I wasn't looking for a firefighting museum in Istanbul, but İBB İtfaiye Müzesi turned out to be a surprisingly interesting piece of the city's history - and admission is free.

I actually got a bit of sensory overload from all the cats. But at the same time, the Cat Museum in Beşiktaş is one of those places in Istanbul where it’s hard not to get carried away. Two floors packed with retro toys, comics, collectibles, and cats from pop culture—and to top it off, admission is completely free.

Istanbul does not always deliver the weather that was in the travel plans. Fortunately, there are quite a few things to do in the city where it does not matter too much whether the sun is shining or the rain is falling.

With more than 3,000 mosques, Istanbul offers far more than the famous Blue Mosque. Some began life as Byzantine churches, while others were built by powerful sultans and grand viziers during the Ottoman Empire. Together, they tell the remarkable story of a city shaped by two great civilizations. Here are eight must-see mosques that I believe every visitor should experience.

Can you wear shorts in Istanbul, Turkey? Do women need to wear a headscarf? And what should you wear when visiting a mosque?