Mga bagay na dapat gawin sa Tophane

Nasiyahan kami sa magandang tanawin ng Bosphorus Strait sa isang magandang lokasyon hanggang sa paglubog ng araw. Kitang-kita mula sa dagat ang Dolmabahçe Palace, Rumeli Hisarı, at Maiden's Tower habang dumadaan sa tulay. Si Chef Ahmet ay naghanda ng mainit na tsaa at nagbigay ng kumot. Napakasarap din ng fruit at cookie platter, pati na rin ang idinagdag naming french fries at toast. May kasama ring inumin, kaya't ito ay isang tour na may magandang halaga at lubos kong irerekomenda. Mangyaring mag-order ng inumin o karagdagang pagkain! Maraming salamat din sa magandang magnet na regalo! Ito na ang ikatlong beses ko sa Turkey, ngunit ang cruise na ito ay ang pinakamahusay dahil nakapag-relax ako at nakinig sa musika. Salamat sa mahusay na serbisyo, Chef Ahmet!

Napakagandang biyahe sa ferry. Hindi ko inaasahan ang ganitong antas ng ganda mula sa isang simpleng biyahe sa bangka. Para sa mga gustong maranasan ang panig ng Europa at Asya, ang biyaheng ito ay para sa inyo. Ngunit magdala ng jacket dahil napakahangin. Sa pangkalahatan, NAPAKAGANDA!

Visiting Hagia Sophia was the main purpose of this trip. It was a shame that both the exterior and interior were under renovation. Nevertheless, it was truly wonderful to experience the profound historical significance of this cultural heritage site, with its frescoes and even graffiti from when it was used as a mosque after being an Orthodox church, all preserved as they were. Although there's a mobile Japanese audio guide, I had to infer a lot because many parts of the AI voice's Japanese were incomprehensible. The speaking speed was also slow, so I set it to 1.5x speed, which made it sound normal. Still, I believe you can't talk about sightseeing in Istanbul without seeing Hagia Sophia. I'm glad I went.

Balena and the entire crew of golden city tour did a fantastic job off arranging and guiding the tour. They served us well, taken good care of us. Multiple spot coverage with little bit of history and facts put across really well. Great recommendations and hospitality!

The Basilica Cistern offered an incredibly stunning experience; it's hard to imagine such a magnificent ancient reservoir hidden beneath the city. The skip-the-line ticket was a lifesaver, saving us from long waits under the scorching sun, and the entry process was smooth. With the audio guide, we learned about the history of its construction and the stories behind it. The tall stone columns were neatly arranged, and the lights reflected on the water, creating an absolutely captivating atmosphere. The Medusa column is a classic highlight here, both mysterious and unique. Walking through the damp corridors, a profound sense of ancient history enveloped us. The overall pace of the tour was comfortable, feeling both fantastical and awe-inspiring, full of mystery. It's a must-see attraction when visiting Istanbul.

The palace is definitely worth visiting and I recommend it to everyone. It was very easy to book the tickets on Klook, but you need to keep in mind that the skip the line allows you to skip the ticket line only, not the first security check line. When I went, for the ticket office the line was very short, just a few people, while the security line was very long, all the way to the street. 📸 If you want to take a photo with the sea gates, do not stop at the first one if there is a huge line, you can walk along the iron fence and you’ll find four more sea gates. I saw many people lining up for the first gate, but the other ones had 1-2 people taking photos.

Napakasarap ng pagkain at napakaganda ng karanasan sa cruise. Maganda ang lahat. Napakahusay ng server na si Hasan, at kamangha-mangha ang bawat palabas sa cruise na ito. Noong sumayaw ang belly dancer, talagang agaw-pansin siya at siya ang bida sa palabas. Sadyang kamangha-mangha ang buong cruise. Nagsimula ang biyahe sa cruise sa isang inuming pambati at pagkain. Pagkaalis ng barko sa pantalan, inihain ang hapunan na napakasarap. Napakahusay ng serbisyo mula sa lalaking nagngangalang Hassan. Pagkatapos ay nagsimula na ang palabas. Diyos ko, napakaganda ng lahat ng palabas sa cruise. Maganda ang lahat. Ang belly dancer, nang pumasok siya, ay talagang agaw-pansin. Mabibihag niya ang iyong puso, 110 porsyento. Hindi kapani-paniwala ang kanyang mga galaw at sayaw. Napakaganda ng lahat, at nangunguna ang serbisyo. Magiging maganda at sulit ang paglalaan mo ng tatlong oras dito.

Buying the Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern combo ticket this time was very convenient. Purchasing in advance on Klook saved time waiting in line for tickets on-site. Both attractions are well worth visiting; the lighting and overall atmosphere of the Basilica Cistern are especially unique, and walking through it in person is even more breathtaking than the photos. The Hagia Sophia is also magnificent and great for first-time visitors to Istanbul. Advance ticket purchase is recommended!

We first met at a pub and then headed to Topkapi Palace together, which was a fun and unique way to start the tour! 😆 It was raining, so walking around and exploring the palace was a little difficult, but somehow that made the experience even more memorable and fun. ☔️🇹🇷 We joined the 3 PM tour, but it felt a little rushed toward the end. If you want to explore Topkapi Palace more comfortably and have enough time to see everything, I’d definitely recommend choosing an earlier tour!