Istanbul for free

Istanbul has a lot of interesting things to see and experience. And a lot of them are not openly advertised or well known to the common traveler. One of those are the often overseen tombs of the sultans, even though those are situated between two of the most visited sights in Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace. Right in the heart of the old town Sultanahmet, basically in the backyard of the Hagia Sophia. Tombs of the Sultans - Istanbul - Outside Tombs of the Sultans  Underneath tourist-thronged  Hagia Sophia  is an oasis of calm in the form of five sultans’ tombs. Each is decorated differently and there are wonderful examples of Iznik tiling. Beautiful, and free to enter too. How to get there Well, basically just walk around the Hagia Sophia on the right side if you stand in front of the main entrance. Around the corner left hand, after a mere 50m, is the entry to the tombs. Some Impressions  of the Tombs Tiles and Design - Tombs H...

Only a few people know that there is not only the renowned Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) in Istanbul, but also the Little Hagia Sophia (Küçük Ayasofya Camii) . So unfortunately it is often literally overseen by many tourists, even though it is also located in Sultanahmet, only a few minutes downhill from the Hippodrome. And moreover the oldest surviving Byzantine monument in Istanbul. Little Hagia Sophia (Küçük Ayasofya Camii) - free and beautiful The Little Hagia Sophia, Istanbul Being older as the big Hagia Sophia and supposedly a miniature version of the Hagia Sophia, the attribute little makes perfectly sense. It was built by the same architects during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. But actually it differs in terms of architecture and therefore mainly the name stuck, making it the Little Hagia Sophia over times until today.  Nevertheless it is very beautiful and provides an interesting interior design and architecture. Originally build as a church, being th...

One of my favorite viewpoints, and yet most of the times overseen by people, is the Halic Metro Station . Situated in the middle of a bridge crossing the Golden Horn the Station provides a great view up the Golden Horn and down to the Bosporus. Recently it also has two small passenger bridges at both ends inside of the station, which provide an even better view to all sides. Without the need to leave the station at all. Also the Halic Metro Station is a good starting point to explore Balat, Fener or to visit the Süleymaniye Mosque , probably the most beautiful mosque of Istanbul , which also provides a nice view.  View from Halic Metro Station Here are some pictures taken by me at the Metro Station to give you an idea why I think is one of the most stunning viewpoints in Istanbul, especially at night. The view goes from Eyüp with Pierre Loti over the Fatih and Süleymaniye mosque, the Yeni mosque down to Topkapi, the Galata Bridge and the Galata Tower. View from Halic Metro ...

Maiden Tower & Old Town View from Üsküdar, Istanbul Üsküdar provides one of the nicest viewpoints in Istanbul, even though it does not provide a view from above. But therefore it is one of the best spots to see the sun going down over the historical district of Sultanahmet with the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and the Haiga Sophia. And of course the  Maiden´s Tower , another one of Istanbul's famous landmarks, prominently situated some hundred meters off the Üsküdar shore. The most renowned sad legend says an emperor had a much beloved daughter and an oracle prophesied that she would be killed by a snake on her 18th birthday. The emperor, to keep his daughter away from land, had the tower built in the middle of the Bosphorus to protect his daughter until her 18th birthday. On the 18th birthday of the princess, the emperor brought her a basket of exotic sumptuous fruits as a birthday gift, delighted that he was able to prevent the prophecy. Upon reaching in...

Even though Istanbul does provide a lot of museums, the majority of them are unfortunately - for the budget traveler - not free, not even cheap. One of the very few exception is the Turkish Bank Museum - Türkiye IS Bankasi Museum or Isbank Museum.  Turkish Bank Museum Istanbul Turkish Bank Museum Istanbul According to the name of the Museum one normally would suspect it is a museum about the Turkish Bank, but that is only half of the museum. Being situated in an old bank building in Eminönü it is a sight by itself. Built 1892 and used as the Isbank main branch from 1926 to 2005 it is a museum since 2007, and hosts changing exhibitions - about three to four throughout the year. Besides an exhibition about the history of Türkiye IS Bankasi itself and about the technical development of banking over time, this years main exhibition is about Canakkale 1915 . The Canakkale 1915 "From the depths to the trenches" exhibition will run until the mid of August and is also in En...

One other green retreat on the European side of Istanbul is right next to all the sights in the Sultanahmet area. Just down below the Topkapi Palace lays the Gülhane Park . This park is the oldest one in Istanbul, and translates basically to Rosehouse Park. Gülhane Park Walkway in Gülhane Park Being formerly a the Palace garden, a royal retreat in all aspects, the Gülhane Park is nowadays open for everyone who wants some relaxation and green after visiting the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque. Nevertheless it is still located inside the outer walls of the Topkapi Palace. Next to the beautiful trees and flowers the park features the first statue of Atatürk erected in Turkey (1926), sculpted by Heinrich Krippel and the Goths Column from Roman times. The Goth Column is the oldest standing relic from the Roman era in Istanbul. If one follows the main walkway, which is lined with giant plane trees on both sides, the reward will be a magnificent view of the Bos...