Historische Halbinsel

I find the building’s historical, architectural and religious evolution fascinating and this World-Heritage listed Istanbul ‘must do’ has been on my ‘bucket list’ for years. I really regret not having visited whilst it was still a museum. The exterior in a poor state of repair, especially when compared to the adjacent Blue Mosque. The interior was very crowded and lacked spiritual atmosphere. The scale of the dome is impressive, but many other sections (in particular the upper floor) are closed to tourists or are ‘censored’. The apse mosaics are now covered with sheets, even outside prayer times. You can only view two of the original Byzantine mosaics (the glistening gilded Christ with Leo VI mosaic over the Emperor’s Portal as you enter the mosque, and the Virgin with the Emperors Constantine and Justinian mosaic as you exit). This was all the more disappointing as Byzantine mosaics elsewhere in the old town were also inaccessible - the Byzantine Palace Mosaics Museum closed ‘for restoration’ without any advance notice, plus the Chora church-mosque and the Theotokos Pammakaristos Museum - Fethiye Mosque remain closed. Tips. Expect queues - whilst these move quickly, they do build up during the day, so it is best to go as early as possible (9am when we visited) and avoid midday and afternoon prayer times during which the mosque is closed to tourists. You need to follow mosque etiquette (arms and legs to be covered; ladies musts also cover their head with a scarf; shoes to be removed). As it currently stands, you don’t need more than 30 minutes inside and I wouldn’t bother with a guide.

Istanbul is as beautiful as it is enchanting! No guide book no website can truly prepare you for the truly amazing sites & hypnotising scenery. However, don't be fooled! Istanbul is as organised as it is chaotic. Two hour traffic jams are the absolute norm in this vast metropolis. As a proud native Londoner, I felt I was arriving at another large & busy capital (commercial). Man -was I wrong! Istanbul is absolutely enormous! That can't be overstated. We drove 55 km from one location to another & yet we were still in Istanbul. The local food is unspeakably delicious and cheap. The people can be friendly but take some time to let their guard down & then they're kind & hospitable. The only piece of advice I can humbly give is to be very careful with money. First, use Uber religiously. Most taxi cabs and local cab companies (including to & from the city's airports) are extortionate & shady to say the least. Second, wherever & whoever possible use PayPal or credit cards. I did & was gladly refunded when a local tour company tried to swindle my family and I. Finally, enjoy one of the most majestic cities of the world!

This is one of the most spectacular monuments that I have seen. It is very easy to get in with food vendors outside if you need refreshments.!