It’s been three weeks since I got back home from Istanbul, and I’m still feeling so refreshed! I’m super happy I got to visit my favourite city (so far) for a second time in just four years. The beauty of the city, the kindness of the locals, and the amazing food... such a killer combo! Istanbul for the win, hehe!
Even though it's been a few weeks since I returned, I’m still sitting on a ton of photos and videos from the trip, so I think it's finally time to put together a proper blog post and share my experience. Better late than never, right?!? Let's go!
DAY 1 - The Trip
The roadtrip team was me and my gf @illusivelf, along with our good friends @dskiadaresis and @elef.simu. Our starting point was Ioannina, GR, and according to the GPS, it would take us around 12 hours to drive the full 900 km to reach Istanbul!
We left Ioannina around 7:30 AM, and after about 8 hours of driving, we reached the Greek-Turkish border. To our surprise, there were only three cars in front of us, so border control on both sides took no more than 20 minutes. SO LUCKY!
Istanbul was supposed to be just a 3-hour drive from the border, or at least that’s what the maps told us! But with the super low speed limits, a couple of stops, and the chaos of Istanbul traffic, it actually took us about 5 hours to get to the hotel. GPS was definitely off, haha! But it’s all good! We passed some cool spots on the way, like this one!
Long story short, we made it to the hotel safe and sound around 8:00 PM, checked in, and decided to grab something to eat. The hotel was just a 2-minute walk from Taksim, the central square of Istanbul, so we had plenty of options nearby. We ended up going for a Turkish classic... Doner! Can’t go wrong with Doner, it’s always tasty, haha.
We were all very tired, so we called it a night and headed back to the hotel. I grabbed a couple of local cold ones (Efes Gold), and after finishing both in like 30 minutes, I hit the bed and had one of the best sleeps I’ve had in a long time. Exactly what I needed for the long next day that was coming!
DAY 2 - Istiklal, Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower, and Spice Bazaar
We woke up feeling super fresh the next day, and after a quick espresso at a coffee shop just above our hotel, we hit the streets—ready to explore!
The team
We started from Istiklal, a huge pedestrian street packed with beautiful buildings, shops, and so much history! We visited a couple of churches, explored narrow alleys, old arcades, and little shops, each with its own unique vibe, influenced by the many different cultures and communities that have passed through one of the world’s most important cities.
Here are a few photos from our walk
Continuing our walk from Istiklal, we found ourselves right next to the famous Galata Tower, one of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks! We didn’t go up to the top, but just seeing this amazing structure up close was worth it. Honestly, it kind of feels like it's a part of a wizards school, like Hogwarts, haha! Or I'm just a Harry Potter nerd haha!
Our next stop was Galata bridge, just a 5-minute walk from the tower. In my opinion, it’s one of the most incredible spots in Istanbul cause you get this amazing 360° view of the city! On top of that, you’ve got locals fishing all along the bridge, which just adds to the atmosphere. Just dope!
Locals fishing and the Yeni Cami in the background
After crossing the bridge, we arrived at two more iconic Istanbul spots, Yeni Cami and the Spice Bazaar!
Yeni Cami (or New Mosque) is one of the biggest and most beautiful mosques in Istanbul! Just outside, there’s a huge square where hundreds of people hang out, sipping their tea or coffee! Such a great spot to relax after a long walk!
Another reason the square around Yeni Cami square is so packed is because it’s also right next to the entrance to one of Istanbul’s most famous spots... the Grand Bazaar. This place is a huge complex with hundreds of shops selling spices, Turkish delicacies, dried seeds, teas and so much more!
The bazaar was just like I remembered it! Colorful, crowded, and filled with the amazing smell of their products!
While walking around, lots of shop owners offered us little Turkish treats like local chocolate bites and tea. It was awesome! We didn’t buy anything that day, but it was definitely a fun walk!
After exiting the Spice Bazaar, we headed south to our last stop for the day, the Grand Bazaar! It was built in the 15th century and is considered one of the world’s first shopping malls.
It took us less than 10 minutes to get there, and the walk was lined with shops selling all sorts of things. From fake football jerseys to knockoff Nike shoes, you can find pretty much any imitation item you can think of between the Spice and Grand Bazaars and all for ridiculously cheap prices!
Now, inside the Grand Bazaar, it was a whole different story! Most shops were selling traditional Turkish products like coffee pots (briki), leather bags and jackets, home decor, and of course... jewelry. So much jewelry haha!
I didn’t take many photos inside the Grand Bazaar! To be honest, I was too busy just looking around! Millions of products, thousands of sellers, total chaos in the most entertaining way. I’m not usually a fan of bazaars, but I had a great time with all the local sellers trying to convince me to buying their stuff haha!
We spent about an hour wandering around the Grand Bazaar, and when we finally stepped outside, a sweet surprise was waiting for us! Just outside the exit we happened to take (there are tons of them), we stumbled across a book fair. I’m not a big reader myself, but for some weird reason, walking around book fairs always calms me. It was the chill walk we needed after the chaos of the bazaar haha!
As we were walking around the book fair, we noticed a huge white building standing out in the distance so we decided to check it out! Turns out it was one of Istanbul’s universities. Even though we weren’t allowed to go inside the campus, it was still an impressive sight! Clean, imposing, and the architecture was amazing.
We took a few minutes to chill there before starting the walk back to our hotel area. According to my iPhone, we’d already walked over 10km and we still had four days ahead of us, so we needed to save some energy hehe!
It took us about 40 minutes to get back, but it was totally worth it! We passed through some really cool spots along the way. That said... those Istanbul uphills are no joke! My feet were absolutely destroyed by the end of the journey lol!
So, we made it back to the hotel area, grabbed some dinner, did one last small walk around Istiklal, crushed a few cold ones back in the room, and called it a night around midnight!
Forgot to mention that once again, we had doner for dinner haha! Free spicy peppers for the win haha!
DAY 3 - Stroll Around Kadıköy
The next day turned out to be the chillest day of our trip! Not because we walked less, but because the area we visited was way calmer than the hectic city center from the day before! It was like night and day!
We woke up around 8:30, had a quick coffee, and headed straight to Eminönü Ferry Terminal to catch the ferry to Kadıköy, a lively district on the Asian side of Istanbul known for its lay back vibes, street art, local markets, and awesome food! It took us about 20 minutes to walk to the terminal, and another 20 to cross the Bosphorus by ferry.
The ferry ride was amazing! We passed by beautiful buildings, squares, and colorful neighborhoods we definitely wouldn’t have seen if we hadn’t taken the ferry. It’s totally worth the $0.90 ticket price!
We arrived at Kadıköy early, around 11 AM, so we decided to take it easy. After a short walk, we spotted a really chill coffee shop where we enjoyed another round of coffee/tea before starting our Kadıköy exploring adventure!
After finishing our coffee and planning out a few spots to check out, we set off for our next stop, the heart of Kadıköy. A few minutes later, we made it there and instantly realised why everyone recommended it! Full of young people, way cheaper food, cool-looking shops, and artsy buildings all around. Like this lil shop’s decor below!
For the next eight hours, we just wandered around Kadıköy's busy and beautiful alleys, malls, bazaars and parks... and yeah, we did a bit of shopping too hehe!
Both me and @illusivelf grabbed some super-cheap socks (around $1 a pair) and picked out some high-quality fabrics for her upcoming Zero F clothing collection!
Walks, walks, and more walks! Kadıköy was full of surprises! Tasty little snacks everywhere, cozy tea spots and oh boy... the smell of fresh salep! SO GOOD! Of course I can't forget the endless stalls with super cheap local products!
I saved the best story for last though! Our lunch! We were looking around for a spot to eat when we stumbled upon this MEGA-SIZED chicken burger/wings/onion rings challenge from a fast food joint called “Lupen”! 😂
Me and @illusivelf looked at each other and instantly knew... challenge accepted! For just $15, they brought us this HUGE (and lowkey delicious) plate with 2 chicken burgers, a mountain of fries, chicken fingers, onion rings and every sauce on the planet haha!
It even came with free plastic gloves to keep things clean, and not gonna lie, it was a first for me! Don’t know if I’ll ever eat with gloves again, they are kind of incomfortable, but it made the whole thing even funnier haha!
Took us around 30 minutes to finish the whole thing, and by the end we were SO full dude! Our friends skipped the challenge and ate at a restaurant nearby, but when they came back to find us, they couldn’t stop laughing at how we were handling the situation. Here’s how we looked 😂👇
Yes, we cleared the plate. Challenge COMPLETED. Boom!
I cleaned up the fries after the photo haha
After that bomb meal and all the walking, it was finally time to take the ferry back to Eminonu. And the ride back was so good. We were riding the fairy during sunset and everything felt straight out of a fairy tale!
Made it back to Eminonu, did a few small walks around the area, and then back to the hotel to rest and get ready for Day 4!
DAY 4 - It's Skateboarding Day
As core skaters, we had to ditch our girls and go skate some street spots! Both em and @dskiadaresis just couldn't resist haha!
I texted a few local skaters I knew from my last trip and arranged a meet-up at probably the most iconic skate spot in Istanbul... Besiktas Square!
I've already written a full post just about this day on Skatehive, so if you’re down to check all the details, dive in below!
🔗 👉 Skating The Streets of Istanbul
And for the homies who don’t wanna switch tabs, no worries, I got you! Here’s the video recap!
Met new people, skated new spots and filmed a bunch of clips! Couldn't get any better than that! Skateboarding always feels good!
DAY 5 & 6 - Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & the Way Back Home
In Day 5 (our final full day), we did some classic sightseeing, but let’s be real, if you're in Istanbul there's no way you're skipping these! I’m talking Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque!
As usual, after a quick coffee we took the tram from Karaköy (just by Galata Bridge) and two stops later we were at Sultanahmet station, right in the heart of Istanbul’s most iconic sights!
Our first stop was Hagia Sophia, the legendary church originally built in 537 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.
Unfortunately, this landmark piece of history has now been transformed into a mosque, and much of its interior, decorated with Christian mosaics and centuries-old artwork, is now hidden under religious cloths and panels. So, we skipped the endless line and just admired Hagia Sophia from the outside!
Just to be clear, I’m not a religious person, so this isn’t about faith. I just believe historical landmarks like Hagia Sophia should be preserved in their original form, not altered depending on current political or religious tides.
Our next stop was the famous Blue Mosque! Seeing it in pictures is one thing, but standing in front of this enormous, majestic structure in real life truly gives you a sense of awe! Amazing architecture!
We couldn’t check out the interior since it was prayer time and tourist access wasn’t allowed, so we admired it from the outside for a good while. Then, it was time to hit the road for our final and probably most interesting stop of the trip... the Basilica Cistern!
There were two separate lines at the entrance! One for people buying tickets on the spot (hunderds waiting, no joke), and another much shorter one for those who had already bought their tickets online. The choice was obvious... We booked our tickets on the spot through our phones, skipped the massive line, and got inside the Basilica Cistern in less than 3 minutes to witness one of the most incredible structures of the Byzantine Empire!
It really was breathtaking, especially when you consider the history and function of the Basilica Cistern! Built in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, it was designed to store water for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other key buildings in the city.
The most amazing part is its unique architecture though, with all those hundreds of columns carved with different designs, including the famous Medusa head!
Took us around 30 minutes to walk around the whole Cistern, and we couldn't stop admiring all the fine details in every corner! The columns, the ancient atmosphere, and the history made it feel like stepping back in time! For real!
After wandering around Sultanahmet for a bit more, we hopped on the tram back to Galata. We made a quick stop at the Spice Bazaar and Istiklal for some last-minute shopping and grabbed our final kebab dinner. We then headed back to the hotel to pack our things and rest for the long 12-hour trip back the next day!
DAY 6 - The Road Back Home
Everything good comes to an end, and so did our Istanbul trip! We checked out from the hotel around 11 AM, managed to survive the chaos of Istanbul’s roads one last time, and a few hours later we reached the Turkish-Greek borders.
Yunanistan = Greece in Turkish
This time we weren’t as lucky though... There was a huge line of cars ahead of us! Thankfully, both border checks moved pretty fast and in about an hour and a half, we were back on Greek roads heading toward Ioannina.
During the trip back, we couldn’t stop talking about how smooth everything went and how amazing our experience was! And of course, we couldn't wait to visit Istanbul again at the first chance we get haha! Classic after-trip conversations right?
After hours of driving and a few stops, we made it back home around 1 PM, super-tired and starving. But @illusivelf’s parents had done a BBQ earlier and left us a bunch of food at our place! Hell yeah! Best gift after a road trip EVER haha!
Can’t wait to visit Istanbul for the third time, and judging by @illusivelf’s hype, I’m pretty sure it’s gonna happen sooner rather than later. The food, the people, the energy… 10/10 city, 10/10 trip!
Thanks for reading this long-ass blog, everyone! If you ever get the chance to visit Istanbul, just DO IT and you won’t regret it. Much love and keep traveling ❤️
Disclaimers: 👇
- Some of these photos are shot by @illusivelf (using my phone, her camera sucks 🤣), thus 10% beneficiery rewards
- Post slightly enhanced with AI for a better reading flow
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[//]:# ([//]:# (!worldmappin 41.02597 lat 28.97796 long A Six-Day Roadtrip to Istanbul d3scr))