Lady’s Itinerary for 3 Days in Istanbul

Today I want to share my itinerary for 3 days in Istanbul with you. This city in Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, and has a lot to offer on and around the Bosphorus Strait.

3 Days in Istanbul

I haven’t traveled to Turkey since I was 14. My eighth grade class took a cruise through the Greek islands and stopped in Kusadasi for a day.

We ran around Ephesus, tried our bargaining skills at a bazaar, and got a factory tour at a rug shop that belonged to our guide’s “cousin”.

A couple months ago I figured that now that I’m living in London it’s high time to head back to Turkey to see a bit more of the country than the one-day guided tour my junior-high self failed to fully appreciate.

As such, last week I headed to Turkey with seven of my friends to spend 3 days in Istanbul. I couldn’t wait.

Hotels in Istanbul

My boyfriend and I arrived at our hotel, the W Istanbul, around midnight on Friday and found that the party was just getting started.

We met up with one of our friends for a drink at the swanky W Lounge, then headed up the hill to the bar at the Swissotel.

Day 1 in Istanbul

The next morning our 3 days in Istanbul continued as we dragged ourselves out of bed at 10am. Well, two of us did.

My boyfriend, who insisted he needed several more hours of sleep, cocooned himself in a down comforter as my friend and I took off for the Topkapi Palace.

The palace was nothing less than sprawling Ottoman opulence at its finest.

We explored gorgeous tulip-filled courtyards, rooms full of religious relics, a treasury lined with precious gems in every shape and color, an intricately-decorated Imperial Divan, libraries, meeting rooms, and harems.

Hours later, we emerged thinking nothing in Istanbul could impress us as much as the Topkapi Palace. 

After haggling with a taxi driver who tried impressively hard to rip us off, we continued our 3 days in Istanbul by setting off on foot to see the area around it.

The first two sites we came across were the Hagia Sophia, the gorgeous Byzantine church-turned-mosque, and the Blue Mosque, Istanbul’s most famous place of worship.

They definitely challenged the Topkapi Palace for Most Amazing Sight in Istanbul.

We admired the exteriors, but decided to save the insides for the following day. Instead we headed down the street to find the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Find it we did. The Grand Bazaar is so big it’s hard to miss. The minute we walked inside, we embarked on an epic journey of the senses.

There were gold necklaces, silver platters, gem-studded rings, and earrings.

We turned a corner and saw pashminas in every color of the rainbow, silk scarves in emerald green and deep turquoise, and stacks upon stacks of brightly-colored bowls, plates, and serving dishes.

We followed our noses to the spice vendors and their tall cones of saffron and rose buds, then to the sweet counter with Turkish delight and nougat, then to the kabob stand, the tea vendor, and the sit-down restaurants.

Forging ahead, we ventured deeper into the Grand Bazaar, finding ourselves in a narrow labyrinth of antiques dealers that opened into a wide stretch of stalls selling keychains, necklaces, coasters, and trinkets with the giant blue, white, and black eye that never stopped watching us as we wound our way through the unending market.

We stumbled back into daylight an hour or so later and emerged from the market in the midst of a downpour.

We continued our 3 days in Istanbul by hurrying towards the spice market. In doing so we came across a rooftop restaurant and availed ourselves of a delicious flatbread pizza and two Turkish coffees.

Revived, we made a quick stop at the spice market before walking across the bridge to head up the hill for dinner.

My boyfriend, who had since emerged from his sleep coma, met us in Asmali Mescit, a bustling neighborhood full of tiny pedestrianized streets lined with cafes, restaurants, and bars.

We had a drink at an outdoor cafe, followed by a huge and delicious dinner, followed by cake at another cafe, followed by drinks at Leb-i Derya, a restaurant and bar with great views over the city.

From there we met up with the rest of our friends at a club to finish off the night.

Day 2 in Istanbul

The next morning our 3 days in Istanbul took us to the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, both of which were gorgeous inside.

It was amazing to think about how much history they’ve seen and how many centuries they’ve endured.

The Hagia Sophia was particularly interesting with its blend of Byzantine Christian and Ottoman Muslim religious imagery and decor.

In the afternoon we sat down for a leisurely lunch. We had hummus with flatbread, five different kinds of fried cheese, lamb kofte with rice and salad, and baklava for dessert. The Turkish coffee goes without saying.

Our friend left for the airport after lunch, so my boyfriend and I decided to continue our 3 days in Istanbul by heading back across the Bosphorus for some tea and shisha.

Two hours later, we dragged ourselves out of our low chairs and across the parking lot to the Istanbul Modern. We spent a while walking through the permanent collection, then took a break for a fruit plate at the waterfront restaurant.

For dinner that night we headed up to the Galata Tower, the only remaining part of an old Genoese fortification that dates back to 1348.

Just down the hill from the tower was Galata House, a Russian restaurant in an early 20th-century British civil prison. It’s amazing how many different cultures have influenced Istanbul’s development over the centuries.

Dinner was a truly unique experience. Run by a couple who are both architects, Galata House restaurant features recipes from the Russian wife’s mother’s family.

While we dined, the Turkish husband told us about the history of the building while his wife sat down at the piano to play and sing old Russian folk songs.

As the husband went from table to table to talk to the guests, he switched easily from English to French to Danish and back again. Dinner wrapped up with a tour of the building, complete with old prisoner graffiti.

After dinner we once again met up with the rest of our friends, who had been biking on a nearby island all day.

We went to the bar at their hotel, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, which, as the name implies, is set in an old Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus.

Day 3 in Istanbul

The last of my 3 days in Istanbul was largely my own. My friends all left for London in the morning, but as my flight wasn’t until later, I set off to explore some more of Istanbul by myself.

I started out in the spice market, which I had only seen a tiny bit of two days prior.

I walked through the large halls filled with Turkish delight, tiny rosebuds, fish spice, and nougat. I strolled outside through the stalls of fishmongers, meat vendors, and fruit sellers.

After a while I found myself in an outdoor courtyard filled with cafes, which I kept in mind for later.

From the spice market I continued the last of my 3 days in Istanbul by walking up the hill and back through the Grand Bazaar on my way to the Basilica Cistern.

I bought my ticket at the counter, descended underground, and traveled back in time to 6th-century Byzantium.

The Basilica Cistern was gorgeous. Its high arches were supported by Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns, and the low light and eerie music made the place feel otherworldly.

Large fish swam in the shallow water below the walkway as the ceiling leaked slow droplets into the pool.

I took in the cool air and silence of the cistern as I walked along the platform.

The two mysterious Medusa heads, one upside down and the other on its side, greeted me with their stoic eyes as I made my way slowly around the underground cavern. I was mesmerized.

Back in the daylight, I continued my 3 days in Istanbul by walking down to the waterfront and having lunch at the restaurant by the spice market that my friend and I had been to two days before.

Finding myself with a bit of time left after my lamb kabob, I walked back through the spice market and out to the row of cafes in the courtyard.

Choosing one at random, I walked up to the host, who promptly took me to a tiny roof terrace upstairs. I was the only one there. Well, not quite the only one.  

As I sat down, I heard a rustling in the bush next to me. Looking down, I saw that the potted plant was sharing its home with the world’s tiniest kitten.

As I sat watching the cat, a second one emerged from under my bench and joined its sibling in the pot. Then a third.

I sipped my Turkish coffee and watched the adorable trio of potted kittens until the mother cat showed up to take her little ones away. At that point I looked at my watch and realized it was time for me to be getting away as well.

3 Days in Istanbul: The Verdict

As I headed to the airport, I thought over all the amazing things I’d seen during my 3 days in Istanbul.

The mosques, the palaces, the markets, the museums, and all the beautiful neighborhoods ran through my mind like a colorful slide show.

Thinking back to my last trip to Turkey, I felt like I had done a pretty good job of redeeming my 14-year-old self.

Next time I travel to the country, I’ll have to head back to Ephesus to actually appreciate what’s there. I hope that time comes soon.

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