Istanbul hits you immediately. The smell of street food, the sound of the call to prayer echoing between buildings, the weight of history sitting on top of a city that's very much alive and moving. We stayed four nights on the European side, based at Wabi Sabi Hostel — well located, social atmosphere, a rooftop with a view that made mornings much better than they had any right to be.
Here's what we actually did, and what we thought of it.
Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
These two landmarks face each other across a plaza in Sultanahmet, and the contrast between them is part of what makes the area so striking. Hagia Sophia is enormous and crowded — 1,500 years of history will attract visitors — but the scale of the interior makes even a packed visit worthwhile. The Byzantine mosaics, the ancient columns, the sheer height of the dome. It's a lot.
The Blue Mosque is different. Quieter, more contemplative. The interior — with its famous blue Iznik tiles and the light filtering through hundreds of windows — is one of the most beautiful buildings we've been inside anywhere. Dress modestly for entry (arms and legs covered, shoes off, headscarves available for women). There's no queue in the same way there is for Hagia Sophia. Worth it.
The Grand Bazaar
Genuinely a maze. Over 4,000 shops across a covered market complex that has been trading since the 15th century — rugs, lanterns, spices, leather goods, gold jewellery, ceramics, tourist tat. It helps to have some idea of what you're looking for before you go in, but wandering also has its appeal. Bargaining is expected. Coffee inside the bazaar is a good excuse to sit somewhere and watch the whole operation running around you.
Basilica Cistern
An underground water reservoir built in the 6th century, held up by 336 columns, lit with atmospheric low light. It's atmospheric in a way that ancient underground things often are — cool, quiet, a complete contrast to the busy streets above. The Medusa heads at the base of two columns are the famous detail. Don't miss it.
Galata Tower and the neighbourhood around it
The tower itself gives you panoramic views over the city and the Bosphorus. The neighbourhood around it — Galata and Karaköy — is worth spending time in regardless: independent cafes, bookshops, galleries, and a very different energy from Sultanahmet.
The ferry across the Bosphorus
One of the best cheap experiences in Istanbul. You pay a few lira, board a commuter ferry, and cross between continents in about twenty minutes. The views of the city from the water — the mosques, the old walls, the new skyline — are something you won't get from anywhere on land. Do it at least twice: once in each direction.
The Asian side
The Asian side (Kadıköy) has a completely different atmosphere from Sultanahmet — younger, more local, fewer tourists, better coffee, better street food. The bars and restaurants in the streets around the market area stay busy late. If you're in Istanbul for four nights, spending one evening over there is worth the ferry ride.
Practical tips
A few things that made the trip easier:
- Get an eSIM before you arrive. Turkish sim cards work fine too, but an eSIM means you're connected the moment you land.
- Install a VPN before you leave home — certain services are restricted in Turkey and a VPN is the standard workaround.
- Book Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern in advance during peak season. The queues without a booking can be significant.
- Dress for mosques. It's not a suggestion.
- Walk everywhere you can. Istanbul's neighbourhoods reveal themselves slowly on foot in a way they don't from a taxi.
Is four days enough?
It's enough to see the major landmarks, cross both sides of the Bosphorus, eat well across multiple neighbourhoods, and get some sense of the city. It's not enough to feel like you understand it — but Istanbul is one of those places where you leave wanting to come back, which is probably the point.
Would we go back? Immediately.