Istanbul in a Day • The Blonde Abroad

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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Just a girl who wants both… luxury AND adventure. 🏔️✨

And Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei might be one of my favorite examples of exactly that!
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We spent our days exploring some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites, then came back to the comforts of an incredible five-star hotel. Even traveling with a four-year-old, getting out and exploring felt surprisingly effortless.

A few things that made our stay so special:

📍 THE LOCATION: Right in the heart of Ortisei, a charming, walkable mountain town with easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and some of the Dolomites’ most beautiful scenery.

🛏️ THE ROOMS: We stayed in the Chalet Seceda Suite, complete with a huge balcony, mountain views, a fireplace, and even our own private sauna!

🧸 FOR THE KIDS: A fantastic kids club, kid-sized robes and slippers, play areas, and thoughtful little details that make traveling as a family so much easier.

🧖🏼‍♀️ THE WELLNESS: A beautiful spa with an indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, saunas, and plenty of ways to relax after a day in the mountains.

🍝 THE FOOD: Two restaurants, including Michelin-starred Anna Stuben, and an incredible breakfast spread (complete with a juicing room).

What made this hotel so special was how accessible the adventure felt. We could have these huge days exploring the mountains and come back to somewhere so comfortable, with incredible food, a beautiful spa, and everything we needed to relax.

It was the perfect way to end our time in the Dolomites!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Save this one for your next trip to the Italian Alps! 🇮🇹

@gardenagroednerhof #gardenagrödnerhof @kiwicollection #carewhereyoustay #Dolomites #Ortisei

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Just a girl who wants both… luxury AND adventure. 🏔️✨

And Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei might be one of my favorite examples of exactly that!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We spent our days exploring some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites, then came back to the comforts of an incredible five-star hotel. Even traveling with a four-year-old, getting out and exploring felt surprisingly effortless.

A few things that made our stay so special:

📍 THE LOCATION: Right in the heart of Ortisei, a charming, walkable mountain town with easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and some of the Dolomites’ most beautiful scenery.

🛏️ THE ROOMS: We stayed in the Chalet Seceda Suite, complete with a huge balcony, mountain views, a fireplace, and even our own private sauna!

🧸 FOR THE KIDS: A fantastic kids club, kid-sized robes and slippers, play areas, and thoughtful little details that make traveling as a family so much easier.

🧖🏼‍♀️ THE WELLNESS: A beautiful spa with an indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, saunas, and plenty of ways to relax after a day in the mountains.

🍝 THE FOOD: Two restaurants, including Michelin-starred Anna Stuben, and an incredible breakfast spread (complete with a juicing room).

What made this hotel so special was how accessible the adventure felt. We could have these huge days exploring the mountains and come back to somewhere so comfortable, with incredible food, a beautiful spa, and everything we needed to relax.

It was the perfect way to end our time in the Dolomites!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Save this one for your next trip to the Italian Alps! 🇮🇹

@gardenagroednerhof #gardenagrödnerhof @kiwicollection #carewhereyoustay #Dolomites #Ortisei

Our @tbaescapes Maldives trip is back for its third year — April 10–17, 2027! 🐠🌴
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There aren’t many trips I’d happily do over and over again, but this is definitely one of them.

We spend seven nights on our own private yacht with an incredible group of women, diving and snorkeling some of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives, eating way too much good food, doing yoga, getting massages and basically living on (and in) the water for a week.

And you do NOT have to be a scuba diver to join us!

That’s one of my favorite things about this trip. You can pick whichever package sounds most like your ideal week:

🤿 Scuba: 12 dives + 2 spa treatments
🤿💆‍♀️ Scuba + Spa: 6 dives + 4 spa treatments
💆‍♀️ Spa: 8 spa treatments + no diving

Want more of either? You can add extra dives or spa treatments during the trip too.

***

📍 Maldives
🗓 April 10–17, 2027
👯‍♀️ Private, all-female yacht charter
🐠 Incredible snorkeling
💆‍♀️ 300m² spa spread across two decks
🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga
🍽 All-inclusive dining
🌅 Sandbank sunsets + a moonlit beach BBQ
🛥 Just 20 women

***

Some cabin categories are already SOLD OUT, and we don’t currently have another departure scheduled.

So if you’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives but the whole honeymoon-resort thing isn’t exactly your vibe… this is YOUR Maldives trip. 💙
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
👇 Click the link below for the full itinerary, available cabins + pricing, or comment MALDIVES and I’ll send you all the details!

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 17951570499276180

Our @tbaescapes Maldives trip is back for its third year — April 10–17, 2027! 🐠🌴
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
There aren’t many trips I’d happily do over and over again, but this is definitely one of them.

We spend seven nights on our own private yacht with an incredible group of women, diving and snorkeling some of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives, eating way too much good food, doing yoga, getting massages and basically living on (and in) the water for a week.

And you do NOT have to be a scuba diver to join us!

That’s one of my favorite things about this trip. You can pick whichever package sounds most like your ideal week:

🤿 Scuba: 12 dives + 2 spa treatments
🤿💆‍♀️ Scuba + Spa: 6 dives + 4 spa treatments
💆‍♀️ Spa: 8 spa treatments + no diving

Want more of either? You can add extra dives or spa treatments during the trip too.

***

📍 Maldives
🗓 April 10–17, 2027
👯‍♀️ Private, all-female yacht charter
🐠 Incredible snorkeling
💆‍♀️ 300m² spa spread across two decks
🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga
🍽 All-inclusive dining
🌅 Sandbank sunsets + a moonlit beach BBQ
🛥 Just 20 women

***

Some cabin categories are already SOLD OUT, and we don’t currently have another departure scheduled.

So if you’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives but the whole honeymoon-resort thing isn’t exactly your vibe… this is YOUR Maldives trip. 💙
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
👇 Click the link below for the full itinerary, available cabins + pricing, or comment MALDIVES and I’ll send you all the details!

Turns out you can fit a lot of life into one year. 🤍
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Moving abroad with a four-year-old while running multiple businesses from the road has been equal parts incredible, chaotic, exhausting and unforgettable.

For the past six months, my AMD Ryzen AI-powered laptop has come along for all of it… from Cape Town to Europe and everywhere in between.

It’s lightweight enough to travel with me, powerful enough to keep up with my million open tabs, and the battery life has genuinely exceeded my expectations.

There are definitely easier ways to live 😂 But I wouldn’t trade this adventure for anything.

Here’s to building a life that makes sense to you!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@AMD #ad #AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18105147383615878

Turns out you can fit a lot of life into one year. 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Moving abroad with a four-year-old while running multiple businesses from the road has been equal parts incredible, chaotic, exhausting and unforgettable.

For the past six months, my AMD Ryzen AI-powered laptop has come along for all of it… from Cape Town to Europe and everywhere in between.

It’s lightweight enough to travel with me, powerful enough to keep up with my million open tabs, and the battery life has genuinely exceeded my expectations.

There are definitely easier ways to live 😂 But I wouldn’t trade this adventure for anything.

Here’s to building a life that makes sense to you!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@AMD #ad #AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower

We call them “cow wind chimes” 🐄🔔⛰️
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No trending audio could ever compete with this.

Just me and my little guy wandering around Lake Trübsee, surrounded by the happiest cows making their little mountain music.

Sound on for this one! 🤍
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📍 Lake Trübsee, Mt. Titlis, Switzerland

#LakeTrübsee #Engelberg #SwissAlps #SwitzerlandTravel #VisitSwitzerland

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18138260548617510

We call them “cow wind chimes” 🐄🔔⛰️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
No trending audio could ever compete with this.

Just me and my little guy wandering around Lake Trübsee, surrounded by the happiest cows making their little mountain music.

Sound on for this one! 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
📍 Lake Trübsee, Mt. Titlis, Switzerland

#LakeTrübsee #Engelberg #SwissAlps #SwitzerlandTravel #VisitSwitzerland

Could I pack lighter? Yes.
Will I? The evidence suggests otherwise. 😮‍💨
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Overpacking is genuinely one of my biggest travel shortcomings.

I simply cannot travel anywhere with a carry-on only. Weekend getaway? Beach vacation? Summer in Europe?

Doesn’t matter where or for how long… I will absolutely be arriving with 1–2 checked bags and *so many* regrets as I drag them across cobblestone streets.

I love travel style so much that my wardrobe is essentially costumes. I have the perfect outfit for a small fishing village in the south of France but “nothing to wear” at home.

Beach Kiki, boat Kiki, Paris Kiki, Cotswolds Liki, hiking Kiki, fancy dinner Kiki… they’re all coming and they each packed separately.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Anyways, if this speaks to you, I’ve linked my most-asked-about outfits from our summer in Europe on my LTK!

Comment “LTK” for a link or tap the link below ❤️

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18629738554049110

Could I pack lighter? Yes.
Will I? The evidence suggests otherwise. 😮‍💨
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Overpacking is genuinely one of my biggest travel shortcomings.

I simply cannot travel anywhere with a carry-on only. Weekend getaway? Beach vacation? Summer in Europe?

Doesn’t matter where or for how long… I will absolutely be arriving with 1–2 checked bags and *so many* regrets as I drag them across cobblestone streets.

I love travel style so much that my wardrobe is essentially costumes. I have the perfect outfit for a small fishing village in the south of France but “nothing to wear” at home.

Beach Kiki, boat Kiki, Paris Kiki, Cotswolds Liki, hiking Kiki, fancy dinner Kiki… they’re all coming and they each packed separately.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Anyways, if this speaks to you, I’ve linked my most-asked-about outfits from our summer in Europe on my LTK!

Comment “LTK” for a link or tap the link below ❤️

Cancel reply

Allan

Did you get the opportunity to view Topkapi? Remember the movie classic with Peter Ustinov, Robert Morley, and Melina Mercouri? Walking distance from the Hagia Sophia?

November 25, 2019 at 6:03 pm · Reply

The Blonde Abroad

Not during this trip—but perhaps in the future!

November 26, 2019 at 2:47 pm · Reply

rick baldwin

I was there a week the first time but returned two more times and on the third traveled all the way to Antalya

November 25, 2019 at 8:34 pm · Reply

The Blonde Abroad

That sounds incredible!

November 26, 2019 at 2:55 pm · 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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