If I start writing my trips down, I know I have to start with the apple of my eye, my dear Istanbul!

Located between Europe and Asia, Istanbul has a lot to offer for its lovely visitors. You can find a hidden gem almost in every corner of the city during your visit. Whether you are looking for tips to spend a long weekend in istanbul or more, here is my 2 day itinerary for you that you can follow during your visit!

Day 1:  Rise and shine ladies and gentlemen we have a lot to see!

Starting our day with Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia), things you need to know before your visit:

• If you are not muslim, there will be a que for the ticket so Hagia Sophia is one of the 2 spots that I recommend  buying a skip the line ticket in advance online. 
• Muslim entrance goes to praying area which is the ground floor while other entrance will start from second floor (slightly higher but similar view).

Our next stop is Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque)

• Choose your outfit based on dress code, if not no worries, they will provide you a cover that you can use while you are in the mosque.

Blue Mosque Hagia Sophia

If you can book your skip the line for Ayasofya, you should be done with these two Mosques located at Sultanahmet Meydani (Square) in max 1 hour, don’t forget to look around and maybe buy a simit while enjoying the view!

Have a little peak to luxurious Ottoman life style with Topkapi!

Topkapi sarayi is the next stop, this is spot that we will spend min 2-3 hours! I don’t recommend to purchase a skip the line tickets here, from what I observed is people who bought skip the line tickets made the que (funny enough!) There will be a wait to purchase the ticket but it was fairly quick so don’t waste your money on skip the line tickets! When you enter, keep in mind that you need to pay for one more ticket which is for the Harem. 

After Topkapi, if you feel hungry, you can stop by at hocapasa pidecisi (Turkish flatbread place with delicious options) which I highly recommend !

Our last stop is Yerebatan Sarnici, Cistern which I must admit mesmerising!

-This is the second stop you must get the tickets in advance. Tickets are available at Passo (local ticket master-ish), after you have your tickets just ask for the line for the pre purchased ticket holders and you’re welcome!

Day 2: Eat Like Local, Walk Like Local

Breakfast is one of the secret things in Turkish culture, we love having long breakfasts with many different flavours, I recommend starting your day with massive breakfast at Rumeli Hisarı, Lokma with the view of Bosphorus ! 

After breakfast we are heading to Taksim as our first stop of the day. From here a long walk waiting for us! Walk from hear  to Galata from Istiklal street and don’t forget to look at the buildings around  and try to spot  the buildings with interesting designs! If you have time for a morning coffee stop by Mandabatmaz to have a traditional Turkish coffee.

Be careful to who you climb the Galata Tower with! 

After walking down the street around 20 minutes, you’ll meet the magnificent Galata Tower. There is no skip the line ticket for the Galata Tower and the only option is to wait in line. When planning your trip, be careful not to waste money on this! 

Que can be a bit annoying but trust me it’s worth it.  Us Turkish people, we believe that who ever you climb the tower together, is the person you will get marry! 

All my single people out there, I feel like I owe to warn you about this so maybe don’t waste your chance and skip this one for your next trip with your lover 😉

If you’ve seen enough of this tower, gifted to Istanbul by the Genoese, continue your walk down to Karaköy, and take a lunch break while wandering through it’s charming streets. If you fancy fish, try a fish wrap from Mario or maybe a burger from Baltazar. 

You never need an excuse to stop by Karaköy Gulluoglu for a dessert after lunch and try a mixed plate of baklava (1 portion for 2 people should be enough, sharing is caring and also helps to prevents the sugar rush), take a break from your diet for this trip I promise you you won’t regret!

After enjoying our baklava, we cross the Galata Bridge and return to the historic peninsula! While crossing the bridge, keep an eye on the staircases at the sides, our goal is to go down to the observation spots on the lower floor. And please, while crossing the bridge, don’t forget to smile and say ‘rasgele’ (Turkish way of saying good luck with the fishing) to the people fishing there on my behalf. 

We are finishing our tour at Eminonu,  have a little shopping here, maybe get some fresh Turkish coffee from Mehmet Efendi or walk around the Spice Bazaar! 

With this, my dear reader we’ve reached the end of my 2-day Istanbul itinerary! (WOW) It’s not realistic to fit Istanbul into just two days, but at least with a peace of mind I can say I’ve introduced you the main touristy spots!

Please promise me to enjoy Istanbul while you are walking around at this beautiful city! 

I’ll say good bye to you for now, see you on the other pages and other trips! 

-Basak  x

Ps. All these photos belong to me! Don’t even try to steal because I can find you!