Istanbul in a Day • Gold Coast Girls Blog

With less than 2 days to spend in Istanbul, I felt overwhelmed with what to put on my itinerary. There’s so much to see and do in the city and I wanted to see it all. So with careful planning and lots of walking (I’m talking OVER 13 miles), I managed to see all the highlights of Istanbul in just one day.

Here are some of the highlights from Istanbul in a day!

The Blue Mosque

One of the most famous and iconic destinations for tourists in Istanbul is commonly referred to as the Blue Mosque. It was built in 1616 and there are over 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles!

The Grand Bazaar

One of my favorite stops was the Grand Bazaar. It is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world – built in 1461, stretching 61 streets and consisting of over 3,000 shops!

Istanbul by Rooftop

The best way to see Istanbul is from a rooftop and there is no shortage of epic opportunities in the city. Most rooftop locations are safely guarded by locals, so it was an amazing experience to have one all to myself.

Hagia Sofia

Hagia Sophia has been standing for more than 1400 years. It served as an Orthodox Cathedral until 1453 until Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II (who conquered Istanbul) converted it into a mosque.

During the conversion, the Sultan covered the religious symbols rather than removing them, so today visitors can witness a unique monument that straddles time and religion.

Turkish Coffee Stop

A trip to Istanbul wouldn’t be complete a pit stop for a cup of Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is the rocket fuel of caffeinated concoctions. It’s a bit thicker in consistency than espresso and has a distinct flavor of cardamom.

The grounds left after drinking Turkish coffee can also be used for fortune-telling!

Be sure to read my The Solo Female Traveler’s Guide to Istanbul for more tips and recommendations! And if you’re looking to visit Istanbul, be sure to check out my guide on The Best Time to Travel to Turkey!

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Spending a year abroad sounds exciting… until you see the planning involved.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Flights, edits, contracts, itineraries — not to mention the admin of being a mom. I’m usually running everything at once, so having a laptop that can keep up makes a huge difference.

I’ve been using an AMD Ryzen AI–powered laptop to keep everything organized, run AI tools even when WiFi isn’t available, and work from wherever we happen to be in the world.

So I can finish what I need to do… and get back to what’s most important ❤️
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower #ad

@AMD

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Spending a year abroad sounds exciting… until you see the planning involved.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Flights, edits, contracts, itineraries — not to mention the admin of being a mom. I’m usually running everything at once, so having a laptop that can keep up makes a huge difference.

I’ve been using an AMD Ryzen AI–powered laptop to keep everything organized, run AI tools even when WiFi isn’t available, and work from wherever we happen to be in the world.

So I can finish what I need to do… and get back to what’s most important ❤️
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower #ad

@AMD

Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

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January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

Sun-drenched mornings, salty air, and the kind of place that makes you instantly exhale @waldorfastoriacostarica ✌️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at this brand-new property was truly a dream — sweeping ocean views, elevated design, and more pools than I’ve ever seen at a hotel in my entire life.

From award-winning wellness to coconuts by the pool, every detail felt thoughtful and intentional.

🧖‍♀️ The Spa
Recently named Costa Rica’s Best Resort Spa, this sanctuary blends modern wellness with local healing traditions — volcanic mud rituals, rainforest-inspired therapies, and grounding treatments that leave you floating.

🛎️ Amenities
World-class service, beachfront access, a stunning collection of pools (truly — endless), curated experiences, and those sweet elevated touches everywhere you turn. Newly opened, yet already operating like a seasoned 5-star icon.

💦 Kids’ Club
One of the coolest spaces for littles — crafts, games, toys, and outdoor play areas that made traveling with Oliver feel easy (and fun for him, too).

🥥 The Food & Coffee
Fresh, locally sourced Costa Rican flavors with elevated execution. Oceanfront bites, poolside snacks, handcrafted coffee experiences, and yes… plenty of coconuts.

🌿 Sustainability
Proud holders of the Bandera Azul Ecológica for conservation and environmental efforts — luxury and responsibility beautifully intertwined.

We truly cannot wait to come back. ✨

If you’re looking for a luxury, family-friendly escape in Costa Rica — this is your spot.

A huge thank you to @waldorfastoriacostarica for hosting us on this sunshine-soaked getaway.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#costarica #waldorfastoria #luxuryfamilytravel #familytravel

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A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18380851606081524

A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

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Debbie

One of my favourite cities!! So cool you managed to see somethings in huge Istanbul but I think you have to go bac again to see more of its beauty!

July 23, 2015 at 2:41 am · Reply

Lucy

Wooow!! I’m in looove!! My husband and I are going to Turkey next month (long layover) and we’ve been looking for a way to see everything in 9 hours. Perfect timing!!!

July 23, 2015 at 5:09 am · Reply

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Here are some of the highlights from Istanbul in a day!

The Blue Mosque

The Grand Bazaar

Istanbul by Rooftop

Hagia Sofia

Turkish Coffee Stop

Be sure to read my The Solo Female Traveler’s Guide to Istanbul for more tips and recommendations! And if you’re looking to visit Istanbul, be sure to check out my guide on The Best Time to Travel to Turkey!

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