Top 5 Things to See in Istanbul

Istanbul offers an endless possibility of choices on what to see and do, but for the first-time traveler, there are a handful of things that just have to be checked off the list. Yes, they are 'touristy' but they are for a reason and leaving the country without experiencing these following five things would be downright blasphemous so to speak. Here are my top 5 things to see in Istanbul, chock full of alluring artistry and design genius.

Le Souk

The Middle East practically invented the all-in-one shopping extravaganza thousands of years ago with their souks (markets) and grand bazaars. They're an excellent place to take in local culture and you can find anything here – offerings run the gamut. They're like small independent cities within a city and one of the coolest places to check out. Here are some of the best I've seen so far.. (I can only imagine the one in Marrakech, Morocco!)

Design Elements : Istanbul

I Bought God in Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is massive! Thousands of stores, shops, and stands and one of the few things I came out with was this little compact mirror. I asked the guy I bought it from what the Arabic symbol on the front meant (since the designy-looking script is why I liked it, I didn't actually NEED another mirror but whatever) and he translated something like "God is everywhere, God is one." Good enough for me! And off I went with my pretty new mirror in 3 different colors.

I'm so hooked on apple tea now.

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