If you like food, culture and architecture (and who doesn’t?!) then you ll love a trip to Istanbul, Turkey.
A must-visit for our South African travellers, Istanbul has been featured in the bloggers’ top destinations 2015.
You can find direct flights to Istanbul from Johannesburg and Cape Town; just remember to apply for your Turkish visa online (it’s free for South Africans – yay!).
We’ve put together a list of the 10 ultimate things to do in Istanbul. Tick these off and you’re guaranteed a fantastic trip!
Explore the Old City
It’s a treasure trove of stunning, historical buildings like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern.
Blue mosque, Istanbul #travel #turkey #bluemosque #outdoors
A photo posted by Ashish Deshmukh (@aadeshmukh) on
Sultanahmet Camii Istanbul Tuekry #istanbul #amazing #amazingturkey #beautiful #mosque #Sultanahmetcamii #bluemosque A photo posted by MiLA (@3la) on
Hagia Sophia, Church of the Holy Wisdom #hagiasophia #ayasofya #istanbul #turkey
A photo posted by Austin Lam (@austinlam) on
#ayasofya#hagiasophia#sultanahmet#oldcity#istanbul A photo posted by Ibrahim Demir (@istanbul_time) on
A photo posted by Katerina Paitazoglou (@katpaitaz) on
Medusa … a fearsome gorgon in Greek mythology … impotent in reality … in the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul … A photo posted by Ivan McPhee Photography (@ivanmcphee) on
Try Iskender Kebab
You won’t be lacking for a good kebab in Istanbul, but the Iskender variety is special. It’s chopped up pita bread soaked in tomato sauce, baked, then topped with juicy, buttery lamb meat and a dollop of yogurt. Kasap Osman serves the best one in the city.
#kasapOsman #FoodPorn #epicmealtime #Iskender #kebab #Istanbul #Doner #DonerKebab
A photo posted by Dave Göödship (@david_goodship) on
Visit Topkapi Palace
Plan to spend the day, but if you must rush it, the highlights are the harem and the treasury.
Palacio Topkapi A photo posted by Antonio Marquez (@fiju) on
#bestofcity #topkapi #palace #fsfotog
A photo posted by Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet (@fssultanahmet) on
Topkapi harem. #topkapi #topkapipalace #harem #istanbul #türkiye #ottoman #sultan #constantinople #awww A photo posted by Caroline (@odyss_c) on
A photo posted by Gabriella Papale (@gabriellapapale) on
Spend an Afternoon at the Grand Bazaar
From jewelry to pottery, everything’s ripe for buying, but the real take-home experience is in the visual stimulation.
#KapalıÇarşı #GrandBazaar #Beyazıt #Eminönü #İstanbul #Türkiye #Turkey #iPhone6 A photo posted by Emre Teker (@teker_emre) on
A photo posted by crosado (@crosado) on
#GrandBazaar – #Istanbul’s one of the #largest and #oldest covered #markets in the #world, with 61 covered #streets and over 3.000 #shops which attract between 250.000-400.000 #visitors #daily .. A photo posted by Istanbul Turkey (@istanbulnotes) on
A photo posted by Selcuk (@selcukram) on
Check out Taksim Square
It’s a big square and popular meeting point–walking down it leads to the Beyoglu which is closed to all motorized traffic, save for the cutest little tram that you can ride.
#taksimsquare A photo posted by Didem Yesil (@didolores) on
Ride on the Bosphorous Ferry
It’s a beautiful boat ride along the river with stunning views–best done at sunset.
Bosphorous #Bosphorous #bridge #amazing #view #traveling #abroad #lovemyjob #lovemylife
A photo posted by Zoriana Vladimirovna Buniak (@mszoriana) on
#takemeback #istanbul #bosphorouscruise A photo posted by @ratna_mokhtar on
A photo posted by عمر اميرزاده (@omia91) on
#Istanbul #turkey #skyline #sundown #mosque #Bosphorous #magic #waterside #galatabridge A photo posted by Nicola Green (@mi55nicola) on
Indulge in Turkish Desserts
Turkish delight, of course, and baklava and kadayif, too. Don’t miss Turkish ice cream, dondurma, it’s especially interesting due to its slightly tough and sticky texture.
Istanbul, Turkey. #egyptianmarket #bazaar #spice #spicemarket #fruits #loukoum #istanbul #turkey
A photo posted by Eva (@frenchylove2travel) on
Turkish delight #turkishdelight#dessert#instafood#delicious#istanbul#turkey#türkei#beyoglu#bosporus#amazing#supreme#oodt#picoftheday#egyptianmarket#metropolitan#citylife#instacollage#instagood#awesome#deluxe#nyfw#hotstufff#love#germany#lifeisfantastic#goodlife#sunrise#romance#love#sweets#food#awesome#goodlife A photo posted by Franziska Schalamon (@franzi_sophiee) on
Relax at a Hamam
The beloved Turkish bath houses feel heavenly after a long day (or many days) of sightseeing.
A photo posted by İhsan Ateş (@ihsanates_) on
This is where jolly Turkish Bane broke me in half. And I loved it. #CagalogluHamam #CağaloğluHamamı #Hamamı #Hamam #1741 #TurkishBath #Istanbul A photo posted by Salman Ali Khan (@dalenixon) on
Sign up for a food tour
Istanbul Eats is a culinary tour that prides itself on taking you to little known local eateries.
Climb the Galata Tower
For an extraordinary panoramic view of the city get high up in this nine-story medieval stone tower.
#istanbul #galatatower #holiday #travelling #instagood #instatravelling A photo posted by @rumpumbo on
A photo posted by Ahmet Haydar Birinci (@ahmbirinci) on
Old age charm. ( No clue why instagram decided to compress the quality and make it look bad ) A photo posted by Pratik K (@dynamo_17) on
Featured image by Matthias Rhomberg
