10 free things to do in Istanbul |Skyscanner Spain

Mosques, bridges, bazaars, alternative neighborhoods, museums and viewpoints in Istanbul at zero cost.

Istanbul ... Istanbul ... Istanbul ... a powerful name.Sounds to history.To great and bloody battles, and war drums.Sounds like art, culture and religious disputes.East sounds, but also to the West.Remember Constantinople, but also the modern and young Turkey, where so many students live with greater freedom.

Istanbul is a treasure.Thus, with capital letters.In it you can find an opulent mosque of high mining and, after walking ten or fifteen minutes, buying a grenade or orange juice, just squeezed by a humble street vendor who fights to take the bread home.

Contrasts, how could it be otherwise in one of the most shocking and living cities in the world.

In addition, discover Istanbul does not have to leave your pocket trembling.It is not a face face, but we are going to help you spend as little as possible with these ideas about what to do in Istanbul for free.

Vuela ya a Estambul1.Visit the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet)

Among the best things to see in Istanbul for free, their mosques stand out.Except for the basilica-mezquita of Santa Sofía, the rest are free admission and for people of any religious cult.

Among the mosques, one that you cannot miss is that of Sultan Ahmet, better known as the blue mosque, by the beautiful and varied mosaics of tiles of this color that adorn its interior.

Six highs and slender undermine a large golden dome and eight other minors.This mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 by order of the great Sultan Ahmet I.The architect was Sedefkar Mehmet Ağa, disciple of the Great Sinan (architect of the most imposing buildings of the old Constantinople), and to lift it he used huge amounts of stone and marble.

Inside you can see the complexity and beauty of the mosaics that decorate walls and roof.An endless lamps illuminate an area divided into two: an area for visitors and another for the prayer of the Muslim faithful.Sitting or kneeling on carpets, men murmur unintelligible words while rhythmically leaning.Outside, the faithful wash feet, arms and face to purify themselves.The whole set forms a picture that is the best to see in Istanbul.

Click on the photo and discover the 10 best things to do and see in Istanbul

Photography credits © David Escribano

Busca tu vuelo a Estambultwo.Experience the magic of the bazaars

The bazaars have always had that magic of yesteryear.In them, merchants and buyers negotiate hard for all kinds of garments, cheap, luxury objects ... and the great bazaar of Istanbul is the mother of all bazaars.

Istanbul's great bazaar is a maze itself.You better take a plane or, if you are accompanied, remember a meeting point in case of separating from your travel companions.

Those dozens of cross -linked alleys hide positions of all kinds.Lamps, jewelry, shoes, shoes, coats, t -shirts, souvenirs, house decoration objects, candles, crafts ... there are everything.And almost nothing has a fixed price.Remember that famous scene of the great movie ‘Brian's life’ and perfect your dribbing tactics, because you will need it.

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Anyway, just walk through the Great Bazaar is it worth it and, if you don't want to buy anything, it is clearly one of the best things to see in Istanbul for free.

His little brother is the spice bazaar, located in Eminönü, next to the waters of the gold horn.Sweets, spices, tablecloths and many other things give this bazaar colorful, smaller and very frequented by tourists and local.

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Photography credits © David Escribano

Busca tu hotel en Estambul3.A Sunday afternoon in the Ortaköy neighborhood

It is Sunday afternoon and Istanbul, like so many other cities in the world, seems to sleep before facing a new week of work and routine.However, a small neighborhood of the city overflows with life.This is Ortaköy.

Chaired by one of the most beautiful mosques of Istanbul, ** in Ortaköy the prayers are mixed with the hustle.

The atmosphere is festive and relaxed.Families, couples and groups of Turkish friends take advantage of the last hours of the weekend here.Mix with them and enjoy one of the most relaxing activities to do in Istanbul for free.

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Busca tu vuelo a Estambul4.Look at the Galata bridge fishermen

Another of the things you can do in Istanbul for free to know what local life is like is to approach the Gálata bridge at almost any time of the day.

In those 490 meters of cement that tend on the waters of the estuary known as ‘The Golden Horn’, they take their place, every day, a swarm of fishermen that sink their thirsty in the grayish waters.

They are dozens of them on each side.They chat, smoke, or sit down to observe the many tourists who cross the bridge.Thus, observers become observed.Try to talk to them and you will know a little more about the true soul of Istanbul.

Busca tu hotel en Estambul5.Bohemian art in the Beyoglu neighborhood

Many believe that Istanbul is a somewhat retrograde city, with a certain religious fanaticism.Nothing is further from reality.Istanbul's youth love art, have an open mind and have great cultural concerns.

One of the best areas of the city to appreciate this movement is the Beyoglu neighborhood.He is wrapping the mythical Istiklal street that dies in the heart of Taksim square.

In Beyoglu you will find a good number of small galleries and art stores, where you can admire the works of emerging Turkish and international talents.The people who live there do not clash with these galleries and in the afternoon the lights of garitos begin to turn on to take a wine and listen to good music while conversing.

The night can lead you to end in ‘pubs’ and alternative parties that will leave an eternal place in your memory.Beyoglu has magic.

Busca tu vuelo a Estambul6.Visit to the Zeyrek Mosque

Zeyrek's is, according to the opinion of experts, among the 5 most beautiful mosques of Istanbul.

Although today it is a mosque, in its origin it was a Byzantine monastery, called Pantoklator.The conversion occurred in 1453, after the famous Constantinople taking by the Ottoman Empire.Pantokratator's church was the second largest in Constantinople, only surpassed by Santa Sofia.The complex, raised in the twelfth century, consisted of 3 churches, a hospital (one of the largest and most important of the Middle Ages) and a library, and hides a lot of history.

It was the imperial cemetery of the Byzantines and several emperors and emperatrices were buried here.

Walking through this great piece of history is one of the best free things to do in Istanbul, since it is also out of the typical tourist route.

Busca tu hotel en Estambul7.Art exhibitions at Salt Gálata

The former headquarters of the Ottoman Central Bank has been converted into a cultural space of beautiful architecture.

Inside the Salt Galata building you can spend the whole day without many problems.

Enjoy your research library, book store, art gallery and the Ottoman Bank Museum.Unless you buy a book or take something in the restaurant on the upper floor, this will be an activity that will be free in Istanbul.

Busca tu vuelo a Estambul8.Go to the hill of çamlica

One of the best things to do in Istanbul is free is to climb to the hill of çamlica and enjoy its spectacular views.

This hill is found in the confines of the üsküdar district.It really is two twin hills that look towards the Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea.The largest is two67 meters and the smallest twotwo8 meters.It is one of the highest points of Istanbul.

Owes his name to Los Pinos (‘çam’ means ‘pine’ in Turkish) that the first settlers planted throughout this region.The forest survived Romans and Byzantines, but has not reached our day.Today, çamlica is full of small kiosks where to take ice cream, sources and banks from which to admire the views.It is also a good place for bird observers, especially during the spring, and September and October months.

9.Learn some Turkish and ‘Backgammon’ with the locals

Ok, perhaps it is not strictly one of the best free things to do in Istanbul, but just because to be able to sit for a few hours in a typical Turkish tetería you will have to pay something (although tea has a ridiculous price here).

However, there is no better place to soak up some of the Turkish culture than one of those tea houses.If you are going to spend a season in the city, we recommend that you look for a language exchange with some local person.You will not find anything complicated to find it and it will be a rich experience.

If you're just going to stay for a few days, it's not a bad idea either.On the one hand, you can learn some basic phrases in Turk'backgammon'.

The ‘backgammon’ game is almost an elite sport in Turkish tea houses.If you don't know your rules, sit with people who are playing and, after a few exchanges of smiles, ask them to teach you and join the group.

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Busca tu vuelo a Estambul10.Wander aimlessly through the streets of Istanbul

As in so many other cities that have an ancient and powerful soul, one of the best free things to do in Istanbul is to walk through the city aim.

You can do it at dawn, in the middle of tomorrow, at sunset or at closed night - when the main mosques and other monuments appear discreetly illuminated - and you will always see something different in this mysterious city.

In your pilgrimage between palaces, mosques, bridges, museums, charismatic neighborhoods and modern buildings, do not forget to visit the Asian area.It is very different from the European, despite being just a few hundred meters.

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