How to spend 24 Hours in Istanbul

Ever found yourself having booked a return ticket for the wrong date, only to discover it the night before you’re supposed to return home? That’s exactly what happened to me after a lovely 10 day journey from Berlin to Vienna via Prague. 

While packing my bag the day before departure, I figured a quick double check of when my flight was the next day was in order. While the time of day was correct, my flight was in fact not due to leave for another week! After the initial spurt of panic, I looked to see if I could book another flight for London the next day, but as is often the case with such prompt flights, the cost was not negligible. As it turned out however, it was possible to book a flight to London from Vienna, via Istanbul for less than I had been willing to pay for a direct flight. The catch, or bonus rather, was close to a 24 hour layover in the ancient capital. 

Photo by Hussein Himmati on Unsplash

What ensued was a bit of an experiment. How much of a giant historical capital can you see in 24 hours without completely wearing yourself out? Is it even worth it? The short answer is absolutely yes. 

What follows are the sights and destinations I managed to visit in my short time in Istanbul. Thankfully everything in the historical centre is more or less walking distance, and besides, in such a beautiful place I much prefer walking around to take it all in anyway.

The Souk and the Grand Bazaar 

My first stop after dropping my backpack off at the hotel (Hotel Edibe Sultan) was the famous Grand Bazaar. This bustling market place is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Covering an immense area of 30,700 square meters, the origins of the market can be traced back to shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, and was intended to stimulate the economy of what already then was a metropolis. 

Situated in the District of Faith, a short walk from my hotel, this seemed the best place to dive into it all, and start the day with a proper Turkish coffee in one of the many small cafes tucked away under the arches of the market.

Famous, amongst other things, for setting the stage for James Bond's dramatic chase scene in Skyfall, the Bazaar gets around 250,000 to 400,000 daily visitors. Though it doesn't share the same sense of controlled chaos which say the Souk in Marrakech (Morocco) can offer, it is a place full of life and a must see when in town.

The Grand Bazaar is open Monday through Saturday from 09:00 to 19:00, with the exception of public holidays.

Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia was for me, as I believe it is for many visiting Istanbul, the main attractions. Steeped in history, it dominates the skyline of the historical town, with its enormous dome and imposing spires.

One of the most famous historical buildings in the world, it started out life in 360 AD as a Greek Orthodox church, was converted into a Catholic cathedral during the fourth crusade in 1204, went back to being an Eastern Orthodox church following the restoration of the Byzantine empire in 1261. After the fall of Constantinople to the ottomans in 1453, the building was converted into a Mosque by Mehmed the Conqueror and has remained as such up until 1931, when the mosque closed for the public. In 1935, it reopened as a Museum under the new secular Republic of Turkey, though it was converted back to a Mosque in July 10th 2020.

It remains open to non-muslim visitors however and is a truly phenomenal place for the history buff and the casual tourist alike. A personal favourite of mine are the runic inscriptions that can be found on a parapet on the top floor of the southern gallery, which are interpreted to read "Halfdan carved these runes". Though I'd consider anyone carving something equivalent into an historic monument today uncultured barbarians, this inscription really goes to show how much of a pull this metropolis has had on travellers for thousands of years, connecting Europe and Asia. One can only wonder at how it must have been as a viking, presumably from a relatively humble part of Scandinavia, exploring what already by 1,000 AD was a city with 300-400,000 inhabitants.

A huge amount can be written about this place, but I'll keep it short. Suffice to say, this place is a must see.

Being a mosque, some decorum is required. The mosque is open to all visitors, Muslim and Non-Muslim alike and women should wear a head covering when entering the building. Headscarves are available at the entrance without a fee. Shoes should be taken off prior to walking on the mosque's carpets and socks or feet covers should be worn.

The mosque is open all days of the week, though I can recommend avoiding visiting during prayer times (5 times a day) as access will be limited, particularly during noon prayers on Fridays.

Basilica Cistern

Situated more or less across the road from the Hagia Sophia (about 150 metres), the Basilica Cistern is the largest of the hundreds of ancient cisterns that can be found under the city of Istanbul, and was the logical next stop on my rather hasty itinerary. These cisterns provided the filtered fresh water to the ancient city. This, by far the most grand example, was called the Basilica cistern because it is located underneath what used to be a large Basilica built by the Romans in the 3rd century. 

Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash

It was designed to service the nearby Great Palace and the surrounding buildings with fresh water. It was closed as Byzantine emperors moved away from the Great Palace, and temporarily forgotten by local authorities some time before the conquest of the city. It wasn't until 1545 that the cisterns were rediscovered, though it quickly became a dumping ground for all sorts of refuse, as well as the occasional corpse. It wasn't until 1987 in fact that the cisterns were fully cleaned out and opened for the public, and boy should we be glad it was. Now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul, the underground wooden pathways allow visitors to delve into what almost seems like a different world, with the dim light aimed at the base of many of its 336 columns reflecting mysteriously in the shallow waters below.

As many other places in this famed town, the Basilica Cistern has been the location for many blockbuster movies, notably the 1963 James Bond classic, From Russia with Love, and the 2016 film adaptation of Dan Brown's Inferno starring Tom Hanks. 

At the time of writing, the entrance fee is 300 Turkish Lira and the destination is not included in the Istanbul Museum Pass. Opening hours are 09:00 to 19:00 every day of the week.

Galata Tower

After a brief adjustment to the bright sunlight at street level, the next stop on my list was the Galata Tower. Originally a watchtower and the highest point of the lost Walls of Galata, this tower offers some of the best views of the Golden Horn and Seraglio Point in the City. Built as part of a Genoese colony in 1267, the nine story tower is 62.59 meters tall and was once the highest building in the city.

Making my way on foot from the Basilica Cisterns to the tower takes about 35 minutes, not counting a brief stop on the Galata side of Galata Bridge for a small beer and a sandwich. The road there is pleasant, and walking across the bridge, you'll pass countless fishermen trying their luck in murky, storied waters below.

The last walk up to the Tower itself is rather steep, but all in all not too arduous, and knowing what's in store at the top, well worth the effort even in the hot sun. A double queue should be expected once you reach the tower, once for the ticket, and once more for ticket validation and entry. The hassle of this can be mitigated however by aiming for slightly off peak hours. While sunsets as seen from the top will be spectacular, you can bet you're not the only one with the same idea. Frankly the views are spectacular regardless of the time of day you visit, so especially if you're on a bit of a tight schedule i'd recommend going earlier in the day. The tower itself has a lift installed so access to the top is easy enough.

For me, what makes the view from the top even better is imagining what it must have been like for the genoese merchants and watchmen during the final days of the siege of Constantinople, gazing out across the waters as the Ottoman empire made its final push to take the city. 

For a very entertaining book on the conquest itself I can wholeheartedly recommend Roger Crowley's Constantinople.

Entry to the tower costs 175 Turkish Lira.

The Blue Mosque / Sultanahmet Mosque

Having slowly made my way back across to Sultanahmet, my next stop, and the last big checkbox I wanted to tick off during my brief stay, was the famous blue mosque. Called as such for the wonderful use of blue tiles on the upper levels of the mosque, this architectural masterpiece features six imposing spires and a series of grand domes, making it a worthy sibling of the nearby Hagia Sophia.

Photo by Fatih Yürür on Unsplash

To my dismay however the mosque itself was closed for a brief spell of renovation when I visited, so I had to contend myself with a walk around the outside of it.

However, in general, the same rules apply as to the Hagia Sophia. Shoes are not to be worn inside, so these have to be taken off and placed in freely provided plastic bags by the entrance. Women must wear head covers and are also available at the entrance free of charge. The mosque is closed for half an hour for each of the 5 daily prayers, so it is best to look up when these are due and plan accordingly.

Conclusions

Now, slight disappointment aside, I felt like I had managed to cover enough of what I had hoped to see, and done so in a manner that didn't leave me utterly exhausted. What I wanted to do next was enjoy a great meal, have a beer and enjoy the book I had brought and take in the atmosphere of this amazing city. I honestly feel like I have just scratched the surface, and that spending a week or two is called for, travelling across to the Asian side, and generally outside of the highly touristy Sultanahmet area. For a 24 hour layover however, it was truly amazing, and as I was prepping my backpack for departure the next day I could honestly say I had no regrets.

While not booking the wrong return ticket from a trip is always the best option, I've got to say, this unexpected layover worked out better than I could have hoped, and I cannot wait to go back for a longer stay.