My day between water and stone: Hagia Sophia, the Cistern, and an evening at Chimney Bistro
I spent a quiet day tracing Byzantine engineering on the Historic Peninsula, moving from the upper galleries of Hagia Sophia down into the Basilica Cistern before ending with a hot pide by the palace walls.
My unhurried day at Topkapı Palace, the Harem, and a quiet table in Sultanahmet
I spent a full walking day exploring Topkapı Palace courtyard by courtyard, stepped through the tiled rooms of the Harem, cooled off in the Basilica Cistern, and ended up on Soğuk Çeşme Street.
Hi, I'm Maarten — and the Afternoon Sultanahmet Made Sense
Hi, I'm Maarten. After years of exploring Istanbul on foot, a quiet afternoon underground in Sultanahmet finally prompted me to write everything down.