Guest post: 55 hours in Istanbul (part II)

Day 2

I started my day by visiting the Grand Bazaar - the oldest covered market in the world. This is a great place for good bargains on jewelry, leather goods and other knick-knacks. Not very far from the Grand Bazaar is the spice bazaar, which is also an interesting place to visit for those who are into cooking. 

Istanbul is packed with small cafes on every road. To really get a feel of life in Istanbul, I decided to board a tram. It's cheap and easy way to travel around in. I took a tram from Grand Bazaar to Kabatas station. The Dolmabahce Palace is around 100 metres away from here. 

Dolmabahce Palace 

This is the first European-style palace in the city. Sultan Abdul Mecid 1 moved the court from the Topkapi Palace to this one in 1856. 

I am a sucker for palaces and this one greatly piqued my fairy-tale imagination and I absolutely wouldn't mind walking through the corridors of this palace in a big, frilly gown.

I had two really interesting experiences here. The first one was the guided tour of the harem section (kings private residence). You are not allowed to enter alone and most importantly you have to wear plastic booties over your shoes to make sure the carpets are not spoiled. 

The second one was bumping into a group of 30-odd school students who walked up to me and asked me in broken English if I would be okay taking a picture with them. I asked them why they were so interested in doing so. Their answer made me smile. The Turks are fascinated with the Indian look. They find us exceptionally beautiful plus it's rare for them to see a solo Indian female traveler.

While I couldn't stop admiring the beauty of the people in this city, they thought the same about us!

Taksim Square

I continued my trip with Taksim square which is around 600-700 metres away from the palace. This part of the city is more modern and commercial. It gives a glimpse of the everyday life here and it is also the starting station of the old tram system which rides up all the way to Tunel.

I hopped into one and took a slow descent to Galata tower. This 1.6 kms road to the tower has stores on both side of the road. It’s a good place to shop for big brands. Walking distance from the last station is the Galata Tower. 

Galata Tower

From the outside, Galata Tower isn't very impressive. I was unsure about spending 20 liras for a ticket to go up the tower but it was a good call. This should not be missed. The 360-degree view of the Bosphorus, Istanbul’s historic city, from the tower is breathtaking. Built in 1348, this tower now houses a restaurant at the top - a perfect setting for a romantic date.

After spending a good 40 minutes at the top of the tower, I decided to end my trip with some last-minute shopping. With just an hour left before I to report to the airport, I took the same tram back to Grand Bazaar. 

You absolutely cannot leave Istanbul without eating their famous dondurma. It’s the Turkish version of ice cream with a texture so thick, it doesn't melt easily. With my dondurma in one hand and packs of baklava and Turkish Delight in the other, I ran back to my hotel to find my ride to the airport waiting for me. My next visit to Istanbul will be longer for certain.

Read Day 1 of this trip

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About the author

Diksha Singh is an engineer in biotechnology but she is biding her time doing online marketing for a travel media house. She has the exuberance of the young, which is often catching. A self-confessed control freak and a foodie, this serial photo-clicker will endure even chilly winds to get a good selfie. You can write to her at happyhappyradio@gmail.com