Tips for Visiting Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and Other Religious Sites Around the World

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I first visited Istanbul and the Blue Mosque, officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, in 2010. It was impressive and memorable, so much so that when I booked a family cruise on Sun Princess with a day in the city, I wanted to make sure my kids saw it too.

The Blue Mosque is one of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks and it attracts around five million tourists annually. Built in the early 17th century, it earned its nickname from the stunning blue Iznik tiles that decorate its interior.

With six elegant minarets and a grand central dome, the mosque is not only a functioning place of worship but also a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture. While waiting in the long but quick-moving line to get in, I decided to create a short video (embedded below) with some helpful tips for visiting this popular site and other religious ones around the world.

1. Arrive early

With any popular tourist attraction, it’s usually best to arrive right when they open to avoid the crowds.

2. Bring a fan and wear light clothing

Another reason to go early is to avoid the heat. If you’re visiting during the hot summer months like we were, wear light clothing and bring a portable fan.

3. Dress appropriately

You’ll want to wear light materials and light colors, but also make sure your outfit meets the dress requirements. As with most religious sites, including the Vatican (which we visited in 2023 on a cruise aboard Enchanted Princess), men and women need to have their knees covered. Women also need to cover their shoulders, and at Muslim sites, a headscarf is required. My wife used her travel scarf, which she always packs to stay warm on the plane, but any pashmina will work.

4. Bring a small bag or backpack

I carried a small backpack with bottled water, sunscreen, portable fans, lip balm with SPF, tissues and our kids’ sunglasses for when they needed them.

5. Bring pants and a headscarf

As I mentioned above, we packed my wife’s travel scarf and also a pair of pants for me since I’d worn shorts. Pants like these are easy to slip on and off and I was able to pull them on easily over my shorts while waiting in line.

6. Bring socks and a bag for your shoes

At the Blue Mosque and many other religious sites in places like India (Taj Mahal) or the Middle East, you’ll be asked to remove your shoes. I forgot socks and a shoe bag, but luckily our tour guide handed out small bags for us to carry our shoes in. It made things much easier and helped us avoid leaving them by the door where they could get lost or stolen.

I hope these tips help!

BTW: If you go to Istanbul, be sure to get an ice cream! Turkish ice cream vendors are in a league of their own.

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