Global Staci

Although this would be my third time visiting Istanbul, because it’s one of my favorite places I didn’t mind the two-night stopover offered by Turkish Airlines on my way home from Malaysia via Yogyakarta and Bali. Plus, it gave me a chance to deplane, decompress, and delight in this magical, ancient city. The airline does the hotel booking for you, all you have to do is arrive, get your visa and head to the pre-arranged hotel. You’re on the hook to get there and have to pay other expenses for your stay, but the accommodations, which included a lavish breakfast, are taken care of.

Since my time was short, I decided at the last minute to do a few things I’d never done. Three things in fact.

FIRST STOP: Basilica Cistern

This was my only full day in the city so I wanted to take advantage. After a long flight and a great night’s sleep I headed out to the underground Basilica Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. It’s located in the heart of the city near the Hagia Sofia.

[PRO TIP: My Uber driver dropped me close by and with the help of a navigation app on my phone, I found it. Looking a bit lost I suppose, I was approached a couple of times by young men offering to help, saying, “I’m not a tour guide. I just want to practice my English.” It’s best to ignore or politely refuse such offers.]

I simply purchased my ticket at the entrance and bought the audio guide so I would know what I was looking at. Once inside, prepare to be amazed. Built in the 6th century, the cistern once provided water filtration for the Great Palace and other buildings on the hill. For centuries it was all but forgotten when, in the 1980s, it underwent its first major restoration. A second more comprehensive restoration took place between 2020 and 2022, when new lighting was installed giving the environment its current incredible atmosphere.

It has been a movie set several times, including the James Bond thriller, From Russia with Love. There’s a metal grate that is built on top of the water so that you can walk around inside. The markings on the base of the 336 columns indicate who made them and tracked wages. Two of the most famous are the bases called the Medusa Heads.

SECOND STOP: The Grand Bazaar

Lucky for me I have a friend in Istanbul. He was my tour guide nine years ago and because we follow each other on Instagram, when I told him I’d be in town he offered to hang out. Plus, I got to see his new shop, a stone’s throw from the Grand Bazaar, thought to be one of the first shopping malls of the world. It’s one of the largest and now oldest covered markets in the world, spanning 61 streets with over 4,000 shops.

THIRD STOP: Cruising the Bosphorus

It was a picture-perfect blue-sky kind of a day, so we decided to head to the water. There are loads of cruises on the Bosphorus, just pick one, buy a ticket and hop on board. For about an hour, you can see both shorelines in an East Meets West tour of Istanbul. The Bosphorus Strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara forming one of the continental boundaries between Asia and Europe.

FOURTH STOP: A Stroll and Kebab

Finally working up an appetite, we wound our way through another section of the city to the second thing I’d not seen, the 4th century Roman aqueduct, which happened to be around the corner from the restaurant where my friend treated me to lunch. Turkish food is nothing short of divine. I think if I had to pick only one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life, it would be Turkish.

FIFTH STOP: A Room with a View

The third new experience of my third trip to the old Constantinople, was a modern one: a ride on the subway. For a few lira I was able to enjoy a mostly above the ground ride to the neighborhood where I started the day, ending with a final stroll to my perch on the water, the Polat Renaissance, compliments of Turkish Airlines.

TIME FOR ME TO FLY

After another restful sleep, I dined on the restaurant terrace overlooking the waterway I’d sailed the day before. After a delicious buffet breakfast where I took the opportunity to stuff myself full of the most delectable delights, and a dip in the immense outdoor pool, it was time to check out and head back the airport. Only one more flight and I’d be home.