Istanbul is magical – in a long weekend you can only begin to scratch its surface. The Hagia Sophia is dwarfing and breathtaking, the Cisterna Basilica a magical grotto of reflections, and the Grand Bazaar a double espresso for the senses.
In 2018, I visited Istanbul for the first time with one of my best friends who is Turkish and has spent endless time here. We landed late and I remember so vividly weaving through the streets in a taxi, all the lights and hills of the city glowing a deep orange. Nearly a decade later, I went back for another chance to soak up this alluring city.
