Istanbul; A Turkish Delight!
This was my second time visiting Istanbul, and it really is a city you should put on your “must visit list”. It certainly is one of the world’s largest cities, with a population of over 13.9 million. Even though it is so populated, it never seemed crowded. It is a very modern city, which I suppose surprised me a little and I was very impressed with all the high street shops that you would expect to see in cities such as Dublin or London. All shops and restaurants will accept either Turkish lira or Euros.
On arrival into Istanbul we transferred to our hotel, the city centre is approx. 15 minutes away, depending on traffic. We stayed in the beautiful 4* Konak hotel. It is like a boutique hotel, except a little larger but it was in a central location.
After breakfast on our second day we proceeded to walk to the old city. It is a huge city with a lot of cobbles streets, so definitely comfortable walking shoes would be essential. We visited the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia Mosque, which was my favourite, the ancient hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar. The grand bazaar was first established in 1461, and still going strong; a word of warning though, be careful you don’t get lost. It is a covered bazaar and it’s like a maze, most of the shops look the same and it would be so easy to get lost. Oh and don’t forget to haggle a little, they expect it!
We also had time to shop in the Spice Market. This is known locally as the Egyptian Bazaar, dating as far back at 1660. This is great as you can buy as much as you want and they will vacuum pack it for you, which is great to get it home. I think I bought the entire market, loved it.
Overall, we had a fantastic time here. The people are warm and friendly. The shopping is fantastic, you will definitely pick up a bargain or two, and the sights are amazing.