Fantastic Carpet Museum, if you appreciate the long history of Turkey's textile heritage and…read morelegacy. We saw giant carpets that had been in Ayasofya, in addition to small jewel like rugs, all sizes. Very few visitors, cool and dark. A welcome respite from the summer heat and a lovely historical experience.

Incredible museum…read more This small museum near the Arasta Bazaar is dedicated solely to the recovered mosaics from the Byzantine period, unearthed at the site of the Great Palace of Constantinople. In 1935 during excavations at the Arasta Bazaar in Sultan Ahmet Square, it was discovered that this area was once part of the south-western Great Palace. The excavations discovered a large courtyard, with a surface of 1872 m², entirely decorated with mosaics. The museum is two levels. Downstairs are very large portions of the floor. Amazingly very intact. From the upper deck you can view down to the lower level, as well as see smaller portions of mosaics on the wall. It takes about a half hour. The notes are well documented in English for travelers. Amazing beauty. Incredible find.

This museum was a gem…read more Just off the bazaar behind the Blue Mosque you will find an impressive collection of mosaics. I don't know that we would have come here if it were not part of the Museum Pass. I'm glad we did. A few large rooms of hunting themed mosaics that you can pass through in about half an hour. Very neat.

Galatart...it s not easy to find the right words for it, but maybe "second home" fits best to…read moredescribe it. Water shapes and talks to you there...you can learn the traditional Turkish art "ebru" -paper marbling in a friendly and warm environment from very experienced and creative masters Ezgi Erol and Nesime Kantar, and if you d like, you can buy marbled clothes, candles, notebooks as well. It s also used as an art galerie and exhibition center. Anyway, i m just back from the atelier, and it feels like all my thoughts, worries dropped on water, sank and transform into beautiful art...

Quaint little art gallery close to the Blue Mosque. Lots of pieces from local artists. Owner…read moreis very nice and willing to negotiate, so don't be scared to haggle! That's the fun of shopping in Turkey. The worst they can say is no lol

Part of Rick Steve's "Walls and Neighborhoods" walking tour…read more(https://youtu.be/ggyMCuEy_qY?si=FoDpEA-7fnAgcFnh), I highly recommend his Travel Guide book on Istanbul. This museum might be a high point, both literally and figuratively. Even better in the off season in spite of the cold, well because of the cold, this place is deserted except for a handful of Turkish tourists. The museum is housed in the Palace of the Porphyrogenitus (Tekfur Sarayi) built into the city wall dating back to the 13th century Byzantine era. The museum is uniquely and beautifully worked into the palace, and the grounds serves up both spectacular views of the old City of Constantinople and also of the city wall. There's a small entrance fee which was well worth it. The very top is vertigo inducing if you have a fear of heights like me, just take your time and get up there to look around, you won't be disappointed. Unless you're the sort of person who is always disappointed in which case this will be yet another in an endless series of disappointments. You can also meet some nice cats.

Beautiful merchandise and lovely, charming store owner! This store carries very unique handmade…read morejewelry and gorgeous embroidered items! It's my favorite place to visit when I'm in Istanbul!

If you take the Bosporus cruise, you will see the Rumeli Hisarı Fortress on the European side…read more Don't miss visiting this fortress because there are great views and there is so much history in this place! In 1453, after a thousand years, the Byzantine Empire came to an end with the Fall of Constantinople. For the next 500 years the Ottoman Empire ruled the area. Rumeli Hisarı means 'Fortress in the land of the Romans.' It was built in 1452 by the order of the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II. You can take Bus 25E (Kabataş--Sarıyer) to reach the fortress. Get out at the Rumeli Hisarı stop.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in June, we got to Rumeli Hisari fortress. It was kind of an…read moreordeal, because the bus that normally heads there leaves from the still-blocked Taksim Square route, so we hopped in an expensive taxi, leaving me cranky. This is off the beaten path for sure, and that probably explains why so few people were visiting this COMPLETELY AMAZING FORTRESS. I understand there's a lot to see in Istanbul, but if you want an attraction that will leave you feeling like you've actually experienced a part of history, this is where you should go. Here are some great things about Rumeli Hisari. - It's at the narrowest point of the strait separating Europe and Asia, which means that it's situated in a beautiful part of Istanbul that most people don't go to. I liked the walk to and from the grounds better than the view at the Galata Tower. - It's 5 TL to get in. That's about US $2.50. To climb all over a 700-year-old fortress. - You get to climb all over it. No, seriously, you get to climb. ALL. over it. When you see the turrets and guard towers of the fortress, you will already be blown away by how cool-looking they are. Now imagine your surprise mixed with happiness and terror when you realize that there are a bunch of incredibly horrifying narrow stone steps with no guardrail or alterations of any kind, and you can take them all the way up to the turrets and towers at 3-4 different points in the grounds. I am not particularly scared of heights, but I'm still scared of general dying, so I made my boyfriend hold my hand on the way up the part that went near a deep hole I can only assume was a death pit. The view from the top is phenomenal and was worth my consternation. - You will not see anything else like it in Istanbul. I know it's not near your hotel in Sultanahmet. But go anyway, because you will thank yourself for being an adventurous soul who gets to see amazing historical things. A couple cautions, that didn't affect my review but might affect your experience: - Don't bring your children. The steps are really terrifying. - A downside of the hands-off approach is that while there's a short guide in English to the fortress, I would have loved more information about what different parts of the fortress were used for. Plaques and guiding signs are largely absent.

A neat little bookstore cafe rich in dusty dreams and delicious books. There is also beer on tap…read morein the back! Definitely not your typical used bookstore. The books are organized in eclectic way, which reminds me of how I would quickly clean my room as a kid. Here is the scenario. Mom, "You can't go out to play until you pick all your things off the floor and put them on shelves." Me, "Awe mom! Sheesh! These are NOT things. They are treasures. Matt is here and we need to go to the park! I can clean the floor in 5 minutes." ...and so I would take arm loads of staff and stack then willy-nilly on the shelves as fast as I could. THAT is what these bookshelves remind me of. Ah, but there are treasures here. Come. Have a look. Out