The Blue Mosque is one of the most popular spots in Istanbul, and with good reason. It’s an impressive structure outside and inside.

But it’s the Suleymaniye Mosque that captures my heart.

We arrive at Suleymaniye first thing in the morning and our taxi driver drops us off at a side entrance. We walk up a flight of stairs and find this:

Gorgeous, right? We are stunned into silence, save for the shutter clicking on my camera.

And these views…! We’re all alone and feel like we’ve hit the jackpot.

The area where worshippers wash their hands and feet before entering:

Maybe it’s because this is the first time I’ve been inside a mosque of this magnitude, but I am blown away by Suleymaniye.

As you can see, the crowds aren’t bad during this hour. I even get shots without people in them:

We continue walking around the exterior courtyards.

Later that afternoon, we check out the iconic Blue Mosque.

The full name for the Blue Mosque is Sultan Ahmed Mosque.

The Blue Mosque is closed to visitors five times a day during the Call to Prayer.

We visit right as the Blue Mosque opens up again. A funeral has just concluded and mourners surround that green hearse below.

We push our way inside with loads of tourists. It’s frustrating to battle the crowds after this morning’s blissfully quiet experience at Suleymaniye Mosque.

But inside there are barriers to keep tourists at bay, so we can all enjoy the mosque’s expanse and take photos without loads of people in them.

My gosh, this ceiling… look at that detail:

And in the distance is Hagia Sophia, a deconsecrated mosque (meaning it’s no longer used for active prayer; it’s now a museum). We’ll visit there tomorrow, as well as Topkapi Palace next door.

Fun times!

A few final shots of the Blue Mosque taken at various times of day throughout my time in Istanbul: