Three Days in Istanbul
It was exciting to be in Turkey for the first time! I was eager to visit this fascinating and (to me) exotic country where East meets West.
A quick note on the country’s name: In the Turkish language, the country’s official name has been Türkiye Cumhuriyeti since the Ottoman Empire ended in 1923. To the rest of the world, it was known in the English language as Republic of Turkey. In 2022, the Turkish government asked the United Nations and other international organizations to change the official name in English to be Republic of Türkiye. The U.S. State Department uses Türkiye in formal diplomatic contexts and Turkey in communications for the American public. So for my humble purposes, the name Turkey is absolutely appropriate.
The catalyst for our trip to Turkey was the wedding of Steve’s nephew Skyler, which would take place in Istanbul, this fiancée’s home town. It was the perfect excuse to move Turkey to the top of our list. We had three weeks to explore the country, which for slow-traveling nomads like us, was not nearly enough time! Our high-level itinerary looked like this:
Istanbul’s Old Town (3 days)
Cappadocia (3 days)
Izmir, with day trips to Ephesus and Aphrodisias (4 days)
Istanbul’s New District (7 days, with the wedding on day 2)
To make the most of our time, I booked guided tours for Old Town Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, and Aphrodisias. After the wedding, we’d explore Istanbul on our own.
Istanbul is a megacity in both population (15.8 million people) and area (more than 2,000 square miles.) It literally spans two continents, split by the Bosphorus Strait into the European side (to the west) and the Asian side (to the east). And it has a long, layered history as Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire and then Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. While it is not the capital city of the modern-day Republic of Turkey, Istanbul is still a Great City.
Our first stay in Istanbul was on the European side in Old Town, also known as the Historic Peninsula. Tourists flock here to see Istanbul’s greatest hits. Our hotel, the Orientbank, was formerly the Deutsche Bank building, and appears in the film Skyfall at the start of James Bond’s epic chase through the Grand Bazaar. It was fun staying in such a distinctive, historic building.
Day 1
In the morning we explored Topkapı Palace, a magnificent walled complex with a harem, crown jewels, and holy relics. Even the private rooms were beautifully decorated. It was fun to imagine the lush life of a sultan, or the Queen mother and favorite wife.
That evening, we met up with Tom and Georganna, whom I met via Facebook. They have been nomads for five years now, and have visited 71 countries! Georganna was recovering from surgery to repair a broken shoulder, and she was delighted with the York Peppermint Patties we had brought for her. We visited the hotel’s observation tower, with its wonderful views. Then we had a delicious Ottoman dinner at Deraliye.
Day 2
This was the day for visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Sultanahmet area of Old Town. Our seasoned guide Erdinç (ehr-dinch) seemed to have friends everywhere. We visited the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar. Everything was within a compact, walkable area, but it was still a lot to take in.
That evening, we walked across the Galata Bridge and enjoyed a memorable dinner with gorgeous rooftop views of the Golden Horn (the inlet that divides the European side of Istanbul into Old Town and New District).
Day 3
We visited the wonderful Spice Bazaar and sent our purchases back to the hotel. Then it was time to explore the Golden Horn. Erdinç took us on the tram to Eyüpsultan, where we admired the views from the hilltop and walked through a sacred cemetery.
Next, we rode the tram to Fener and visited the Church of St. George in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is like the Vatican of the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was interesting to see two very different sacred sites, one Muslim and one Christian, in one day.
We strolled through the picturesque cafe-lined streets in Balat, stopping to visit a historic tavern inside the old walls of Constantinople. After saying goodbye to Erdinç, we stayed for an afternoon meal of fresh local fish. Then we rode the tram back to Old Town and walked back to our hotel, already feeling like locals.
