000 tons of water. There’s a lot of history around it that I didn’t particularly find interesting. The modern-day popularity of the site came from a couple of movies and books that used the Basilica Cistern as a location such as James Bond’s from Russia with Love, Assassin’s Creed, Inferno by Dan Brown and a film called Brotherhoods of Tears.
Travel Tip: It’s 150m away from the Hagia Sophia.
Take a cruise on the Bosporus.
The most recommended things to do for first-time visitors in Istanbul, this cruise exposed me to the most beautiful parts of the city. The Bosporus strait that separates the city into two continents is incredibly awe-inspiring. The view of the sunset is also a beautiful sight to look forward to. If you are in doubt, do the Bosporus tour, it takes around 2 hours 30 minutes.
Travel Tip: Take the sunset cruise to also get a panoramic view of Istanbul by night.
Practice the Turkish art of Keyif.
Turkey has approximately 500 years of smoking tradition and what better place to smoke some hookah? My walking breaks and evenings were epic and usually saw me sitting in a small street-side cafe smoking some Nargile; which is a Turkish water pipe. I coupled the Nargile with sips of Turkish tea that is tastefully presented in adorable tulip glasses, as I sat to relax-fully watch the world go by and take in the surreal feeling of being in this dynamic and vibrant city.
Accept one of the many invitations to view a Carpe
Yes, you will get loads of them. Turkish hospitality is masked everywhere across Turkey, even in this mega-city. I didn’t quite expect city folks to be as hospitable as Turkish people were in Istanbul. One morning when we were en-route to the Hagia Sophia, it started to rain and as we were seeking shelter from the rain, a carpet shop owner invited us into their store, offered us some Turkish tea as we waited for the rain to stop.
This is also an opportunity to get some history around the carpets and how they are made as well as mingle with locals. And if you have more money than me, it’s also a great opportunity to purchase some luxurious handmade rugs.
Enjoy a seafood dinner overlooking the Bosporus Bridge
Definite things to do for first-time visitors in Istanbul is to enjoy a seafood dinner overlooking the Bosporus Bridge.
Use their world-class public transit.
The Istanbul travel card is the best thing your money can buy you in this city. It is cheap and is great value for money. It will also give you access to their entire public transit which includes trains, buses, metro-buses, trams and ferry buses that offer fast and convenient inter-modal transport access to all the major parts of the city. Depending on the location, the public transit can take a bit longer than taxis, but it is still the best and cheapest way to get around.
Spend some time at the Istanbul new airport.
An article I read descried the New Istanbul Airport as ‘A monument to victory’ and I couldn’t agree more. It is insanely beautiful and super massive. Get to the airport early so it gives you time to explore it and do some last-minute souvenir shopping.
I didn’t visit Istanbul for a long time, just enough time to get a feel of the city and spend time getting lost in the public transit of this colossal city. The unbelievable atmosphere offered by this cosmopolitan city left me totally astonished. If you haven’t already, add Istanbul to your travel list, even if it is just for a few days.
