ITTN’s Julia Labedz is currently on a press trip to Istanbul with GoTürkiye, aimed at highlighting Istanbul’s gastronomy and art. Joining the trip are Siún Lennon (Business Post Ireland), Samantha Huff (Huff Media), Jessica Phillips (The Independent), and Gerry Duffy (The Scottish Sun). They are accompanied by Gökçe Erbatu from GoTürkiye and their guide Alim Kocabıyık.
Day 1 – Arrival
ITTN’s Julia Labedz and Síun Lennon (Business Post) travelled to Istanbul on Sunday the 27th of April with Turkish Airlines, flying on the 15:30pm service from Dublin, which landed smoothly at Istanbul Airport at 23:00 local time, while the rest of the group travelled from England and Scotland and arrived in Istanbul earlier in the day.
The flight was comfortable and seamless, with attentive service, generous seat space, and a good selection of inflight entertainment options, making the journey feel noticeably shorter. Turkish Airlines operates regular direct flights between Dublin and Istanbul, currently offering up to 14 services a week. The quick, efficient route makes Istanbul an easily accessible city for Irish travellers looking for both business and leisure opportunities.
After arriving at Istanbul Airport Julia and Síun made their way into the city for check-in at The Marmara Pera. Located in the Beyoğlu district, The Marmara Pera is located close to the buzz of Istiklal Avenue and has a rooftop pool, spacious rooms, and stunning, panoramic views across the Bosphorus — making for quite a stylish and central base for the days of exploring ahead!
That evening, the rest of the group who had travelled to Istanbul earlier from London headed in the hotel lobby for the first group outing: dinner at Divan Brasserie Fuaye. This restaurant serves a mix of classic Turkish and modern international styles. The group enjoyed a great meal accompanied by views of the Bosphoros.
After dinner, the group returned to The Marmara Pera to rest up for a full day of discovery.
Day 2
Following breakfast at the hotel, the itinerary kicked off with a journey into the heart of old Istanbul — the Historical Peninsula.
The city’s Historical Peninsula was once the social and political centre of the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires and has been inscribed on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List since 1985. The old quarter, still surrounded by the city walls at specific points, is the perfect address to discover the historical riches of the city as well as some of its stunning architectural details.
Covering the area surrounded by Haliç (Golden Horn) in the north, Bosporus in the east and the Marmara Sea in the south, the Historical Peninsula is home to Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Hagia Irene, Little Hagia Sophia, and Topkapı Palace, Süleymaniye Mosque and surroundings, Zeyrek Mosque and surroundings and İstanbul Land Walls.
First stop? The Topkaki castle gardens, beautifully lined with tulips. The group took a short walk to the Istanbul Archaeology Museums — a trio of museums located close to the Topkapi Palace. Here collections cover ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Anatolia. Walking through the exhibits, the group got to see everything from marble sarcophagi adorned with battle scenes to tiny gold coins – the earliest known forms of currency.
Next up was the Hagia Sophia. Built in 537 AD under Emperor Justinian, the Hagia Sophia has been a cathedral, a mosque, a museum, and is once again an active mosque today. Uniquely, it has layers of Christian and Islamic artistry which sit side by side, which our guide, Alim, did a great job of explaining. No amount of reading or photos prepares you for the scale of the building — its dome almost seems to hover over the floors, with walls covered in century-old frescoes and gilded mosaics of the Virgin Mary and Christ, restored after the mosque was converted into a museum.
Hagia Sophia was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 under Historic Areas of İstanbul. One of the oldest holy shrines in the world, the edifice became a model for an entire family of churches and later mosques, and its mosaics influenced both Eastern and Western art. As one of İstanbul’s most famous and iconic landmarks, it is an ode to the Eastern Roman and Ottoman taste for art and architecture.
Now, Hagia Sophia is one of the latest conservation projects of Türkiye, which has been conducting numerous archaeological excavations and restoration projects to ensure the sustainability of its cultural heritage. It has been comprehensively restored and reinforced for around three years. Some of the work has already been completed as part of this effort, while the remaining phases are being carried out with great care.
Afterwards, the group headed to the Hippodrome. Once the busy arena of Byzantine Constantinople, the Hippodrome was the centre of civic life, where chariot races, political events, and imperial ceremonies entertained the ancient crowds.Today, it stands as a broad, open square, punctuated by historic monuments like the Obelisk of Theodosius (a pink granite column originally carved in Egypt around 1500 BC), and the intriguing Serpent Column (a twisted bronze relic brought from Delphi). Though the grandstands and crowds are long gone, the space still holds a powerful sense of a place built for spectacle.
The group then moved to the Hagia Sophia History & Experience Museum to gain some better insight into the history of the building. The experience was fully digital, with a guided headset provided upon entry. On the first floor, visitors can view artefacts previously stored in the Hagia Sophia’s warehouses in four sections. While the Ottoman period is depicted on the second floor, the Roman Empire period is narrated on the third floor through immersive, new-generation technology. Further, the Eastern Roman period cistern can be seen from the frameless windows on the ground floor. It was all like a walking cinema – educational but well presented making it quite fun!
With the morning itinerary complete, it was time for a well-deserved break and a meal. Lunch was at Galeyan Restaurant, a quite polished spot located in the centre of the district. Known for honouring Turkish traditions while giving them a modern refresh, Galeyan has a fantastic menu that draws on local produce and regional flavours. The group enjoyed an expansive tasting menu full of Turkey’s finest!
The afternoon brought a change of pace with a visit to the Spice Bazaar, or Mısır Çarşısı, one of the oldest covered markets in the city. A world away from the museum quiet of the morning, the bazaar was absolutely buzzing with life – a sensory overload with stalls overflowing with saffron, sumac, dried apricots, pistachios, pomegranate teas, and endless varieties of Turkish delight. Negotiating the narrow, spice-scented aisles, the group had the chance to taste and buy possibly too much. The experience was nothing short of fantastic, and Julia particularly enjoyed the huge selection of teas.
Right after visiting the Spice Bazaar, the group headed across the courtyard to the Yeni or “New” Mosque. Despite the name, this mosque has been part of Istanbul since the 17th century. Built over the course of several decades, after stepping inside you’ll find a peaceful, richly decorated interior filled with intricate tile work, calligraphy and the low murmur of daily prayers.
After some free time back at the Marmara Pera, a welcome opportunity to recharge or enjoy the rooftop views, the evening programme began.
Transfers brought the group to Kabataş Pier for a cruise along the Bosphorus canal where Europe and Asia meet. The boat passed by Ottoman palaces, historic mosques, and colourful houses. The group enjoyed perfect views of the city at sunset.
The boat eventually docked at Ruby Restaurant, a MICHELIN guide establishment. The area which the restaurant is in is very lively and stylish, located right on the edge of the Bosphorus. Set on the waterfront, it goes without saying that the views from Ruby Restaurant were nothing short of stunning – but the food? Even better. The night started with a range of traditional Turkish starters, including very tasty hummus and green olives, followed by a main of either seabass or yoghurt kebab with beef. For dessert, a juicy quince with ice cream was served.
After dinner, Alim led the group on a walk around the area where hundreds of food stalls lined the streets serving everything from fried mussels to lamb intestines. The day ended with a return transfer back to The Marmara Pera, where the group headed to bed full of new impressions and flavours.
Stay tuned for more as the group head into day 3, covering a Turkish Cuisine cooking class and more!
ITTN’s Julia Labedz extends sincere thanks to GoTürkiye for their generous hospitality and thoughtful organisation throughout the trip, and Alim for his guidance.
