I had the chance to travel to Turkey in October 2021. Turkey was the last country in our 3 country trip! I had no expectations for Istanbul, however, we ended up having an amazing time! We had things we wanted to see in Istanbul, but didn’t have any concrete plans. This made for a fun time wandering and experiencing things we didn’t initially plan to do.
Here is my list for what to do in Istanbul with just 48 hours:
Stay at the Hagia Sophia Mansions
The Hagia Sophia Mansions are a Hilton property and is centrally located to everything! We originally booked a standard room, but upon arrival they upsold us to a suite. This was 16 days into our trip that had been mainly on the go, so we took the opportunity to stay in a very nice room with an amazing bed. The mansions are broken up in to two sections: the first area is on one side of the Hagia Sophia and the mansions are over on the backside of the mosque.
It was so nice to be able to listen in the early mornings to the prayers coming from both the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.
Smoke shisha at Harab’be Cafe
This was by far my favorite spot we went to. We liked it so much, we went here 2 nights in a row. Harab’be Cafe is a shisha bar. If you don’t know what shisha is, it is smoking tobacco through a bowl with a hose or tube joined on. I don’t normally smoke anything, however, I love shisha. I smoked shisha a few times when I was in my early 20’s, so I was super excited to do something nostalgic.
They have a ton of different shisha flavors to choose from as well as a great menu of food.
What to order: “Billioner” shisha – watermelon, mint, grape
Check out the Blue Mosque
When we visited in October 2021, the Blue Mosque interior was under renovation. When you got inside, you couldn’t really see any of the ceiling details. We didn’t spend much time here, but if the construction is done, be sure to visit! The site is free to visit.
Tip: For ladies, be sure to bring a head cover and cover your knees and shoulders. You will also remove your shoes, so bring shoes that are easy to take on/off.
Wander through Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia was amazing. The amount of detail that are inside are breathtaking. Hagia Sophia is free to visit. You will notice there is a section in the front that can only be accessed by men.
Tip: For ladies, be sure to bring a head cover and cover your knees and shoulders. You will also remove your shoes, so bring shoes that are easy to take on/off.
Get amazing views at Seven Hills Restaurant
This is the restaurant that influencers frequent. The rooftop has amazing views of both Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. We made reservations to sit on the top to have those views, but quickly learned that they block of half of the roof for people to take photos. We were sitting right on the rail that separated the space and people who were taking photos were holding up food so they could get seagulls in their photos. By them doing that, we had birds flying very low over our food. If you are going to visit here, just go to the roof and take your photos, but eat inside.
Grab drinks at Sarnic Fine Dining Restaurant
This may be the most beautiful restaurant I have been to. Sarnic is a part of the Hagia Sophia Mansions.
A 1500-year-old cistern…Exquisite tastes of Byzantine, Ottoman and modern cuisine…Delicious cocktails from each other…Located in a thousand-year-old cistern in Soğukçeşme Street, one of the most special streets of Istanbul, The Cistern Restaurant invites you to experience a magical environment accompanied by exquisite delicacies.
We went here for after dinner drinks and dessert and it was great. I definitely recommend making reservations.
Eat dinner at Roof Mezza 360
The owners at the Harab’be Cafe called ahead and got us a table here last minute! When we arrived, they had a table waiting for us (in a very packed restaurant) and we ended up having an amazing meal. Side note, this was for my birthday and they even came out with a dessert and the restaurant sang. It was dark when we were there, but during the day I am sure the views are amazing.
What to order: Appetizer plate, beef skewer
Get lost in the Grand Bazaar
If you love shopping, you truly could spend hours in the Grand Bazaar. The bazaar is filled with endless rows of retail shops including: jackets, purses, shoes, belts, turkish delights, and more! I honestly can’t even tell you where we visited because of how many shops there are and you will simply never find the shop! Most of the items in the Grand Bazaar are knock off designer items, so come with an idea of what you want and be ready to haggle.
Get ice cream from one of the vendors on the street
You can’t get ice cream from just ANY ice cream stand. There are vendors that make you work for your ice cream. We visited this particular one a few times for a good launch.
Get brunch at Barnathan Cafe and Brasserie
If you want a great breakfast with a view of the Galata tower, then head to Barnathan Cafe for the best spread. We got the Turkish Breakfast and it was more than enough to share between 2 people.
Check out the Galata Tower
We didn’t have the time, but if you do, make sure to walk to the top of the Galata Tower for some amazing views of Istanbul!
Walk Umbrella Street
Just a 10-15 minute walk from Galata Tower is the Umbrella Street. It is a cute street lined with sidewalks and covered with umbrellas overhead.
Visit the Dolmabahçe Palace
I wish we would have pre-purchased tickets to go inside as the line ended up being super long when we got there. However, I highly recommend you go inside. There are great reviews online and just look at how beautiful the exterior is.
Take a ride on the Bosporus
The Bosporus is the main waterway in Istanbul. There are a ton of water taxis you can take to various spots in Istanbul. We opted to take a private boat up the Bosporus to get lunch at a spot with views (that we weren’t that impressed with).
Have you been to Istanbul? What should I check out the next time I visit?
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