A Sprout Sashays Around Istanbul
By Shelley Banks
It had been ten years since our last visit, but as soon as we sailed into the Bosphorus Strait aboard our cruise ship everything felt instantly familiar. Istanbul is a captivating blend of history and modernity, renowned for its breathtaking architecture—most notably the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque—as well as its lively markets, including the Grand Bazaar.
Uniquely, Istanbul is the only major city in the world that straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, divided by the Bosphorus Strait. The European side is home to most of the city’s historic landmarks, commercial centres, and cultural hubs, while the Asian (Anatolian) side offers quieter residential neighbourhoods, scenic coastlines, and a more traditional charm.
Founded in 657 BC, Istanbul was once known as Constantinople, serving as the capital of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Over centuries, it has been shaped by great civilisations, including the Romans and Greeks, becoming—both physically and culturally—a bridge between Europe and Asia.
With only a day to spend in this remarkable city, we focused our time in Sultanahmet on the European side. Having explored more widely on our previous visit, we returned to our favourite highlights: the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and Spice Bazaar—while leaving room for a memorable meal and a sweet treat.
Stepping inside the Blue Mosque, it’s immediately clear how it earned its name: thousands of blue tiles line the interior walls. Built between 1609 and 1616, it remains an active place of worship. Throughout Sultanahmet, the call to prayer echoes from its minarets, creating a distinct atmosphere. By night, the mosque’s domes and exterior glow softly in blue light, making it one of the city’s most striking sights.
A short walk across the square brings you to the Hagia Sophia—my personal highlight. Originally constructed in 537 AD as a church, it was converted into a mosque in 1453 and later became a museum in 1935. Its immense history is palpable: walking along its ancient ramps, it’s hard to imagine the centuries of emperors, sultans, and worshippers who have passed through. Mosaics dating back to the 9th century still adorn the walls, and every turn reveals another layer of its extraordinary past.
For lunch, we returned to a favourite dish from our previous trip: testi kebab. Prepared in a sealed clay pot, it combines meat (we chose lamb), vegetables, and spices, slow-cooked to lock in flavour. The experience is as memorable as the taste—the waiter dramatically slices open the pot at your table with a large knife in one swift motion.
Dessert was dondurma, traditional Turkish ice cream. Sold by street vendors, it’s known as much for its chewy texture as for the playful performances that accompany it. Vendors tease customers with clever tricks—offering the cone, only to whisk it away at the last moment—entertaining both those buying and those watching.
To walk off the kebab and the ice cream, we headed for the Grand Bazaar. Built in 1461 it’s home to around 4,000 shops spread across an area equivalent to 60 city blocks. It’s easy to lose your way inside, and even harder to find your way out again. Wandering through its maze-like alleys, we admired the architecture and chatted with shopkeepers, though we quickly noticed, the same as last time, many stalls selling similar goods at tourist-inflated prices. Still, I couldn’t resist buying some pashminas to add to my ever-growing collection, just to say I’d shopped in a place with such a long history.
Not far away, the Spice Bazaar offers a different but equally vibrant experience. Historically a hub for spices arriving via trade routes from Asia and the Middle East, it once specialised almost exclusively in these goods. Today, its shops display colourful arrays of Turkish delight, teas, dried fruits, nuts, saffron, and spice blends, none of which we could take with us as those items weren’t allowed on the ship (and with all our meals provided, we didn’t need to cook so therefore, didn’t need any spices).
Everywhere you walk in Istanbul, you can feel its energy. The people we met were warm, welcoming, and always willing to help.
As Napoléon Bonaparte once said, “If the world were only one country, Istanbul would be its capital.”
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