Six minarets, a cascade of half-domes and twenty thousand blue-green tiles: the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the building most people picture when they picture Istanbul. It was completed in 1617 and has been in continuous use as a mosque ever since.
The tiles that give it its nickname come from Iznik and cover the upper galleries in floral and cypress patterns. Standing beneath the main dome, what registers is not any single detail but the amount of light — two hundred and sixty windows, all of it falling on carpet.
There is no entrance fee. Visitors enter from the south, remove their shoes, and women cover their heads with a scarf provided at the door. Visits pause during the five prayer times, so mid-morning and late afternoon are the reliable hours.
From Romance Istanbul Hotel it is a ten-minute walk.