Backpacking in Istanbul, Turkey

So actually getting the chance to go backpacking in Istanbul was quite a feat. Since getting a cab to the Madrid airport would have been too expensive from where I was in the city and with the metro shutting down around midnight, I left for the airport around 11pm although my flight didn’t leave until 7am. Looks like another fun night in the airport!

View from my hostel overlooking the Bosphorus Strait

After my connection in London and finally arriving in Istanbul around 6pm, I was tired but still quite excited as Istanbul was a lot to take in and quite different from anything I’d experienced so far. The city itself is absolutely enormous and is made up of about 17 million people. It dates back to the 2^nd century AD during the Roman Empire and the Bosphorus Strait divides the city between its Asian side and its European side and connects the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea.

I had heard a lot about the city before getting here but didn’t realize just how much history this place held until actually backpacking in Istanbul. I stayed in the Sultanahmet district which is considered the heart of Old Istanbul and is on the European side of the city. Sultanahmet holds the city’s most famous sites such as the Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and the Topkapi Palace among many others. I’d say you could even go sailing around Turkey such as in Peloponnese to get a different perspective on its history but I don’t think I’m going to have the time or the money in my backpacking budget.

The Aya Sofya, dating all the way back to AD 537 when it was completed, was the most impressive sight I had visited while in Istanbul.

The Aya Sofya

The church was designed by a Roman Emperor and its dome is supported by 40 massive ribs that are supported by hidden columns within the interior walls.  So when you’re standing in the middle of it, it gives the impression the ceiling is not supported and could collapse at any moment. Once again, my photos don’t really give it justice but it was too impressive not to post some of them.

View standing in back of the Aya Sofya

Directly across from the Aya Sofya is the Blue Mosque. Although not near as old (completed in 1616) it is nonetheless as impressive as its neighbor the Aya Sofya.

Panoramic of the Courtyard

Often when you see photos of Istanbul, it is often these two monuments that are shot with the minarets that shoot skyward. Nothing of the Blue Mosque’s exterior is actually blue though the interior is made up of blue tiled walls and a painted dome.

Blue Mosque at night

Unlike the Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque is still an active mosque used daily so when entering it, you must remove your shoes and women must where clothing that covers their head and legs. As a prime example, my friend Ute shown to the right wasn’t expecting this but took it quite well. All part of the fun of backpacking in Istanbul right?!

The Grand Bazaar is another famous sight within Istanbul and not something to pass up even if you don’t want to do any shopping. It’s a covered market of sorts but is more like a labyrinthine and it dates back to the medieval times. Either way, it’s a must see. You can find just about anything within its walls being sold and just like all malls, its very easy to get lost within it!

Getting lost in the Grand Bazaar

One of the lasts sights I saw during my trip was the Topkapi Palace. It was built in 1453 and Ottoman sultans lived within its walls until the 19^th century. Its made up of four courtyards and other buildings that include pavilions, a treasury, barracks and the ‘harem’ where the women the kept.

Entrance into the Topkapi Palace

Within the Palace walls

On another day there, I took a ferry ride to a area within Istanbul called Harem which is located on the Asian side.  Its hard to believe you could eat lunch in Europe, hop on a boat and watch the sun set standing in Asia and then make it back to the European continent for dinner. Only in Istanbul I guess…

Just twenty minutes to Asia (even less than my previous ferry to Africa)

Sunset from Asian side looking over the Sultanahmet district

While I was here, I also met a couple friends in one of the neighboring hostels and it just so happened one had a local friend in Istanbul that ended up taking us around to some areas off the ‘tourist track’ which always makes for a more authentic experience. We started at a local cafe with some Turkish coffee which I must say is the strongest coffee I’ve ever had.

Insanely strong Turkish Coffee

Its like two espressos in one cup. You must try one if you go! We then took what I like to call an ‘open-air’ train to the port. Called so because they ride with the doors wide open… From there we took a ferry over to Asia and hiked through a small town and a park up on the hillside. Then, we were told we going to a ‘special’ place. Having not really known what was implied by that, about an hour later by bus I found myself hiking to the top of a hill. About thirty minutes later, I found myself on top of this mountain overlooking all of Istanbul with 360 degree views. It was quite amazing to say the least.

View overlooking Istanbul

Unfortunately, because the view we had was so many miles out, it was a bit hazy in the photos I was able to take as you can see. After that we headed just a bit more up the hill and ate lunch at a restaurant that seemed to come out of nowhere. Needless to say, between the four of us there, my other two friends and I were definitely getting some stares as we were definitely the only three tourists around. You definitely wouldn’t find this place in any Lonely Planet or Rick Steve’s guidebook!

The Turkish ‘loaded’ baked potato…Where you at Idaho!

On my last day in Istanbul, there was still a couple sites still left to see. The first was the Galata Tower which sits on top of the overlooking the Sultanahmet district. It offers up some amazing views of the city.

An overlook from the Galata Tower

From there, I headed down the street to Taksim Square to see what all the fuss was about regarding this place.  Situated in the heart of ‘Modern’ Istanbul, its another must see while visiting.

En route to Taksim Square

By day, this strip is comprised of restaurants, hotels and shopping and by nightfall, it makes up the majority of all the bars and clubs in that section of the city.

All in all, my experience here was amazing and would definitely recommend anyone to visit this city. Some of the things I will always remember

It said ‘Orange Fanta’ on the menu…..

from this city though are kebab shops around every corner, the fact that all the mosques make a call to prayer over loud speakers 5 times a day (starts around 4:30 AM and will definitely wake you up), the beauty of the sunsets over the water with the city in the backdrop and the fact that there are literally thousands of stray cats everywhere.  No seriously, they are everywhere.

Look, here’s another one….