Istanbul is one of the most culturally colorful places I’ve been to. While walking on the streets of Istanbul you could see pieces of history simply incorporated into the everyday lives of locals. Their shops, markets, cuisine, all look like they’ve been frozen in time, but then you go to a concert, theater, or modern hotel and everything looks like the 21st century again.

The city is very safe and you can walk anywhere downtown, except if something is far like the Chora Church. When taking a taxi make sure to ask for the price before going in, because you don’t want them to try to trick you into paying more. As of January of 2021 Uber has restarted its operation in Istanbul, so that is another way of transport through the city.

This is the city where you will not only enjoy food, drinks, and talking to people, but also learn so much. Especially if you are coming from a western country and haven’t had any experiences with eastern cultures, this is a place to start.

Hagia Sophia

I enjoy visiting churches and monasteries so much, and Turkey is one of a few countries where you can see religious architecture from the first few centuries A.D. Hagia Sophia is simply stunning. The architecture, culture, history, and art that are combined in Hagia Sophia are unbelievable. I’ve spent three hours wandering around, taking photos, and enjoying views inside this gorgeous building.

In the past, Hagia Sophia served as an orthodox cathedral and as a Muslim mosque. Recently the president of Turkey allowed it to be used as a mosque again, but this will not interfere with tourist visits, as they are still allowed. However, the lines for entering Hagia Sophia, same as for Blue Mosque, are enormous. Although there is no fee to enter the museum, the fastest way to get in is with a guide.

The church was built in 537 as a patriarchal cathedral for Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). In the 13th century shortly it was used by a catholic church, and since 1453 it was converted to a mosque (since the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire). In 1935 it was turned into a museum, and in 2020 as I already said, it was turned back to the mosque. This information is important to understand because of all the elements inside. You will see at the same time Orthodox frescoes and Muslim prayers.

The decoration inside consists of 30 million gold tiles, and a beautiful dome which was an extremely ambitious architectural decision in the 6th century. You can climb to the second floor and observe the dome a little bit closer. From the outside, the church is very colorful, and it is hard to believe it is 15 centuries old.