In Kongo’s previous post, he explored the ‘Big Three’ sites in Istanbul. This episode takes a look at some of Istanbul’s other fascinating sites that help make this vibrant city a “must visit” destination for your traveling bucket list.

Kongo recently spent two weeks in Western Turkey, exploring historic sites with a group of scholars from the California Statue University Channel Islands Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI). Now that’s a mouthful. The OLLI program is designed for life-long learners over 50. Kongo is a frequent lecturer in the program, mostly teaching about Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire On this trip he collaborated with our group guide to provide a series of talks covering the many sites we visited. One of the really cool things about the CSUCI OLLI program is that they have a vibrant overseas travel program where OLLI scholars visit in person many of the cultures they have studied in their classes. There is also a rich local travel schedule where students visit a variety of interesting sites across Southern California.

Now, one thing to keep in mind about Istanbul and Turkey in general is that they’re trying to kill you. That’s an exaggeration but it sometimes seems that’s the case. Istanbul is just one of those places where when you’ve moving about you have to keep your head on a swivel. Street cars go zooming by on cobblestone streets. In the old city, traffic is mostly unbearable, where buses, trucks, vans, and automobiles transform just moving about into a competitive sport and pedestrians are essentially part of the obstacle course. Traffic signals, one-way street designations, and right-of-ways are only suggestions. Pathways that are thousands of years old, steps that are apparently designed to blend in to the background, loose paving stones, potholes, and street vendors intent on giving you “the best deal” add to the fun of getting around in this city. So, moving a group of twenty curious scholars from one point to another makes the expression “herding cats” an understatement. Fortunately, we didn’t lose anyone. At least not for too long.

One stop everyone must see at least once while in Istanbul is the Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, known as Kapalıçarşı in Turkish, is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. It dates back to the mid-15th century, shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, initiated by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. The market covers an area of approximately 11 acres and contains over 4,000 shops spread across 61 covered streets. As many as 400,000 visitors a day come to the bazaar so prepare yourself.

Dolmabahçe Palace is a grand and historically significant site located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, on the European shore of the Bosphorus Strait. Constructed between 1843 and 1856 under Sultan Abdülmecid I, it was built to replace the older Topkapı Palace and to showcase the Ottoman Empire’s wealth and modernization efforts by adopting European architectural styles such as Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical.

Dolmabahçe Palace is vast, with 285 rooms, 44 halls, and 6 baths, and its richly decorated interiors, including a famous ceremonial hall, the Selamlık (men’s quarters), and the Harem (family apartments). The palace is also known for its extravagant furnishings, such as the massive crystal chandelier gifted by Queen Victoria and the grand crystal staircase.

After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the palace became a presidential residence for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, who used it during the summers and died there in 1938. Since then, it has been converted into a museum and remains one of Istanbul’s most popular tourist attractions, managed by the Directorate of National Palaces under the Turkish government.

The Fener and Balat neighborhoods, nestled along the shores of Istanbul’s Golden Horn, offered us a captivating journey into the city’s multicultural past. Away from the main tourist throngs of Sultanahmet, these historic districts provide a more intimate glimpse into the lives of the Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Armenian, and Bulgarian communities that once flourished here, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s fabric.

A trip to Istanbul would be incomplete without a cruise on the Bosporus Strait, the international waterway that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, the Hellespont, and the Mediterranean Sea. Heavily laden grain ships from Ukraine were sailing from the Black Sea toward ports beyond the Aegean. We sailed under huge bridges, drifted past luxury neighborhoods, and took in the sunshine of a beautiful day.

In his final post about Istanbul, Kongo will take you on a tour of some more sights off the beaten path in Istanbul. Stay tuned.

Travel safe. Have fun.