Day 87: Leaving Thessaloniki

After 6-day of visiting the less well-known, Thessaloniki, it was time to move on. We will be passing through Kavala, with the hope of visiting the archeological site of Philip (a UNESCO worldЧитать далее
Day 87: Arriving Kavala

Welcome to Kavala! The first impression is that it looks like Sorrento/ Amalfi, those coastal cities in Italy. We like it as it is not as large and not with a lot of tourists at the time.
Day 88: Walk around Kavala

Everything in Kavala is within walking distance. There are few spots in town worth checking out. The huge aqua duct and the waterfront are the most impressive parts in town.
Day 89: Archeological site of Phillippi

The archeological site of Phillipi is the main reason we stopped by Kavala. It is a UNESCO world heritage. The ancient city of Phillipi was built or conquered by King of Macedonia, Phillipi. He wasЧитать далее
Day 91: Leaving Kavala

Today was a big day because we were going to cross the land border and head to Istanbul. The bus took almost 8 hours. Let’s see how our next adventure unfold.
Day 91: Hello Istanbul

After almost 8 hours bus ride (we thought it is 6 hours as the bus ticket has the wrong arrival hour), we are here! Welcome to Istanbul 🇹🇷
Day 92: Taksim

Today was a rest day for us. The unexpected long bus ride drained us yesterday. We just did a small walk around the Taksim area, where our accommodation was.
Day 93: Hagia Sophia

Our first proper place to visit in Istanbul was the famous Hagia Sophia. In the past, it was free to visit. Unfortunately, effective from Jan 2024, a Euro25 entrance fee per person has beenЧитать далее
Day 93: Blue (Sultan Ahmed ) Mosque

Just next to Hagia Sophia is the Blue Mosque. It is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque. It was constructed between 1609-1617 during the rule of Ahmed I. It is another giant mosque and it’sЧитать далее
Day 93: Galata Tower

The Galata Tower is an old Genoese tower. It was built as a watchtower at the highest point of the Walls of Galata. Unfortunately, it was under construction when we visited.
Day 93: Taksim area

We ended our day back to the Taksim Area
Day 95: Grand Bazaar

One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and 4000 shops. One can easily do all the shopping here!
Day 95: Beyazit Mosque

Beyazit Mosque is an early 16th-century Ottoman imperial mosque. It is the oldest imperial mosque.
Day 95: Suleymaniye Mosque

This mosque took 8 years to build and was completed in 1557. It was a tribute to Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. It is a fitting tribute to both the sultan and the architect, Mimar Sinan. SuleymanЧитать далее
Day 95: Molla Zeyrek Mosque

Similar to most of the Byzantine churches in Istanbul, it was converted into a mosque after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453. It was also known as Pantokrator Monastery dedicatedЧитать далее
Day 95: Taksim area

We ended our day back to the Taksim area
Day 96: Yildiz Hamidiye Mosque

Originally we would like to visit the palace nearby. But it was forbidden to visit as it turned to a military base. We then visited this mosque. It was an Ottoman Imperial mosque commissioned by theЧитать далее
Day 96: Taksim area

Today was a short day. We went back to the Taksim area to take a rest.
Day 97: Yanikapi Station

Just bumped into this unique transit hub, Yanikapi station. The design is very interesting.
Day 97: Mihrimah Sultan Mosque

A 16th-century Ottoman mosque. It was commissioned by Mihrimah Sultan, the daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent. Also designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan. We got this mosque to ourselvesЧитать далее
Day 97: Walls of Istanbul

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by ConstantineЧитать далее
Day 97: Yeni Mosque (New Mosque)

One of Istanbul’s most prominent mosques, close to the Galata Bridge. The mosque dated back to 1663. It has 2-storey, and it allowed visitor to go to the 2nd floor, the view was pretty stunning.
Day 97: Taksim area

Last night in Taksim before leaving Istanbul!
Day 98: BUDO ferry to Bursa

Leaving the busy Istanbul! We were heading to Bursa!
Day 98: Arriving Bursa

After 2-hour ferry ride, arriving the Mudanya ferry terminal in Bursa. We took the 1-M bus to the Emek metro station for transiting to the city centre.