Okay, everyone loves and visits St. Sophia as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But no one cares about the mini version of this structure called Küçük Ayadofya Mosque or Sts. Sergius and Bacchus Church. The structure is located close to the Sephendon, the south curved end of the Hippodrome and for me represents a unique surviving structure from the Byzantine era.
It's away from crowds, cosy and very quiet. You can rest, observe and perceive the smallest of the structure and imagine the huge version of St. Sophia. It has a lovely garden with a cute art cafe where you can rest and enjoy the atmosphere away from the packed tourists. I love visiting this structure, built by Justinian I and his wife Theodora, and travel through time to the Byzantine period and get lost in my thoughts. It's one of my favourite locations to relax and enjoy history.
Find your way with 237 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
The "Pera Museum" is for you if you're into art from the life of Istanbul and the Ottoman world between the 17th and early 20th century...
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"The Shoe-shine boys" is a very typical Istanbul sight. Having your shoes painted and polished is a nice experience, just be careful who does it for you!
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The "Fenerbahçe Steamboat" has carried passengers across Istanbul's Bosphorus over 55 years. Now you can see this historical ship in Rahmi Koc Museum.
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"Holy Fragrance" sellers sit just outside mosques and provide refreshing perfumes. I would recommend the ones in Istanbul's Beyazit and Yeni mosques.
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"Kurucu Ali Baba Restaurant" is one of the restaurants that serve haricot beans just outside Suleymaniye in Istanbul. Great service, worth the money...
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The "Tortoise Trainer" is one of my favorite paintings to be found in Istanbul. You can see it in the contemporary/orientalist Istanbul Pera museum.
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"Grand Bazaar" is my place to buy the best Istanbul souvenir: round, fat evil eyes! Just don't forget to bargain...
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"Udonya" is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Istanbul. I can recommend it when you feel you've had enough of Turkish cuisine!
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"Kontraplak" is a 'clean' Istanbul record shop, especially for its selection of second-hand vinyl. The owner, Okan, is very open-minded and will help you...
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The Istanbul "Naval Museum" is one of the best museums in Turkey - no, I think it's one of the world's most exceptional, and we're lucky to have it.
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The Istanbul "Archaeology Museum" is just huge. As someone who always visits these museums, these ones (there's actually three!) are a must.
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237 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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