I went on a medical mission to North Africa in February 2024. To get to Africa I used Turkish Airlines. I love this airline because it offers free hotel stay or a tour of Istanbul when your stopover is more than 6 hours for the tour and more than 12 hours for the hotel. When booking your flight, you can choose a free “stopover”. This means that you can stay in Turkey for one night if you travel in economy class or 2 nights if you travel in first class and then continue to your destination. This gives you the opportunity to explore two countries on one trip for the cost of one flight.
I needed to arrive at my destination on a specific date to meet up with the rest of the missionary team, so I couldn’t do a stopover, but I did have a very long 19-hour stopover. I opted to take the free tour with a fellow missionary who had a shorter stopover than me.
To take the tour you will need to exit Istanbul Airport and arrive at the baggage claim area. There will be a designated area to take the tour. There will be signs labeled “Tour Istanbul” guiding you where to go. When you get to the counter, you will show your boarding pass as proof that you are eligible for these services, check in for the tour or hotel and be given an ID with the option you have chosen (there are several tours and hotels to choose from). Bring your carry-on luggage with you on the tour, it will be easier to continue to your destination upon return.
We had to wait for the whole group to be ready. We were then called to board the bus with our guide. The bus is spacious and comfortable with air conditioning. From the airport to Istanbul city center, it takes about 45 minutes. The tour started with a light breakfast of coffee and a bagel with Nutella and white cheese at the “Dolmabaçe Kafeterya” cafe. After breakfast we went for a walk in the gardens of the “Dolmabahçe” palace. Entrance to the palace costs $39 dollars; we did not enter the palace as time is limited during the tour.
We got back on the bus and continued to see the city with the guide on board giving us historical facts about Istanbul. We stopped at several churches, bridges and other historical sites. We saw in the distance the Bosphorus Strait which separates Istanbul into two continents, Asia and Europe. The last stop was in the Balat Community which is a very picturesque area where you can see colorful houses and works of art on the different streets.
Since my flight was the next day, I left the tour at the last stop and continued to a hotel I had rented for the night. From the cathedral I took a taxi to the Holiday Inn Istanbul- Old city hotel. I paid $30 for the night. Once I checked into the hotel, I dropped off my luggage and went out to explore Istanbul on foot.
The weather was perfect for walking and exploring, not too cold and not too hot. My first stop was the Grand Bazaar. There are tons of shops to shop at, but I didn’t have room in my suitcase so I couldn’t buy anything. A great excuse to go back and buy my Turkish rug.
After finishing window shopping, I continued to Sultanahmet Square where Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are located. When I got to the Blue Mosque I couldn’t go in right away because on Fridays it is open for prayer, and it is not until 2:30 pm they open the doors for tourists.
While I was waiting, I decided to go to Hagia Sophia which is entered in front of the Blue Mosque. I couldn’t go in there either because it was closed for repairs. I don’t think I’m having much luck with this day of sightseeing…
Well, then I decided to go eat while I waited for the mosque to open its doors. The food was very delicious, and the waiter very kindly brought me tea and baklava which are both typical dishes of Turkey. I had tried baklava before and never liked it, but to my surprise this one was very good and left me wanting more.
It was finally 2:30 pm and I went back to see the Blue Mosque. It’s a good thing I came back because this place is beautiful. The real name of this place is Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The walls are covered in Iznik type tiles with blue being the most predominant color giving rise to its popular name, Blue Mosque. When you enter you must take off your shoes and put them on a shoe rack. I recommend having another pair of socks to exchange the ones used on the tour for clean ones when you leave. Imagine how many bacteria there are on that floor from people walking barefoot with sweaty feet, YUCK!
On the way back to the hotel, I stumbled upon a tea and Turkish delight shop (it’s a gelatinous sweet that comes in different flavors and with different types of nuts). I was so curious that I had to go in. I ended up buying a whole box of Turkish delight. Obviously, my favorite part of the experience was trying all the sweets to make a good choice of what to bring back home. Pistachio, hazelnut cream, strawberry… all finger-licking good.
I returned to the hotel to sleep a few hours before returning to the airport. And so, I finished my day of sightseeing in Istanbul, with tired feet, a full belly, and a very happy heart.