This trip was very memorable to me personally, as this was a last minute trip that we got for really cheap from Chicago to Istanbul round-trip (around $550), this was my boyfriend’s first experience with hostels, and one of my favorite properties. Istanbul is a really charming city, full of culture, great food, and vibrant shops. It’s definitely a unique and memorable place, being in both Asia and Europe but having an Islamic culture. Go visit if you haven’t yet! If you’re looking for a place to stay, we stayed at Cheers Hostel and here are my favorite features about the place:

1) Location

Located in the older part of Istanbul, the hostel was incredibly close to all of the major sites in Istanbul such as Tokapi Palace, Aya Sofia, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, the former Hippodrome, and Egyptian Obelisk. Like you can walk to all of these things within a 5-10 min walking radius.  Also, the train line is right in front of the hostel and there are lots of food options (although more touristy).

Photo Credit: Cheers Hostel on hostelworld.com

2) The Bar

The best part about this bar isn’t the booze or music, but it’s the incredibly awesome view. Especially at night time, you can see the Aya Sofia lit up from the bar windows. It’s so incredibly beautiful and mesmerizing. I could just stare at it all night long.

Photo Credit: Cheers Hostel on hostelworld.com

3) Awesome Breakfast

The breakfast was a traditional Turkish breakfast with free Turkish coffee and tea! The breakfast included things like bread, cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. It was really nice and enjoyable for a free breakfast. Much better than just cereal and bread. Seriously, free Turkish coffee and tea!!!

Photo Credit: Reflections en Route

4) The Staff

The staff was really friendly and they took us out to Taksim Square to different bars and clubs. It was a lot of fun and they were super chill and willing to help us out whenever we needed it.

All in all, great hostel. It seems there’s been quite a few renovations since my stay in 2012 so some rooms are newer and better bathrooms, which will make your experience even better. Overall, stay here if you want an awesome experience! See more on their website.