Arrival in Istanbul – Sacred Spaces and Timeless Places -Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern

Our flight was early – you know, one of those that require an early alarm call that no self-respecting, soon-to-be pensioner deserves to experience. Oh yes, I didn’t mention that during this trip, I will reach pension age! That very thought still shocks me to the core. I specify pension ‘age’ because I won’t be retiring from work just yet. I’m fortunate enough to have a job that keeps me connected to Greece every day, and in my job as a Greek Island Travel Consultant, I’m able to work flexibly whilst travelling. So, this isn’t my big ‘Hurrah’ to the end of my working life, a journey of a lifetime, but it’s certainly a trip that will be interesting and a little bit different from my norm – well, I’m in Turkey for starters!

Anyway, we arrived at Istanbul Airport and had pre-arranged a taxi transfer. Although I’d researched the various options of getting around Istanbul by using public transport, I didn’t want the faff of navigating it all the moment we stepped from the plane. We’ll dip our toes into that gradually. More on this at the end of the post.

I’m not one of those people who spend months, days or even hours poring over accommodation options. As a budget traveller (travel longer – not luxuriously-er!) I can usually find my accommodation online and book it within minutes. My top requirements are good location, clean sheets and aircon, not necessarily in that order. However, finding the right place to stay in Istanbul took an inordinate amount of time. I knew that I wanted to stay close to the main attractions on the European side, so Sultanahmet Old Town was the logical choice. My only specification initially was to have breakfast included, which is always a nice bonus. For some reason, I also decided that I wanted a balcony, somewhere to sit in the evening and recover from a day of pounding the streets. Then I wanted a hotel with a view. Well, what’s the point of being close to Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque if we can’t even get a glimpse of their minarets on the skyline? We were never going to get that Instagram view from the hotel room in our price range, but a little view of something would be nice. After a while, I began to think about all the walking we would inevitably end up doing, so rather like trying to find the Holy Grail, I began to filter the options for rooms with a bath. There’s nothing better than being able to soak your rack after putting in the steps. I was beginning to sound like a pampered princess rather than a hardened traveller!

After what felt like an eternity, I kept going back to one particular property as it seemed to offer most of what I was looking for and was still within a reasonable price range for central Istanbul. There were mixed reviews, some of which I took with a pinch of salt. We knew there was a bit of a hike up a narrow staircase. Nothing we (Peter) couldn’t handle! After a week of faffing around, I bit the bullet and booked.

And here we are at the Seven Dreams Hotel, a 19th-century Ottoman mansion house (and that’s the bit that swung it for me) located conveniently between Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque. TBH, the hotel ain’t all that, but its location and the view of Agia Sofia from the roof terrace made up for everything.

Once unpacked, it was time to go out and explore – but where to begin? I must say that it would be very easy to get overwhelmed by Istanbul, resulting in lots of aimless wandering, as the city is vast. I’d come prepared with an ambitious itinerary that would enable us to pack in everything on our wish list during our 7 days here. First on the list is the Blue Mosque.

We began with a gentle stroll through the Sultanahmet district, and it was easy to become entranced by the sights and sounds of the city. I tried to fathom the juxtaposition of Turkey as a modern country, but set amongst an urban landscape that seems to speak from a bygone era. Even on my many visits to the heart of old Cairo, I don’t recall being as in awe as I was right at that moment. Once at Sultanahmet Square, we took a moment to admire the majestic silhouette of the Blue Mosque, officially known as Sultan Ahmed Mosque. With its six soaring minarets and sweeping domes, it’s a sight that has dominated the skyline of Istanbul since the early 17th century. It is truly magnificent!

The history of the mosque is interesting. Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent had a glorious reign, said to have been the golden age of the Ottoman Empire. After his death, the empire suffered military defeats and political instability. When Ahmed I came to the throne in 1603, he was only 14 years of age and had a challenging start to his reign during a difficult period. Despite this, he ordered the construction of a monumental new imperial mosque, the first grand mosque to be built in Istanbul for 40 years. This came under heavy criticism. Such a construction would typically occur after a major military victory, when the spoils of war would fund the project and also justify the expense. However, Sultan Ahmed was deeply devout and believed that the construction of the mosque would reap rewards from those above.

The location of the mosque was also controversial, being deliberately sited directly opposite Hagia Sofia. Sultan Ahmed believed it sent a bold political (and religious) message to the world that Ottoman Islam could surpass Byzantine Christianity. Such was his belief in the project that he even engaged himself in the construction on the first day, though how dirty his hands got, I don’t know.

There is a story, or rather more of an urban myth, that Sultan Ahmed had specified that the minarets were to be covered in gold. The Turkish word for gold is ‘Altin’. The architect misheard and thought he’d said ‘Alti’, which is Turkish for the number 6 and the mosque ended up with 6 minarets. In reality, it was probably just an ambitious vanity project to intentionally rival the Masjid al-Haram Mosque in Mecca – the only other mosque to have 6 minarets. To build a mosque of equal status to such a holy place could have been perceived as an insult. To rectify the matter, the Sultan built a 7th minaret to the Masjid al-Haram, elevating it once again to its high position above all other mosques and avoiding controversy.

We entered into the huge square courtyard, where I was immediately struck by the perfect symmetry of everything. The elegant arcades and the marble fountain, once used for ablutions, all felt so perfectly placed. Its chief designer was the imperial Ottoman architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa. He was one of the chief pupils and assistants of the great Mimar Sinan, the empire’s most celebrated architect. The Blue Mosque, a blend of Byzantine influence and Ottoman elegance, was the epitome of his career.

To enter the mosque, we needed to navigate our way to the correct entrance. The main entrance (northern) is reserved for worshippers. The western and southern entrances are for visitors. Access for visitors was scheduled around prayer time and there was a bit of a queue but nothing too unbearable.

Both modestly dressed and I with a headscarf, we removed our shoes and placed them in a nook inside the entrance. I had brought a pair of socks with me for this very purpose (if you’re a bacteria phobe like me, you’ll understand).

A set of heavy wooden doors invited us into the most magnificent interior with a soft, filtered light. The central part of the mosque is preserved for worshippers, but from behind a wooden railing, we were still able to appreciate the magnificence of it all. The 200 stained glass windows, illuminated by streams of sunlight, gave the place an ethereal glow. Our eyes were automatically drawn upwards towards the vast central dome, and it seemed to invoke similar reactions in everyone – either an exclamation of “Wooooah” or just plain open-mouthed silence. Below the expansive dome were pairs of low-hanging chandeliers creating a warm and inviting light, bringing a sense of intimacy and peace. This sacred place is one that needs to be savoured and we like many others, sat on the floor and admired everything around us.

Once the initial sense of awe had become more contained, we took in the beauty of the walls and pillars decorated with the 20,000-plus handmade Iznik tiles that give the mosque its common name. The simple colour palette of blue, turquoise and green provided a maximum impact of WOW! The tiles were just exquisite!

The arches and domes were adorned with Arabic inscriptions with verses from the Qur’an. Although Peter is a Coptic Christian, he was able to translate most of what he saw, though the calligraphic flourishes made it challenging. The wall-to-wall soft red carpeting led our eyes to the Mihrab (the niche pointing to Mecca) and the Minbar, the pulpit used for sermons.

Stepping back into the bright light of the courtyard, I found it difficult to pull myself away in case I’d missed anything. I then reminded myself that the Blue Mosque was a 5-minute walk from our hotel and we could pop back anytime during our stay.

Entry is free of charge and the mosque closes around prayer times.

It has been a long day, but before we collapse into a heap somewhere, we have one more thing we want to fit in today. Just a 5-minute walk away is the Basilica Cistern which was on my ‘must see’ list whilst in Istanbul. We (I) decided to go for what they call the ‘Night Shift’, which opens at 1930 every evening. The hope was that it would be less crowded as tickets can only be bought at the door – not through any third-party apps like Get Your Guide. We guessed right and made it to the front of a short queue. I hadn’t yet got my head around the currency conversion and Peter asked me if I was aware of the entry price of 2400 TL per person. I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and said it didn’t matter. Peter said, “You do know that’s £88!” It dawned on me that this was the same price as a whole day ticket at the Topkapi Palace! Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound and all that!

The Basilica Cistern, or Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Cistern Sinking into the Ground), was built in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. It was designed to store and supply water to the Great Palace of Constantinople and nearby buildings, ensuring the city could survive sieges or droughts. The Roman/Byzantine brickwork is a work of art!

At its peak, the cistern could hold 80,000 cubic meters of water—an extraordinary feat of engineering for the time. Walking through it today, you’re not just exploring a historic site, but standing in a place that quite literally kept a great empire alive.

Stepping down the stone staircase, the first impression is one of awe. The vast chamber stretches out like a subterranean forest of columns—336 marble pillars in total, arranged in neat rows, each reflected in the shallow water that still pools at their base.

Soft lighting and the sound of dripping water add to the atmosphere. It feels cinematic, in fact, it has starred in several films, from James Bond’s From Russia With Love to Dan Brown’s Inferno.

One of the highlights of the visit is discovering the two Medusa heads at the base of columns tucked away in the northwest corner. No one knows exactly why they were placed there—perhaps simply reused stone from another Roman structure—but their eerie, sideways and upside-down positions only deepen the mystery. There were a couple of modern art installations there too though I’m now sure how much value they added to the experience.

Was it a great place to visit – absolutely! Was it worth the £88? Not so much. Istanbul has several other cisterns in and around the city, which I believe don’t cost an arm and a leg. A lesson learned!

Or was it! We were pretty exhausted so we looked for somewhere nearby to eat. Just next to the exit of the Basilica Cistern was the Santa Basilica Cafe and Restaurant. It was all lit up like a Christmas tree, and a bit like Homer Simpson, distracted by a can of Duff beer, I walked straight towards it without looking at the menu outside. “Mmmm, pretty lights!”

We’d fallen straight into a tourist trap, which became clear when we asked the price of a small bottle of Yeni Raki – we noticed it had been smudged out on the menu. The waiter told me around 3000TL, but he’d go and check. He came back and told us it was 2400TL. The size was the same as a tiny bottle of ouzo, which would cost a couple of euros. £44 for a tiny bottle of raki! You can KMA! (think Jim Royle!) Too exhausted to walk away and find somewhere else, we ordered food and soft drinks – all pretty average and overpriced. I wondered how many tourists had been caught out with that raki trick before. Anyway, we retired back to the hotel as we were in grave danger of falling asleep in our plates.

Regardless of the restaurant incident, it has been a great start to our trip, and we’re excited for the rest of it!

Practicalities:

I’d booked the 7 Dreams Hotel through Booking.com and it also came with a very good deal for an airport transfer. It was a much better price than other transfers I’d looked at. I was texted the day before we flew with some information on how to find the transfer. It all worked seamlessly despite having a bit of a wait for the vehicle at arrivals. From landing to arriving at our hotel it took 2 hours because of distance on heavy traffic. Apart from that it worked well.

Who’s ever been to the parts of Greece that skirt Turkey and accidentally picked up a Turkish signal and then been hit with a hefty bill from the phone provider? I know I have. Free data roaming in Europe is such a luxury. In preparation for the trip I looked at a whole raft of travel esim providers and eventually opted for Easysim, where I was able to get 20gb of data for £14. One word of caution. In July, the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority implemented sweeping restrictions targeting international travel eSIM providers. The workaround this was that I had to install and activate the eSIM before travelling. Once I arrived at the airport I switched on data roaming and connected to the Turkish network. So far so good – let’s see what happens when I try to top up.

https://www.easysim.global

Another option is to buy a physical SIM card when here. The advice is to only purchase from bonafide telecomms companies such as Turkcell who off a Tourist Welcome Pack SIM, which consists of 20GB data, 200 minutes of national calls, and unlimited WhatsApp messaging. The SIM is valid for 30 days and costs 1100 TL (around £28.50). That’s double the cost of the esim but good to know if a back up is required.

The second essential item we needed was the Istanbulkart, a travel card that can be purchased from Kiosks, vending machines at metro/tram stations and convenience stores. The initial cost is 165TL (about £3.50) and then it can be topped up to whatever amount you think you’ll need. We purchased a card each and topped them up with 350 TL (about £6.35)