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9 Days in Istanbul: A Journey Through History and Delight

rahali mohamed

rahali mohamed

14 Dec 2023

Embark on a 9-day adventure in Istanbul, Turkey, where ancient marvels and culinary delights await. Explore iconic landmarks like Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar, indulge in delicious Turkish cuisine, and immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of this vibrant city.

Trip to Istanbul

Day 1Ottoman Delights and Underground Wonders
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$50

·

$ 4

Lale Lokantası
50 yıldır tamamen hijyenik mutfağımızda hazırlanan zengin Türk mutfağına ait ev yemeklerimizi deneyimli personelimizle sizlerin beğenisine sunmaktayız.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
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$6
15 - 18 min

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Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
•
$10
14 - 17 min

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Directions

Suleymaniye Mosque
Ornate 16th-century mosque with gardens, plus a terrace with views over the Golden Horn.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
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Free
18 - 22 min

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Directions

Hagia Sophia
Iconic, storied mosque set within a vast, domed former Byzantine church with stained-glass windows.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Free
8 - 12 min

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Directions

Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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$2
4 - 6 min

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Directions

Basilica Cistern
Huge underground Roman water source held up with 336 marble columns covering 9,800 sq. meters.
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
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$32
Day 2Pastries, Museums, and Thrilling Rides
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$152

·

$ 4

Day Day Pastanesi
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
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$2
9 - 14 min

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Directions

Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Palace museum of Islamic & Turkish art, opened in 1983 & displaying ceramics, carpets & glassware.
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
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$22
25 - 30 min

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Directions

Sani Usta Küçükköy
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
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$14
13 - 16 min

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Directions

VIALAND Tema Park
Theme park featuring amusement rides for all ages & a shopping center with dining & entertainment.
12:30 PM - 5:30 PM
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$110
12 - 15 min

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Directions

Lokma Lokka
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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$4
Day 3Palaces, Mosques, and Miniature Marvels
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$80

·

$ 5

Konak Et Lokantasi
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
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$6
9 - 14 min

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Directions

Panorama 1453 History Museum
Historical center featuring a large panoramic painting of the conquest of Constantinople.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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$30
13 - 16 min

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Directions

Eyüp Sultan Mosque
A friend of the prophet Muhammad is thought to be buried at this 15-century mosque rebuilt in 1800.
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
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Free
10 - 12 min

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Directions

Miniaturk
Park with Turkish landmarks, including the Blue Mosque, depicted in miniature format.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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$16
13 - 16 min

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Directions

Forno
Breakfast w Home Made Jams Home Made Croissants & Turkish Pastry & Bagel & Bread Brick Owen Pizza & Lahmacun Thin Crusty Yummy! Quality Obsessed Management!:)
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
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$8
2 - 3 min

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Directions

Venerable Patriarchal Church of Saint George
Principal Eastern Orthodox Cathedral in Istanbul, with religious relics, mosaics & public hours.
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Free
15 - 18 min

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Directions

Great Palace Mosaics Museum
Museum featuring Byzantine-period mosaics from the Great Palace of Constantinople.
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
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$16
4 - 5 min

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Directions

Saade Kahvaltı
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
•
$4
Day 4Archaeological Gems and Bazaar Treasures
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$48

·

$ 3

Saade Kahvaltı
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
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$4
12 - 18 min

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Directions

Istanbul Archaeological Museums
Neoclassical museum showing the country's rich archaeological heritage within landscaped gardens.
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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$26
14 - 17 min

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Directions

Rejon Kebap House
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
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$2
2 - 3 min

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Directions

Grand Bazaar
Historic sprawling network of indoor souks & market streets peddling leather, jewelry & gifts.
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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Free
16 - 20 min

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Directions

Saint Stephen’s Orthodox Church
Elaborate 19th-century church along the Golden Horn, with cast-iron elements & a gilded dome.
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Free
13 - 20 min

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Directions

Fethiye Camii
Fine mosaics & late-Byzantine architecture in a former church converted to a mosque in 1591.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
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$6
6 - 9 min

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Directions

İncir Ağacı Kahvesi
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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$10
Day 5Simit, Mosques, and Spice-filled Markets
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$36

·

$ 5

Tarihi Karagümrük Simit Fırını
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
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$6
7 - 10 min

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Directions

Kariye Mosque
Museum of religious art on the site of a church that was first built here in the 6th century A.D.
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
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$6
10 - 12 min

~

Directions

Golden Horn
Horn-shaped estuary, the primary inlet on the Bosporus, featuring a bustling commercial hub & parks.
10:15 AM - 1:15 PM
•
Free
13 - 16 min

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Directions

Tarihi Temiz Köftecisi
1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
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$14
4 - 5 min

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Directions

Egyptian Bazaar
Covered, 17th-century market known as the Egyptian Bazaar, with spice, food & textile shops.
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
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Free
10 - 12 min

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Directions

Little Hagia Sophia
Landmark domed mosque in a former 6th century Byzantine church with an Ottoman-style interior.
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
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Free
8 - 10 min

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Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
•
$10
Day 6Palaces, Cafes, and Tower Views
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$154

·

$ 3

Saade Kahvaltı
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
•
$4
12 - 17 min

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Directions

Topkapi Palace Museum
Huge, opulent 15th-century palace, occupied by sultans for 400 years, housing Ottoman treasures.
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
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$54
11 - 14 min

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Directions

Salt Galata
Art space in a former bank building featuring a gallery, a cafe & a library with free Wi-Fi.
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
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Free
4 - 6 min

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Directions

Velvet Cafe
Hatıralarla yaşayan bir cafe, Anne elinden lezzetler, Antika fincanlarda servis edilen kahve ve çay keyfi, Günün her saati kahvaltı saati :)
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
•
$14
1 - 2 min

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Directions

Galata Tower
Restored 14th-century tower and former prison overlooking the Bosphorus with a top-floor restaurant.
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
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$68
16 - 24 min

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Directions

Çiçek Pasajı
Historic passageway between 2 streets, featuring ornate architecture, shops & cafes.
3:45 PM - 5:45 PM
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Free
14 - 17 min

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Directions

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
Imposing, 16th-century mosque complex designed by Mimar Sinan, with 4 corner towers & tall minaret.
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
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Free
10 - 15 min

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Directions

Balat Kadraj
7:45 PM - 9:15 PM
•
$14
Day 7Art, History, and Bosphorus Views
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$104

·

$ 5

Color. Full. Bakery
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
•
$2
8 - 11 min

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Directions

Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum
Museum in a 1925 mansion with temporary & permanent exhibits, plus Islamic calligraphy & sculptures.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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$8
17 - 21 min

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Directions

Anadoluhisarı
At the narrowest part of the Bosphurus, this imposing fort gives its name to the surrounding area.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
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$4
19 - 23 min

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Directions

Çınaraltı Cafe
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
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$8
4 - 5 min

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Directions

Beylerbeyi Palace
This 19th-century palace with gardens was once a summer residence for Ottoman sultans.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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$16
23 - 28 min

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Directions

Naval Museum
Museum tracing Turkish naval history with artifacts such as Ottoman-era ships & early diving gear.
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
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$16
16 - 23 min

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Directions

Dolmabahçe Palace
Grand, domed sultan's palace, now a museum, including collections of art, calligraphy and carpets.
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
•
$48
8 - 11 min

~

Directions

Black Cup Coffee
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
•
$2
Day 8Parks, Museums, and Bridge Crossings
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$54

·

$ 4

Laledan Restaurant
Laledan Restaurant, on the hotel building’s ground floor, serves the richest breakfast buffet in town with over 250 delicious items, 80 percent of which are made with locally sourced organic ingredients. The Legendary Çırağan Brunch on Sundays is from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
•
$4
11 - 16 min

~

Directions

Yıldız Park
Suburban public park with cafes & a hilltop museum in an Ottoman palace dating from the 1880s.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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Free
18 - 22 min

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Directions

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art
Riverside museum with Turkish & international modern & contemporary art collections, plus a cinema.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
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$22
20 - 29 min

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Directions

Pera Müze Cafe
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
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$12
1 - 2 min

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Directions

Pera Museum
Art museum in an ornate former hotel with paintings, ceramics & rotating shows of modern masters.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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$6
9 - 11 min

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Directions

Galata Bridge
Bustling bridge across the Golden Horn with pedestrian walkways & street vendors, with cafes below.
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
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Free
10 - 12 min

~

Directions

Gülhane Park
Venerable, tranquil forested park featuring gardens, paths, a creek & a science museum.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
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Free
8 - 12 min

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Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
•
$10
Day 9Island Delights and Scenic Cafes
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$60

·

$ 2

Büyükada Şekercisi Candy Island Cafe Patisserie
Turyol İskelesi ve Köşem Restaurant Karşısı Büyük Şeker Ağacı
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
•
$8
9 - 11 min

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Directions

Büyükada
Quaint island offering sweeping views, walking trails & a variety of historic residences.
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
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$40
15 - 22 min

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Directions

Eskibağ Teras - Paradisos Cafe
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
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$10
Lipa Köfte & Čevapčiče
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
•
$2

Budget breakdown: $766 In total

Activities & Food:$738
Transport:$28