Guide

Insider Tips from the Heart of Sultanahmet

Aşk-ı Memnu (Forbidden Love) Filming Locations 2026
guide8 min

Aşk-ı Memnu (Forbidden Love) Filming Locations 2026

Aşk-ı Memnu (Forbidden Love) filming locations: the Ziyagil mansion is the Vehbi Koç house in Büyükdere, now a museum you can enter. Routes from Sultanahmet.

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Hürrem Sultan's Tomb & Suleiman's Tomb at Süleymaniye (2026)
guide8 min

Hürrem Sultan's Tomb & Suleiman's Tomb at Süleymaniye (2026)

Hürrem Sultan's tomb and Suleiman's, side by side at Süleymaniye: free entry, Monday closures, prayer times, dress code and the walk from Sultanahmet.

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Where Was Yasak Elma (Forbidden Fruit) Filmed? — Real Istanbul Locations
guide8 min

Where Was Yasak Elma (Forbidden Fruit) Filmed? — Real Istanbul Locations

Yasak Elma (Forbidden Fruit) filming locations: the Argun yalı in Yeniköy, the Khedive's Palace you can visit, and how to see them all from Sultanahmet.

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Galata Tower 2026 — €30 Tickets, Hours & Is It Worth It?
guide9 min

Galata Tower 2026 — €30 Tickets, Hours & Is It Worth It?

Galata Tower 2026: €30 entry, a day session 08:30–18:15 and a night session 19:00–23:00, open every day. When to go, how to skip the worst queues, and how to get there from Sultanahmet.

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Grand Bazaar Istanbul 2026 — Hours, Prices & Bargaining
guide10 min

Grand Bazaar Istanbul 2026 — Hours, Prices & Bargaining

Grand Bazaar opening hours 2026: Monday–Saturday about 8:30–19:00, closed Sundays and religious holidays, free entry. Best gate, real prices and how to bargain.

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Spice Bazaar Istanbul 2026 — Hours, What to Buy, Prices
guide9 min

Spice Bazaar Istanbul 2026 — Hours, What to Buy, Prices

Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) 2026: open every day including Sundays, free to enter. What to buy, what it should cost, how to bargain, and how to get there from Sultanahmet.

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Basilica Cistern 2026 — Tickets, Hours & Medusa Heads
guide11 min

Basilica Cistern 2026 — Tickets, Hours & Medusa Heads

Basilica Cistern opening hours 2026: daily from 9:00, no closing day, about €35 by day. What changed with the new operator, the Medusa heads, is it worth it?

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Things to Do in Istanbul 2026 — 16 Best Sights
guide13 min

Things to Do in Istanbul 2026 — 16 Best Sights

The 16 places worth your time in Istanbul, with 2026 prices and closing days: Hagia Sophia €25, Blue Mosque free, Topkapı €50.

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Blue Mosque vs Hagia Sophia: Not the Same Building (2026)
guide12 min

Blue Mosque vs Hagia Sophia: Not the Same Building (2026)

No, they are not the same: the Blue Mosque (free, 1616) and Hagia Sophia (€25, 537) face each other 250m apart. Which to visit, plus hours, dress code, tickets.

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3 Days in Istanbul — The Perfect 2026 Itinerary
guide12 min

3 Days in Istanbul — The Perfect 2026 Itinerary

A day-by-day 3-day Istanbul itinerary with 2026 prices and closing days — plus what to cut for 2 days and what to add for 4.

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Istanbul Food Prices 2026 — Real Meal Costs + Where Locals Eat
guide11 min

Istanbul Food Prices 2026 — Real Meal Costs + Where Locals Eat

Istanbul food prices in 2026: simit €0.50, döner €4.50–11, a local meal €7–15, a tourist-restaurant dinner about €50 — real Sultanahmet prices, not Numbeo.

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Istanbulkart 2026 — Price, and One Card for Everyone
guide10 min

Istanbulkart 2026 — Price, and One Card for Everyone

Istanbulkart costs 165 TL, rides 46.20 TL — but one card covers your whole group, and the red tourist card is usually a waste of money.

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Where Was Erkenci Kuş (Daydreamer) Filmed? — Istanbul Locations You Can Visit
guide8 min

Where Was Erkenci Kuş (Daydreamer) Filmed? — Istanbul Locations You Can Visit

Erkenci Kuş was filmed across Istanbul — Viaport Marina in Tuzla, Beykoz Kundura, Kanlıca and the Maiden's Tower. How to visit each one from Sultanahmet.

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Where Was Kara Sevda (Endless Love) Filmed? Istanbul Guide
guide8 min

Where Was Kara Sevda (Endless Love) Filmed? Istanbul Guide

Kara Sevda (Endless Love) filming locations: Kemal's house in Kuzguncuk, Nihan's Bosphorus mansion and the truth about the Galata Tower scene, from Sultanahmet.

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Where Is Yalı Çapkını (Golden Boy) Filmed? — The Real Istanbul Mansion & Locations
guide8 min

Where Is Yalı Çapkını (Golden Boy) Filmed? — The Real Istanbul Mansion & Locations

Where is Yalı Çapkını (Golden Boy) filmed? The Korhan family's real Bosphorus mansion in Beylerbeyi, the Gaziantep scenes, and how to see them from Sultanahmet.

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Hagia Sophia Opening Hours 2026 — €25 Ticket & Prayer Closures
guide13 min

Hagia Sophia Opening Hours 2026 — €25 Ticket & Prayer Closures

Hagia Sophia opening hours 2026: open to tourists daily from 9:00 to early evening, no closing day, but shut at prayer times and Friday midday. Tickets €25.

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Hagia Sophia History — 1,500 Years from Basilica to Mosque
guide11 min

Hagia Sophia History — 1,500 Years from Basilica to Mosque

The detailed 1,500-year story of Hagia Sophia: Byzantine construction, Ottoman conquest, museum era, and the 2020 reconversion. From a hotel 3 minutes' walk away.

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Hagia Sophia Mosaics 2026 — Are They Covered? Where to See
guide9 min

Hagia Sophia Mosaics 2026 — Are They Covered? Where to See

The Hagia Sophia mosaics are still visible in 2026: the Deësis, Empress Zoë, and Komnenos portraits in the upper gallery. Which mosaics are covered, where to find each one, and how to plan your visit.

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Magnificent Century Filming Locations — A Complete Guide
guide11 min

Magnificent Century Filming Locations — A Complete Guide

Where was Muhteşem Yüzyıl actually filmed? Topkapi, Süleymaniye Mosque, Edirne and the rest — what to visit and how to plan your trip from Sultanahmet.

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Topkapi Palace 2026 — Tickets, Hours & Harem Guide
guide13 min

Topkapi Palace 2026 — Tickets, Hours & Harem Guide

Everything you need to know about Topkapi Palace: tickets, opening hours, the Harem, Magnificent Century filming locations, and local tips from Hotel Perula — 8 minutes' walk from the gate.

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Istanbul Trip Cost 2026: Is It Expensive? €60–250 a Day
guide14 min

Istanbul Trip Cost 2026: Is It Expensive? €60–250 a Day

Istanbul trip cost 2026: €60–80 a day on a budget, €110–140 mid-range, €180–250 generous, hotel excluded. Real Sultanahmet prices for sights, food, transport.

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Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet — Complete Transfer Guide
guide10 min

Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet — Complete Transfer Guide

Every option for getting from IST and SAW airports to Sultanahmet: Havaist bus, metro, taxi, and private transfer. Practical tips from the Hotel Perula team.

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First Time Turkish Hammam — What to Expect, What to Bring
guide10 min

First Time Turkish Hammam — What to Expect, What to Bring

A complete guide to your first Turkish bath experience in Istanbul. What happens during a hammam session, etiquette, what to bring, and the best hammams near Sultanahmet.

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Turkish TV Series Filming Locations in Istanbul (2026 Guide)
guide15 min

Turkish TV Series Filming Locations in Istanbul (2026 Guide)

Where were your favorite Turkish series filmed? A location-by-location guide from Sultanahmet to the Bosphorus — with walking distances from Hotel Perula.

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Istanbul Sultanahmet Guide — A Local's Walking Tour
guide12 min

Istanbul Sultanahmet Guide — A Local's Walking Tour

A complete walking guide to Sultanahmet from the team at Hotel Perula. Landmarks, distances, restaurant tips, and practical advice from people who live here — not a travel blogger who visited for 3 days.

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