My 4 Days of Turkey Adventure

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If you ask any travel buff about their favorite destination to explore, I bet my odds in favor of Turkey to be at the top of the mind. If you look at the map, you can see Turkey is a land that connects Europe with Asia. This is a land which has seen wars, migrations, civilizations, worldwide trade, etc from ancient times to this date. Thus, a journey through Turkey is a walk to the past.




This a country special for its diversity, mountains, beaches, plain lands, history, culture, art, sports, etc. Rarely you will such a mix of factors in front of your eyes by traveling a few miles. In this guide, I am going to talk about my entire journey through Turkey.




How to get into Turkey? Since it is a favorite tourist spot, getting a VISA is not a big deal. Try to book the flights as early as possible. You can always check for offers from Travel agents nearby you. I got a very affordable Turkey tour package from Dubai since I stay in UAE, they had a festive offer which promised tourist packages at affordable rates. I grabbed it at the right time making things easy for me.




Day 1: Arrival at Istanbul airport. Things were easy since the tour agent had arranged traveling in a comfortable bus. We decided to stay in an area close to the Sultanahmet area, also known as Old Istanbul. The advantage is that many attractive spots are nearby and you can get a very good view of the Bosphorus strait nearby. We explored both the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia that day. The blue mosque is the largest as well as the oldest functioning mosque in Turkey, unique for its beautiful architecture. Hagia Sophia is one of the most iconic historical monuments in Istanbul. It was used as a church initially around 6th-century, it was converted into a mosque in 1453 and now it acts as a museum.




Day 2: Started the day by visiting Sultanahmet Square, the remains of an ancient Hippodrome. The Hippodrome was a 4th-century monument that was a venue for chariot and gladiator sports. This spot is near to Hagia Sophia. From there we went to Topkapi Palace, once home to the sultan ottomans who ruled Turkey for centuries. It is now a museum. You can find the belongings of sultans here. As the last stop for the day, we visited the Grand Bazaar, you will get the authentic Turkish experience here. The market is one of the oldest in the world. Food, vegetables, ceramics, lanterns, jewelry, silks, etc are the main selling items here.




Day 3: Started the day by exploring Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahçe Palace, and the Galata Tower. The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica, is one of the largest ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. Dolmabahçe Palace was the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922. One of Istanbul's most fascinating and iconic monuments, Galata Tower is where Hezarfen Ahmed Celebi flew from. We then went for the Bosphorus Cruise, the best way to take a glance at the city of Istanbul. After the cruise, we went straight to Galata Bridge, the best place for viewing the evening sunset. The specialty of the bridge is that it is a two-tiered bridge that connects old Istanbul to the new town.





Day 4: We went to the new town and decided to stay in Taksim Square, which is called as modern Istanbul. It is a busier area which is more crowded and active with a lot of options for eating out and nightlife. We explored this place for the whole day for shopping, eating etc. We had delightful Turkish tea at a rooftop cafe. We also took a ride in a tram to explore the city, the journey ends at Tünel Square. We did the shopping at Istiklal Street, the long, elegant, pedestrian, shopping street which is illuminated by lights and the active walking people.

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