Istanbul Day 1

Off I go, train to Manchester then easyJet to Istanbul, hopefully will arrive around 8pm Istanbul time
Day 2

A full days walking tour planned for today - around the hotel area is the blue mosque, hagia Sophia and grand bazaar, so that should kill the day.
Slightly disappointed with the blue mosque I don'tLes mer
Day 2 continued

Well i visited a carpet shop to see how Turkish carpets are made, and visited the cistern underneath the shop, really interesting as it was set out to show the history of the hippodrome.
After ILes mer
Day 3 east meets west

Well breakfast over so I'm off to get a tram over the Bosphorus and head from europe into the Asian continent lol. Slight change of plans went as far as the besiktas stadium to pick up my passo cardLes mer
Day 3 continued

Start the evening off with whirling dervishes show took some finding down a little alley just off a market.
Wow, no photos of the show / service as it's very religious, very interesting though quiteLes mer
Day 4. Taksim square, and spice market

Today's plans, visit the spice market, head to cheap clothes area, then get an old funicular and head to taksim square.
Probably try for basilica cistern while I'm at it. Think I will leave GalataLes mer
Day 4 continued

After a beer in the Irish bar I caught the metro down to the bridge and crossed underneath it where there are loads of restaurants , half way across I went up top and watched all the fisherman who allLes mer
Day 5

Today it's a lazy day and tonight it's footy, doesn't start till 9pm and I've to be up really early on Monday 🫣
Going to basillica cistern, then get a tram over river and head towards stadiumLes mer
Day 6 Troy

It's an early start for this road trip but since I was young I was fascinated with the tales of Greeks and Trojans so I really don't know what to expect.
Arrived in eceabat and had a nice lunch the aLes mer
Day 7 more sightseeing

Final day for proper mooching as I'm flying back at 8pm tomorrow so last real chance to have a good look at places / areas i've not been to
Day 8 time to go home

My flights not until late on so my transfer to the airport isn't until 5pm so after a lazy morning it's looking like a quick stroll around the old hippodrome area
Final breakfast and once again theLes mer
Home today

Slight delay to flight coming in so didn't land till midnight. Booked in to ibis budget as the cost of that and train today is way less than a taxi, meant I could get good night's sleep, shower andLes mer