Sultanahmet Mosque (a.k.a. the Blue Mosque) interior…
The interior of Sultanahmet is a true wonder, so let yourself be completely absorbed by it. Lights hang — float — illuminating the scalloped domes, all dotted with windows and intricate details. Stop, stare and be inspired by those incredible blue tiles… the blue-and-white combination is one of Tory’s favorites.
…and exterior
The Sultanahmet Mosque gets its nickname — the Blue Mosque — from the now-famous blue floral tiles (and constant source of inspiration for our design team) decorating its vast interiors. But its exterior is easy to spot, too, with its six distinctive minarets.
Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is worth its own week — wandering the streets and side alleys, stopping at stalls and stepping into market after market. Take an extra empty suitcase… You’ll leave with a handmade suzani or two, lanterns, Iznik pottery and gold jewelry. The best part? Just as it was when it opened in the 1400s, it’s still the cross-roads of Asian and European cultures. (Follow a long day at the bazaar, relaxing at a real Turkish hamam.)
Beylerbeyi Palace
One of the city’s “newer” structures — a mere 150 years in comparison to its centuries-old neighbors — the Beylerbeyi Palace sits right along the shores of the Bosphorous. Its guest rooms are said to have inspired those in parts of Tuileries Palace in Paris.
Istanbul is the stuff of legend. Constantinople, the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, the romance of the sultans and the grand, romantic palaces they built. No wonder it was one of Tory’s favorite trips. Here, our tour through the city sights.
Photographed by Noa Griffel