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Our last leg brought us to beautiful and bustling Istanbul, a city straddling two continents and teeming with history. Everything is so rich here, your senses just come alive with the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that each corner has to offer.
Dolmabahçe Palace
First stop today is the magnificent Dolmabahçe Palace along the Bosphorus. Even the outside of the palace grounds are so calm and beautiful!
Walking along the wide boulevards, just imagining the sultans and their entourage arriving here after a long journey, and being welcomed home to such opulence and grandeur. Truly a sign of the greatness of the Ottoman empire
I kept stopping to ooooh and aaaahhh at everything, including this intricate gate structure. Perfect OOTD spot!
The Grand Bazaar
There was so much to see, taste, try here and we almost got lost walking through the tiny alleyways! The place was so crowded it was basically impossible to get a clean shot
Simit on the street
Everywhere you go in Istanbul they have these little carts filled with delicious looking pretzels/bagels called simit. (You can even see one in my previous photo) I had to try it of course, plus I was hungry after walking around (in heels!) for the whole day. Traditional Turkish street food, check!
Sultanahmet Mosque
Passing through the entrance archway surrounded on all sides by arched corridors felt like walking through history, especially as the walkways were lined with information about Islam around the world. Even when the mosque is full of people, the intricate architecture can’t fail to impress! Istanbul skyline is known by the domes but none draws the eye quite like this one.
Theres no better place to end my journey than here. It's been such an eye opening experience traveling through the historical sites of the Ottoman Empire, and experiencing the raw beauty of Cappadocia. It's amazing how a single country can have such diverse beauty in every corner, Masha'Allah!
I hope you enjoyed touring with me, til next time!
