I went to this centuries old bath house alone before they made it for couples and families only, so…read moreunfortunately I can never go back. It was absolutely the highlight of my visit to Istanbul. As my KLM flight landed in Istanbul the entire city was blanketed with snow, so the warmth of the bath was especially welcome. Istanbul itself is an assault on your senses, everywhere you turn someone is aggressively trying to sell you something, carpets in particular, but also candy, and everything else you can think of. So being inside the Hamam is like an oasis of peace. Fortunately my masseur spoke English. I told him I wasn't your typical tourist, that he could be himself with me. And he was, he sang to me in the most magnificent voice I ever heard. As if an angel were serenading me. Of course singing is not typical of your experience at a Hamam. I loved the way he kneeled in front of me and gave me a body scrub from head, to toe. If only I could start every day this way. I got a package deal, $25 for the treatment including a taxi from my hotel. I of course loved being in such an ancient and historic building, as if the Sultan was still ruling the Ottoman Empire. If you have the opportunity to experience Suleymaniye Hamam don't pass it up.

It was just terrific. They explained everything. You have to be comfortable with nudity, your own,…read moreand the scantily dressed woman who is scrubbing and helping you (if you are a woman). But I would do it again in a heartbeat, so relaxing.

Tourist trap or not, I was ready to explore the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. This bazaar is massive…read moreand amazing, so be prepared to walk around. I ended up going multiple times to this bazaar while I was vacationing. The second or third time I visited, my hubby and I got many things from one particular shop. The shop owner wanted to show us more of his merchandise which was not in his store. The best part was that he took us thru a narrow staircase which opened to the factory part of the grand bazaar. Many shop owners have storage units and working areas on the second floor of the grand bazaar. It was a great experience checking out the working place with pots, pans, ceramics etc. Back to the buying part: I bought several goodies such as silk scarfs, jewelry specially rings and other treasures. It was fun walking around the many shops. There are around 3,000 small shops connected to each other. Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Many of the vendors sell similar items. If you feel like your getting ripped off, just walk to the next shop. Bargain like a pro, use sign language, or any other sneaky methods. Some of my recommendations: You want to get the best deals? Do not wear expensive jewelry or clothes. The prices are not set so when the employees see you they can make the price higher or lower. Try not to say your from the U.S, say any other country. U.S is considered a rich country, therefore they will try to sell you everything double the price. Have fun, and definitely buy some items to remember your trip by. I loved the grand bazaar, wish I could shop there every week.~

Tourist Trap? For sure! The Grand Bazaar is a maze you'll get lost!…read more Oldest market, and for me the biggest I have ever been to. It has several entrances and exits, thousands of merchants (no exaggeration) and you'll find everything in here from souvenirs, teas, Turkish delight, spices, fake branded clothes and so on. Higher prices than anywhere else. Beautiful decor, prepare to face the crowds and the maze. You'll be trapped and get lost, so bring your patience along. But when in Istanbul, you have to visit!

While the Hagia Sofia was undergoing extensive renovations inside and outside, the Blue Mosque was…read morefully open making it the go to big mosque in Sultanahmet. From the outside the minarets and domes were very impressive especially with the blue color theme. Everyone entered the central courtyard where it was lined with information (and people ready to answer questions) about the prophet, religion, Quran and more. From the courtyard, there were two entrances with the main one reserved for worshippers. The visitor entrance required an exit from the courtyard towards the back. The queue was not too bad but there was one check for proper dress (headscarf or skirts were loaned to those found non-compliant) and another stop to remove shoes (needed to hand carry it throughout the mosque). Once inside about half the area was blocked off for worshippers. It was pretty crowded inside but people eventually moved. The low hanging lights did have some blocking effects on overall photos but the amazing details of the stained glass windows, tiles, Arabic lettering, and more surrounded us. The massive supporting columns and domed ceilings that soared above also contributed to the immense space. The Blue Mosque was free to enter but since it's an active mosque it does close to visitors during prayers so plan accordingly. A don't miss when visiting Istanbul.

Absolutely breath taking. I went in and said my prayers…read more It's a beauty and I love the people go there with respect regardless of background & religion. It is free to the public but does close sporadically throughout the day for prayers and cleaning.

Beyazit Sahaflar Bazaar is the booksellers part of the larger Bazaar, and a very good place to find…read morea book by literature Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk. Most of the books are in Turkish, but there are all sorts of languages available. The architecture is interesting a combination of Byzantine and Ottoman, it's right next to the Istanbul University. Not a popular tourist site, it's even less crowded weekdays and in the off season. You can meet nice cats here.

The bathhouse is absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. The customer service is excellent and so are…read morethe goodies that come with the larger package. It is quite pricy but worth treating yourself to this experience. I had the full 2 hour hammam experience and came out of the service feeling brand new. Buket performed one of the best exfoliations I've ever had. Although this spa is very pricy, it is worth the splurge for the once in a lifetime experience.

This was by far my favorite activity I did while I was in Istanbul. I went for the full Ab-i Hayat…read morepackage, but they were doing a special of 10% off appts before 1:00 pm so it ended up being $315 dollars. My partner in the process was Selda and she was AMAZING!!! Honestly she made the entire experience. She was respectful but funny and really helped me feel confident and lose my nervousness since it was my first time and I had no idea what to expect. They also gave me a full bar of their soap plus a Turkish towel in a cute bag. After the "wet" portion of the experience, before the oil massage upstairs, I sat in a nice little relaxing area and was brought some sherbet tea, water, and Turkish delight while I rested. Services i got: - Traditional full body scrubbing in the warmest quarter. - Organic Lavender Extract and Sea Salt Refreshing hand and foot peeling. - full body clay mask. - Relaxing bubble wash ritual on the warm marble stone. - Hair wash ritual with redbud scented shampoo. - Aromatherapy Massage with redbud scented oil in the private massage room. - Fresh and dried fruits to finish off the experience. Overall the entire experience took about 2.5 hours and left me feeling so refreshed.

Absolutely stunning! Hagia Sofia, I was not familiar with your game. It was so interesting to see…read morehow much Christian influence and history is here, which I had no idea about. Our ticketing and entrance process was smooth, though busy - expect lines if you don't go right away in the morning or near closing. Wear clothes that cover your shoulders, chest and knees - and a scarf for covering your head for ladies. They do have some there if you need one. The space is huge! Down on the main floor is just for practicing Muslims to pray, so the space accessible to guests in the higher area. They did have a few spots where you can get audio info, but it was pretty limited info and more of a description of what you're seeing. The ticket covered admission to the museum (not attached, another building) that was VERY helpful and informative! We did that second but wished we'd done it first. Such a stunning space with a ton of history. An absolute must in Istanbul!

This is an Orthodox Church that convert to mosque. This may be happen during Ottoman era in 1453…read more This history site is classified as museum and it is classified as Ayasofya Cami. You need a ticket to visit for non Muslim visitors. You can buy the combo ticket with Hagia Sophia museum or building visit along. Price is not cheap. The interior can spot some mosaic tile with orthodox figures. The ticket only allows second floor visit. The wall is kind of cover up with huge platt. You won't see the wall painting. However you can see how big is the dome. Visit take you one hours.

Personal Favorites: Hookah​ Style: Turkish…read moreAmbiance: It is a half-open​ half close historical place Service: Pretty awesome​ A lot of people sit very close to each other smoke hookah, drink tea and chill. There is not much place in the world that you can find this kind of place. Nobody judges you the way you look or speak or dress. You can find a lot of different​ type of people in this place. Traditional Turkish Coffee, tea, ​and hookah those are all you need to chill. If you want a souvenir​ that you can find a gift shop​ as well. The restroom​m​ is a little problem but you will survive. If you are visiting Istanbul this is a perfect spot to rest between Cemberli Tas and Blue Mosque. This place definitely​ something you need to experience it.

Besides being a historical spot it is a popular hookah spot. It is a authentic place and the prices…read moreare really good. Food? No. But soft drinks are served. The waiters can be annoying as they walk around all the time asking whether you would like something and the place can be a little overcrowded but overall it is worth visiting and enjoying a hookah/shisha/water pipe with some Turkish Tea/Coffee or Gazoz (Turkish Sprite). Best hookah in Istanbul? Definitely not. As a daily hookah smoker I would give them a 5/10.

Basilica Cistern is so stunning! I had NO idea what to expect, but had heard this was a must-see in…read moreIstanbul. LOCATION It has a prime location right in the square near Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. It's underground so you won't see much above ground/a huge building, but you'll see the line forming. PRICE Tickets are NOT cheap at around 30 euro, but for us, it was a highlight so was worth it. The line was quite scary, but it moved rather quickly! You can also buy skip the line tickets if you've got a busy day. HISTORY This is a large underground water resovoir with huge vaulted ceilings and hundreds of Roman-style columns. It still holds a bit of water inside, and learning about the history with the plaques onsite and the audioguide was seriously impressive! INSIDE It's just magnificent walking on the platforms through the space, admiring the sheer magnitude of the columns. They've done a great job of uplighting, and the lighting changes every few minutes to give different perspectives and ambiance. They also have some cool art installations here that add to the space! This is a photo op heaven, and we never felt crowded inside as there was plenty of walkway and you cover a lot of ground inside. A must do in IST!

Yelp Review 2025 #227:…read more The line here gets really wild! It wraps around the building and to neighboring businesses. The good thing is I got a skip-the-like ticket so, I zipped right in. From outside, it looks like a basic building but once you enter and take the stairs to go down to the cistern, it's like a different world and a different time. Cisterns like this were constructed hundreds of years ago to collect rainwater which can be used for cooking/ drinking or flushing the toilet. This one was built in 6th century. It has about 300+ marble columns. Keep an eye out for the more ornate columns and the 2 upside down Medusa heads. It's quite cool but slightly muggy down in the cistern. Be prepared to wait for clear shots as it is crowded and everyone wants to take pictures (some take hundreds of selfies). They did a good job with the lighting creating a dramatic effect. It costs under $25 for a tourist ticket and it's much cheaper for locals. I was able to finish my visit in 30 minutes. It's worth a visit.

You can't miss this passageway! There is a nice stained glass design above the entrance on…read moreIstaklal Street. Cool little arcade full of restaurants (a few shops too). I heard from a tour guide that Russian Emigres got permission to sell flowers in this arcade a hundred years ago or so. The word Çiçek means flower in Turkish. The restaurants are traditional meyhane, which is a Persian word which means something like 'wine house'. In short, there are pubs there. I found this on a tour with the fantastic guide by the name if Katerina. Check out the Culinary Backstreets Tour of Istanbul.

Our local tour guide (Safiye) took us down for a stroll on İstiklal Avenue, which is a well known…read moreshopping street in Istanbul. That included taking us inside St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church. In a City full of stunning mosques and sprinkling of Eastern Orthodox, visiting this Roman Catholic establishment kind of turned the tourist saying of "Oh Joy, another Church!" on its head. We found the interior to be very impressive and comforting. This is the largest church in Istanbul and has Italian pedigree, both in its founding and in its clergy today. Depending on the day of the week, one could attend Mass in either Turkish, English, or Italian. Pope John XXIII preached here for 10 years while he was the Vatican's ambassador to Turkey before being chosen as pope. He is known as "the Turkish Pope" because of his fluency in Turkish and his oft-expressed love for Turkey and Istanbul. Gayle and I were able to admire a statue of him installed within the church's courtyard. I also detected a bit of Byzantine/Eastern Orthodox influence within a few of the "Icons" inside the church. One was how the 3 fingers are put together to signify the Trinity, with the back 2 fingers following. And if we stuck around longer, my guess is that we might have seen people crossing themselves in either the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox mode.

Went here for Christmas Eve service - absolutely beautiful!! Decorated to the nines both inside…read moreand out. If you're around Taksim Square on Christmas Eve, stop by for a visit at least. If you want to stay for mass on Christmas Eve, come early. 45 minutes before the service and it was standing room only. Very diverse crowd!