Where are my cultural history buffs at? The love birds seeking adventures in a fascinating city? the travelers looking to make new memories? or influencers searching for new content to blow up their feeds? Well, Istanbul, Turkey, might just be where you need to be. I went there, and let me tell you this, YOU MUST GO THERE!!! (literally screaming with laughter writing this)

First off, if you want a complete download of my exciting adventures in Istanbul, Turkey (during the COVID-19 lockdown), then head to my YouTube channel. I give you all the ‘Tea’. Yes, I am trying to get you to follow me there as well, but trust me, you will enjoy it. Okay, enough of my saleswoman ship, now lets’s get the boring nerdy stuff out of the way. So, Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, and if you browse Wikipedia, it will tell you it represents the country’s economic, cultural and historic center. You can learn all about the history there. But here are my own experiential and educational description of Istanbul: it is a place to go back in time and into the present; it consists of beautiful edifices that will send your eyes gazing like a possessed stagnant spirit; it has a beautiful strait (Bosphorus strait) dividing the city between two unimaginable worlds (Europe and Asia); and finally, one incredible thing that almost every traveler likes, it is immensely affordable to travel to this city and explore. Only speaking for us foreigners coming from countries like the U.S, Canada, and Western Europe. By that I mean our currencies can go far in Istanbul.

My husband and I visited Istanbul during the Turkish lockdown due to Covid-19. Before you say anything, please, we took all the precautions. Thank you! However, it also meant that a lot of the usual dining options and party spots were not open. That was an absolute bummer, but it certainly did not stop us. First, to where we stayed:

As you can see from the picture above, my husband was romantic enough to get the room all spec’d up for our stay. Yes, he sure did and I love him for that. Anyway, we had the pleasure of staying first at The Ritz Carlton – in a town near the Bosporus river. The views we had for our room were to die for. It included views of the stadium, the city, and the river through our floor-to-ceiling windows. As a 5-Star hotel, it was very affordable compared to the likes of it in other major developed cities, like I mean mind-blowing affordable. Put a pin in that statement for your next trip to Istanbul. The Ritz is simply beautiful and smells like old money. Such a cute vibe! Christmas was around the corner so they had set up holiday decor by the piano-it was so cute I couldn’t resist taking photos! You need to check out my Instagram feed because I have a ton of still images to teleport you there. Ritz Carlton also has shops and boutiques, so I did a little window shopping and brought back a candle with me from a local maker called Istanbul!

Let’s talk about the food and service! Food in Turkey is very affordable too. I mean a 3-course meal for $20 sounds good to me lol. My little picture below should capture the sentiment. We literally went for 2-3 rounds of the chicken, by the way. I got a steak, and I tell you, it is one of the best steaks I’ve ever had in my life! The cheesecake was really good too!!! I feel hungry writing this piece 🤣🤣. By the way, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we ate at the hotel, so this is all about The Ritz.

Our next hotel stay was at the Le Meriden – also in the city 34 floors known for its #360views and home to one of Istanbul’s hottest bars, floor to ceiling windows, balcony, and tub. If you notice, we are avid patrons of Marriott branded hotels. Anyways, this hotel is amazing. We actually got a personal lesson on making one of my favorite #drinks MOJITO. I really want to go back and stay there to experience the bar because everyone kept talking about it.

Our final hotel stay, another Marriott brand, was the Gezi Hotel– located downtown. It is a very cute hotel with a lovely cafe. We stayed in the #skyroom. It gives you great sunset views and it is also very close to Grand Bazaar and other historic places.

Even in lockdown, we managed to visit some of the famous must-see places.

Colorful Neighborhoods of Balat

Leave behind the more popular tourist areas and stroll through the colorful neighborhoods of Balat. It is one of the oldest districts and a not-so-hidden gem of Istanbul. Colorful, quiet sloping streets with old, beautiful wooden houses. This hipster area is seeing a huge change as renovated buildings with cute cafes and restaurants are opening their doors — Balat is one of our favorite places to visit in Istanbul.

Umbrella Street

Karaköy is a charming neighborhood filled with places to eat, have a coffee and enjoy the great atmosphere. The streets are filled with art, and one of those arty spots is the umbrella street of Istanbul. During the weekends and midday, this area is quite famous for a couple of photos and a drink.

Taht Istanbul

Whenever I search for pictures of Istanbul, the photos that usually appears is of an amazing beautiful rooftop view, at sunset, overlooking Istanbul; with seagulls or doves flying above. It looks surreal. There was no way I would miss the opportunity to take a picture during my stay in Istanbul – lockdown or not. Climbing up what seemed to be a million stairs to get to the rooftop, we finally made it to a spectacular view of Istanbul.

Grand Bazaar

One highlight of Istanbul was shopping at the Grand Bazaar. Normally, shopping can be a drag. But not in the Grand Bazaar. You can literally get lost. With its maze of hallways, friendly people, and the kaleidoscope of colorful lanterns, the Grand Bazaar is a joy to explore.

The Blue Mosque

Walk across Sultanahmet Square to the Blue Mosque. Built-in 1616, the Blue Mosque is famous for the intricate blue tile work that covers the interior of the building. It is free to enter, and if you have never been inside a mosque before, this is a good one to start with. There are particular rules you must follow when entering a mosque, and because of the large numbers of tourists that visit the Blue Mosque every day, the entrance procedures are well explained.

Hagia Sophia

From the Blue Mosque, you already can see this next stop; Hagia Sophia. This UNESCO world heritage museum is a must-see. Famous for its grandness and incredible interior, Hagia Sophia opens from 9 AM to 7 PM and is closed on Mondays. Don’t buy any skip-the-line tickets on the street. Order your tickets online as the Hagia Sophia is one of the most popular attractions for tourists in Istanbul.

Tip to consider before visiting Istanbul:

Best time to visit Istanbul

March to May and September to November are the best times to visit Istanbul. During both Spring and Autumn, it is less busy, and the weather is comfortable.

Turkey Visa

To enter Turkey, you will need to have a visa. An e-visa online is within a day and the price starts at 51 USD per standard tourist visa (this was 2020). Please note that the price may go up depending on your country of origin. Check the Turkish consulate website.

price may go up depending on your country of origin. Check the Turkish consulate website.