Exploring Istanbul: Galata Tower and Taksim Square

Istanbul - one of the biggest cities in the world and one of the most impressive ones.
I was in Istanbul in late May 2021 when the lockdown was still in place and in this video I am sharing my impressions about totally different Istanbul.

Galata Tower. Last time, it seems that in 2019 I did not want to go upstairs, there was such a long queue (I already paid for the entrance, went up to the covered part and did not want to go up to the open top because of the huge crowd).

I came here for the first time without a "guide", and I became one myself. Valuable experience.
I love Turkey, some parts of it and things I love more, some I don't like at all. But every time I am happy to come back here, despite the details.

Istanbul during the lockdown is a completely different city. Well, there are almost no traffic jams, and it's just unrealistic.
There are few people on the streets now, the popular tourist areas of Fatih and Beyoglu are similar in number of people to my hometown. Istiklal Street, where I was once in 2018 and said that I would not go again, is now pleasantly lively. I was even glad that there is at least some movement.
There are no queues at Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet and Hagia Sophia at all. By comparison, in 2017, I waited an hour under each landmark to get there.
Quite another Istanbul, or rather those areas that I can compare before / after. After all, Istanbul is like a country, each district has its own characteristics. So when they say that they love Istanbul, I really want to clarify what part of it they love :)

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[joachimg.]

Your travels are as beautiful as your paintings! 🌹

[ronyzmiri]

So lovely video of a beautiful and interesting city! Thanks for sharing, Tanya!

[dido]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful place 😊.. i miss Istanbul so much 😊.. i love mosques in Turkey... I hope I'll be there soon 🙏