You can experience Istanbul for free by visiting historic sites like the city walls and columns, stepping into mosques, exploring bazaars, visiting churches and art spaces, and moving around the city with an Istanbulkart. Many of the city’s most important experiences don’t require an entrance fee - just time and curiosity. I’ve put together a small guide to places and experiences where you can explore Istanbul’s history and culture without feeling like you’re constantly being

The first time you look at a map of Istanbul, it can feel a bit overwhelming. A city of more than 16 million people, spread across two continents, with a transport system of metros, trams, buses and ferries crossing in every direction. If you like what you read, please consider supporting me with a ' virtual cup of coffee ' Skip-the-Line Tickets in Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Basilica Cistern & More But quite quickly, you realise something: It actually works surprisingly

In Istanbul, they are hard to miss - the black headbands and the white nose bandages. At the airport. In museums. On the metro. Even in the blazing sun while standing in line for the Basilica Cistern. If you find the blog useful, please consider supporting with a 'virtual cup of coffee': When I first moved to Istanbul, I honestly thought for a brief moment that it was some kind of cult thing. The headband, the small cuts in the scalp, the whole look. A friend of mine nearly d

Istanbul is a huge city - and if you plan to move around it, you will quickly get to know the Istanbulkart, the city’s public transport card. Metro lines, trams, buses and ferries tie Istanbul together in all directions - and once you’ve cracked the code, getting around is both easy and surprisingly inexpensive. In this post I’ll show you how to get hold of an Istanbulkart, what other payment options exist, and what it currently costs to use public transport in the city. If y

There is a lot to see in Istanbul. But there are also a lot of queues. It’s not unusual to spend half an hour - sometimes even a full hour - just waiting to buy a ticket. So here is a small Istanbul tip. Buy skip-the-line tickets in advance. It takes two minutes - and can easily save you an hour in a ticket queue. In this post I’ve collected some of the most popular museums and attractions in Istanbul. If you book through the links on this page, you also support the blog - wi