Istanbul in Pictures & Words

17th March 2025

Last modified on March 21st, 2025

We’ve stopped off in Istanbul in Turkey on our way back from Japan. Last year we skied in Turkey, this time round it seemed a good place simply to visit. Here’s why…

Istanbul is a city like no other.

If Tokyo is like a large ant hill full of ordered chaos with each ant seemingly on its individual mission for the greater good, then Istanbul is like the same ant hill that has just been disturbed by a small boy with a large stick.

It is chaos, in every direction.

From the teeming bazaars and the endless noise, through to the bustling side streets and the mighty Bosphorous that dissects the city.

It is a city where east meets west in every way measurable.

Last winter PlanetSKI spent a couple of nights in Istanbul on the way back from skiing in the nearby resort of Kartalkaya.

PlanetSKI is skiing and site seeing in Turkey

Skiing in Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

This time round we wanted to spend more time in Istanbul after our long period skiing in Japan.

Partly to break the journey, and partly to see one of the world’s greatest cities.

Where better place to start than the Mosques?

With all the words in the story linked to above we’re recording this Istanbul city stop off in pictures.

The Blue Mosque, the Sultan Selim Mosque and several more besides.

Istanbul, Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

After the mosques the bazaars, shops and general street life are standouts of Istanbul.

The Bazaars

Istanbul, Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

No visit to Istanbul is compete without a visit to Topkapi – the jewel in the city’s crown.

We spent six hours there and still didn’t feel we have done the historic centre of the Ottomon Empire justice.

Topkapi

Istanbul, Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

First, the Hareem.

Istanbul, Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

Then the rest.

Istanbul, Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

Topkapi is perhaps the best place to view the Bosphorous, as one stands in Europe and gazes over to Asia.

The Bosphorous

There is no better way to see the Bosphorous than a boat trip.

There are many to chose from with a 90-minute one towards the Black Sea, turning round at the second bridge linking Europe and Asia, our preferred option.

And in case you want a few PlanetSKI words about Istanbul, don’t forget to read our previous article:

PlanetSKI is skiing and site seeing in Turkey

It was the perfect place to reflect on our fabulous time skiing in Japan and we strongly recommend a stop off to or from the slopes of Japan if you have the time.

Or if you are fortunate enough to sample the skiing in Turkey itself.

We intend to be back if we go skiing in Turkey next winter, or if we head back to Japan.

Hopefully both.

See here for our final post from Japan that wraps it all up with links back to all our rolling blog posts: