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Walks of Turkey: historical guided tour of Istanbul! Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cistern, spice market.

istanbul skyline best viewpoint

Dark angel over Byzantium! If a single image could sum up my feeling about Istanbul, it would be this one.

It was my first time here, and I wanted an in-depth look at the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and other ancient wonders.

I had heard rave reviews of Walks of Turkey, a local company, so I joined them for a tour of Istanbul’s historical district. Keep reading, and I’ll take you to all the famous cultural sites.

(Outfit Details: I’m wearing a Killstar devil-wings dress. The same black dress also comes with red fringe on the sleeves, or pink fringe.)

blue mosque istanbul

As you’ll recall, I came to Turkey as a guest of the World Tourism ForumAfter the travel conference, I stayed a few extra days to explore.

I met my Walks of Turkey guide in the Sultanahmet area, where these cultural landmarks are located within easy walking distance of each other. The city may be now be called Istanbul, but you still feel the grandeur of Constantinople (as it was known during its heyday).

fashion blogger istanbul turkey

From the start, we knew we were in good hands. Our guide, Kamil, understood our photography goals — and used his personal connections to bring us to the best viewpoints, like this one. He also customized the tour to suit our interests and pace. The entire time, it felt like we were on a walk with a friend.

(Hair by Stephanie Hoy of Stratosphere Salon, Vancouver BC).

As you can see from this video, Walks of Turkey delivered the ideal, customized tour! The company has a five-star rating because of its expert guides and small private tours. You can just relax and enjoy the personal experience, and there are never surprises such as hidden costs along the way.

istanbul egyptian obelisk

Kamil started his tour at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, which is marked by two obelisks and a Serpentine Column. He brought the ancient scene to life, describing the spirited sporting events that took place here, and pointing out the tracks of horse chariots.

Above is a close-up of the obelisk that Theodosius the Great brought from Egypt in the 4th century. I couldn’t believe how well the hieroglyphs stood the test of time. The owl looks like he was carved yesterday.

sultan ahmed mosque exterior

Right next to the Hippodrome is the glorious Blue Mosque. Our Walks of Turkey guide explained that this is a nickname, and that locals call it the Sultan Ahmet. This blue-tiled, six-minaret achievement was built in the early 17th century, during the rule of Ahmed I.

blue mosque courtyard

We admired the peaceful courtyard, with a hexagon fountain for ablutions in the middle (which is now dry).

Before entering the mosque, everyone must remove their shoes (they provide a plastic bag, so you can carry them with you). The women must cover their heads with scarves, and put on a blue skirt (even if  you’re wearing leggings, you’ll be asked to wear one). This is out of respect to the Muslims that attend the mosque for prayers and services.

istanbul blue mosque entrance

I was prepared: I had my arms covered, and brought my own scarf.

My dress is this one by Killstar, which also comes in red or pink fringe versions. Shop similar styles below:

interior ceiling blue mosque

Walk into the Blue Mosque, and look up. You can’t help but be captivated by the heavenly domes, which are made with over 20,000 Iznik ceramic tiles.

women cover head headscarves istanbul

 These intricate designs merge into floral patterns, diffused by the light from over 200 stained glass windows and glowing chandeliers. 

Sultan Ahmet Mosque inside

The tablets on the walls are inscribed with the names of caliphs, and verses from the Koran. The Blue Mosque is a brilliant example of how Islamic architecture uses delicate touches to create a magnificent effect.

purple blue pastel haircolor

I saluted the Blue Mosque’s six minarets, or towers. Before electronic microphones were invented, the muezzin had to climb a narrow spiral staircase five times a day to do the call to prayer!

basilica cistern istanbul

Our Walks of Turkey tour guide then took us to the Basilica Cistern, and used his special pass to skip the line.

Photos alone can’t convey the mysterious mood of the ancient water supply, known aptly as the Sunken Palace. I heard the drip-drip of the water as we walked through the paths, and noticed fish swimming in the pools (an old-fashioned way to test for poisons).

walks of turkey tour

Built in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, Basilica is the largest of several hundred cisterns that supplied Istanbul with water. Two columns have bases shaped like the heads of Medusa; these stones were re-used from Roman sculptures.

hagia sophia turkey view

What could possibly top this? The Hagia Sophia, a 6th century Christian church that became an imperial mosque. Today, it’s a museum — so you don’t need to abide by a dress code in order to enter.

entrance tickets hagia sofia

We were in Istanbul in February, which is the off-season for travelers. On the plus side, you won’t encounter as many tourists. However, the weather is still quite chilly during this time of year.

Once again, we were grateful to be with Walks of Turkey, as we could skip lines and breeze right in.

chandeliers lights hagia sophia

The Hagia Sophia is considered the height Byzantine architecture. Every detail was so tremendously executed that Emperor Justinian reportedly exclaimed, “Solomon, I have outdone thee!”

art domes hagia sophia museum

I would have to agree — I was mesmerized by the feeling of the Hagia Sophia. Our guide gave us insight into the Arabic symbols, which mixed with Christian references — such as paintings of seraphim.

woman lavender hair color

As we walked through the two floors, Kamil pointed out details we would never have known. He showed us the Hagia Sophia’s “official cat,” who greeted President Obama and roams the museum freely. He also showed us the “Face of Satan,” a marble panel that happens to look like the devil.

turkey private guided walking tour

Looking up, the Hagia Sophia’s dome appears to be levitating, thanks to the light from from 40 windows surround its base. An incredible architectural achievement, especially considering that it was built in the 6th century.

grand bazaar rooftop roof

As I mentioned before, our guide made sure we had access to the best scenic locations. He took us to a rooftop by the Grand Bazaar, which only locals know about. I climbed up on the dome for this epic shot.

(Find my dress and morebelow):

spice market istanbul

The last stop was the Istanbul Spice Market, a hall of sensory delights. At one of the stalls, we tasted apple and pomegranate tea, and samples of Turkish Delight.

I usually don’t like Turkish Delight, but it’s made fresh here, with the highest quality fruit and nuts. After trying the real deal, I get why the confectionery has its delightful name! 

turkish delight spice market

Our Walks of Turkey guide made sure we never felt pressured to buy anything. We could take our time to shop, and ask all the questions we liked.

rose tea, spices, istanbul

I wanted to take home all of the teas, made from fresh flowers and herbs, and served in a tulip-shaped glass.

grand bazaar istanbul

There’s so much to see in the Sultanahmed district. We walked through the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world. 

vendors jewelry grand bazaar

Again, it was named Grand for a reason. I was dazzled by the labyrinthine of shops. Fine jewelry, magic carpets, pottery, handicrafts, leatherworks — you name it.

istanbul lanterns stores

These glowing rainbow lanterns made me feel like I had gone back in time, and was wandering the Grand Bazaar of the 15th century.

topkapi palace museum

Topkapı Palace is a short walk away. It was the sprawling home of the Ottoman sultans, between the 15th and 19th centuries.

Today, it’s a museum that holds Muslim holy relics like Muhammed’s sword, and more bizarre items like his wooden stick and bits of beard. The rooms also have displays of Ottoman furniture, Islamic calligraphy and other art.

We’re so happy we spent the day with Walks of Turkey: the expert guides put their hearts into making your tour special. With Kamil’s help, we got an in-depth look at Byzantine culture, and were able to access photography locations known only by insiders.

sultanahmet scenery istanbul

Walks of Turkey offers a variety of tours, including food excursions and Bosphorus cruises. They’re a team to be trusted, and I hope you’ll let them be your guides when you visit.

istanbul local mosque

I leave you with a ceiling shot from a small mosque. Long live Constantinople.

blue mosque at night

All the photo and video credit goes to the uber-talented Joey Wong. Please take a moment to watch our Istanbul video here — we hope it gives you a taste of our travels.

And if this post gave you wanderlust, we’d appreciate if you could share it on Facebook or your social media. Teşekkür ederim, or thank you in Turkish!

SHARE & COMMENT

33 Comments

  1. Roberta
    Posted April 11, 2016 at 12:04 am | Permalink

    Bella

  2. Brian
    Posted April 11, 2016 at 12:05 am | Permalink

    Have fun!

  3. Jade
    Posted April 11, 2016 at 12:05 am | Permalink

    Spiffy.

  4. RamenKal
    Posted April 11, 2016 at 12:05 am | Permalink

    More posts like this please, this makes my heart soar! Constantinople <3

  5. DragonFly
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 12:22 am | Permalink

    Nice

  6. Wafel
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 12:22 am | Permalink

    I enjoy your travel videos

  7. Bakaeee
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 12:22 am | Permalink

    Great write-up!!!!

  8. asli
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 12:23 am | Permalink

    I want to be a travel blogger.

    • lacarmina
      Posted April 12, 2016 at 11:57 pm | Permalink

      It’s a lot of hard work and behind the scenes… :)

  9. Anan
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 2:52 am | Permalink

    Fabulous dress with fringe.

  10. Bunny
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 2:53 am | Permalink

    I love Killstar and you look great! That must be an awesome view.

  11. Hanna
    Posted April 12, 2016 at 3:45 am | Permalink

    wow love ur dress!

  12. Linda
    Posted April 13, 2016 at 1:06 am | Permalink

    this pictures tho * 0 * <3<3<3 loving the wings!!

  13. - Sam
    Posted April 13, 2016 at 1:31 am | Permalink

    Girl this is gorgeous!

  14. angela
    Posted April 14, 2016 at 10:06 pm | Permalink

    BOSS lady.

  15. SaSa
    Posted April 15, 2016 at 4:54 am | Permalink

    cool!!

  16. 郭政霖
    Posted April 16, 2016 at 2:18 am | Permalink

    Thank you~!!! THANK YOU~!!!

  17. Ryan
    Posted April 16, 2016 at 2:19 am | Permalink

    Truly one of a kind.

  18. Shel
    Posted April 16, 2016 at 4:26 am | Permalink

    You look amazing!

  19. Blogger Bolat
    Posted February 18, 2018 at 12:58 pm | Permalink

    Hello :)What a nice blog post. We will wait you again in my country. Greeting from istanbul.
    Blog writer, Blogger Bolat from Turkey

  20. Black
    Posted April 1, 2021 at 1:45 pm | Permalink

    As someone living in Istanbul, your sharing made me very happy.

    Thank you for your great narration.

    Teşekkür ederim

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