Discovering the treasures of Istanbul with Viking Cruises
It was like coming home as we boarded the Viking Sea in Istanbul, Turkey. We previously sailed on this ship during the Mediterranean Odyssey cruise and were now excited to add new destinations to our travels during a Viking cruise from Istanbul to Athens. The Ancient Mediterranean Treasures cruise is an 8-day itinerary with guided tours at three destinations in Turkey — Istanbul, Çanakkale (near ancient Troy), and Ephesus; and three destinations in Greece — Rhodes, Heraklion (Crete), and Athens.
In this post, I’m focusing on the highlights of our time in Istanbul, including a two-night pre-cruise extension arranged by Viking. Stay tuned for more about our journey to Athens and our excursions exploring stunning archaeological treasures of Turkey and Greece.
The Viking Sea at port in Istanbul
Cruise extension tip: On each Viking ocean cruise, there are options to extend your trip before and/or after the cruise itself. We’re so glad that we opted for the pre-cruise extension in Istanbul. It gave us an opportunity to recover from international flight jetlag, but more importantly, to have extra time to explore the city. An excellent full day guided tour was included. Also, transfers and hotel accommodations were all handled by Viking. So we definitely recommend considering the extensions available for your cruise.
Fascinating Istanbul
New Mosque (Yeni Cami) Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul is the only city in the world that is partly in Asia and partly in Europe, the continents separated by the Bosphorus Strait which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean via the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles Strait. This waterway has played a significant role in world history due to its uniquely strategic importance to international politics, warfare, and commerce.
View of Bosphorus Strait and Asian side of Istanbul from the Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel
A fascinating city, Istanbul embodies international intrigue and it has a long history spanning two millennia. Once known as Constantinople, Istanbul was a major stop on the Silk Road by connecting points in China to Central Europe via the Mediterranean. UNESCO designated the “Historic Areas of Istanbul” a World Heritage Site in 1985 for its plentiful ancient landmarks, many of which were included in our pre-cruise extension guided tour.
Asia side of Istanbul at night from across the Bosphorus Strait
Istanbul’s landscape is hilly (notable because of the famed seven hills of its historical area within the ancient city walls), dotted with the minarets of nearly 3,000 mosques, and it has an intriguing blend of modern and very old architecture which spans the city’s long history.
Busy Istanbul — outside the Grand Bazaar
We were surprised that Istanbul was so large and sprawling covering over 2,000 square miles with a population over 15 million (some say it’s much more than that). Our guide shared an interesting anecdote perhaps describing Istanbul’s crowdedness creating a feeling of everyone being close to each other. “If you’re at dinner with a friend at a restaurant talking about problems, a person at the table next to you will offer advice.”
Colorful buildings of old Istanbul
Tour of Istanbul landmarks
On the guided tour, we walked through the old city to important landmarks including the Ancient Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the underground cistern, and the Grand Bazaar. Along the way, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city — street food vendors, busy shops, and colorful buildings.
On our guided tour in Istanbul
We began our tour at the Hippodrome, the center of Byzantine life for many years. Originally a Roman circus with chariot races (created in the early 3rd century), it is now a large square with an original obelisk at each end. It is a central location to many of the important attractions of Istanbul and remains a top meeting place.
Ancient Hippodrome
From there we walked to the nearby famous Blue Mosque dating from 1617. Though we toured several mosques during other trips, it was still exciting as we prepared to enter our first of this cruise.
Inside the Blue Mosque, Istanbul
When first viewing the Blue Mosque from the outside, you notice the large dome and the semi-domes cascading from it. From the inside (shown above) they are even more impressive, as well as the blue stained glass windows and the walls covered with mostly flower-patterned tiles in many different shades of blue. Nearly 75 percent of the mosque’s walls, above the level of the tilework, are decorated with painted motifs, also blue.
Inside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul
Mosque tip: Women should remember to bring a scarf to cover their head to enter the mosque. I forgot, but there are shops near the entrance where you can buy a scarf at a very reasonable price. It makes a nice souvenir, too. A scarf can be provided at the mosque, but I preferred to have my own. Men should have their knees covered. If not, a skirt-like wrap will be provided.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
A short walk from the Blue Mosque took us to Hagia Sophia, one of the oldest sites in Istanbul, which holds significant religious, cultural, historical, and architectural importance. It was the religious center of Eastern Orthodox Church for over one thousand years from 537 AD. Epitomizing Byzantine architecture, it was the largest cathedral in the world for most of that time. Converted to a mosque in 1453 when the Ottoman Empire took Constantinople and then to a museum in 1935, and then back to a mosque which it is today, Hagia Sophia is one of the oldest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Many Orthodox churches were modeled after it, and centuries later many mosques also copied the architecture.
Hagia Sophia from it upper gallery
Hagia Sophia is adorned with marble pillars, golden paneling, beautiful mosaics of religious subjects, elaborate doors, and other valuable works of art. Its huge dome was an architectural marvel and the largest for many centuries, and the way it captures natural light is a unique characteristic. Outside Hagia Sophia is surrounded by beautiful grounds and 6 minarets.
Entrance to the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
Another important Istanbul landmark is the Grand Bazaar where we had a presentation of how their exquisite Turkish rugs are made. Following the presentation, we explored the Grand Bazaar and browse the many shops with rugs, jewelry, crafts, Turkish delight, spices and more. Vendors are eager to draw customers into their shops to entice you to sell their goods. If you like, it’s common to spend some time chatting with them (whether you buy something or not), or you can just keep moving along.
Traditional Turkish products for sale at the Grand Bazaar
Another treasure of Istanbul that we visited on the guided tour was the Basilica Cistern, a huge ancient underground water reservoir built in the reign of Roman Emperor Justinian I during the 6th century to supply water to the residents of Constantinople. It is the largest of about 200 reservoirs in Istanbul. To facilitate touring, metal grid stairways and raised walkways enable walking the entire floor of the cistern between the many rows of columns.
Underground Basilica Cistern with one of its glass sculptures, Istanbul, Turkey
The low lighting and inches of water covering the floor gave a mysterious feeling as we leisurely explored the cavern, marveling at the engineering of the architecture of the about 450 feet by 200 feet cistern. Some of the 12 rows of 28 30-foot marble columns supporting the immense ceiling had elaborate carvings. An exhibit of mostly glass sculptures displayed throughout the cistern added to our interest and enjoyment of this site.
European side of Istanbul from the Bosphorus (cylinder-shaped Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel where we stayed pictured center right)
This full day of sightseeing also featured a boat trip on the Bosphorus Strait providing beautiful views of both sides of the city, European (above) and Asian (below), while enjoying a delicious lunch of traditional Turkish dishes. Our hotel, the Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus, and the major sites we visited are on the European side of Istanbul (shown above).
Camlica Tower, Istanbul
A very prominent landmark on the Asian side is the Camlica Tower (shown below). At a height of 369 meters, it is the highest structure in the Turkey, and was a consistent landmark seen from our hotel and many vantage points as we toured the European side.
Free time in Istanbul
The pre-cruise extension allows you to spend more time visiting major landmarks or delve a little deeper into the culture and vibe of Istanbul by venturing into neighborhoods not on the usual tour itineraries. We explored two areas that really enhanced the trip for us.
Taksim Square and neighborhood
Street scene in Taskim Square neighborhood
On a tip from our local Istanbul tour guide, we visited the Taksim neighborhood atop one of Istanbuls Seven Hills. To get there, we took a short (about 2 minute) funicular ride from near our ship to Taksim Square considered the center of the upper modern part of Istanbul. The square has been the sight of many historically notable (some bloody) protests and today it serves as the site for many festivities. It is surrounded by shops, restaurants, hotels, and a small park. It is bustling area with both İstiklal Avenue (a wide street with many upscale stores leading from Taksim Square to Galata Tower) and charming side streets to stroll.
Restaurant in Taksim Square neighborhood of Istanbul
In the center of Taksim Square stands the Republic Monument commemorating the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1923.
Republic Monument at Taksim Square
From Europe to Asia by ferry
Commuter ferry at Karaköy Port (Galata Tower in the background (center)
Mr. TWS and I were both excited about setting foot on the continent of Asia for the first time, so we took a commuter ferry across the Bosphorus to the Asian side of Istanbul. It was about a 20 minute ferry ride from Karaköy Port to Kadiköy Port. On a beautiful sunny morning, the ferry ride itself was great for panoramic views of Istanbul, and we went right by a famous Istanbul site, Maiden’s Tower (shown below), a defensive tower from the 12th century on a small islet near Kadiköy Port.
Maiden’s Tower
We spent our time strolling the markets of the Kadiköy neighborhood and sampling a few treats from food shops.
Street on Asian side of Istanbul
There are many expats who choose to live on the Asian side, so keep a look out for a pub to enjoy a nice cold Turkish beer during your sightseeing break.
Enjoying a cold beer on the Asian side of Istanbul
We would definitely recommend exploring both sides of the Bosphorus when you visit Istanbul.
Enjoying street food in the Kadiköy neighborhood
Other Istanbul visit tips
Street food tip: Throughout the city at street food vendor carts or in markets, you can find traditional Turkish street foods like misir (grilled corn as shown below), lahmacun (known as Turkish pizza), dürüm (chicken, beef, cheese or veggie wraps), and börek (usually cheese between layers of dough).
Street food vendor selling “misir” (grilled corn)
Pre-cruise extension cruise tip: There are several included and optional tours for the first day of the cruise. Since our pre-cruise extension tour was similar to other included tours on the first offical day of the cruise, we chose to spend time on our own (see above about the ferry to the Asian side). You might choose to enjoy one of the other Viking excursions which include a traditional Turkish bath, delving into Turkish Islamic art at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, tasting traditional foods, learning to make baklava, or a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus.
Istanbul port tip: The terminal building at the port is quite large and you will have to go through security when you return from your explorations in the city. So plan your time accordingly.
Traffic jam in Istanbul
Istanbul traffic tip: Traffic in Istanbul is very hectic. It is possible that your guided tour could take longer than expected because of traffic delays. So if you are making reservations for dinner (on the ship or in the city), build in extra time to compensate.
View from the Viking Sea at Galataport of the Bosphorus Bridge in the background
If you are embarking in Istanbul, we highly recommend choosing a pre-cruise extension (or post-cruise if the itinerary is reversed) in this fascinating city.
Stay tuned to follow along with us on the Viking Ancient Mediterranean Treasures cruise.
Hi,
Do you know if Viking offers shutters from port to city and back throughout the day?
We are on the same cruise dec 16-23. Thanks! Laura
Hi,
Your article was most helpful. We are on the same viking itinerary dec 16-23. I am hopeful you can answer if viking offers a shuttle service to and from a point in the city/port as they do in other destination cities.
Thank you!
Laura
Hi! Thanks for your great question. There was not a shuttle bus from the port in Istanbul on our cruise. But it is easy to get around via walking, Uber, taxi, and tram (which has a stop very close to the port). For example, we took the tram and walked a short distance to get to the ferry port to catch a ride to the Asian side of the city. We explored the old city on an excursion, so a coach was provided for that and any other excursions. I should note that shuttle buses from the port to city centers was provided in Canakkale and Heraklion.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!