1. Turkish Hospitality is amazing - I know travelers have said this about many other countries, but I really mean this. From the moment I was on the ground, people have gone out of their way to help me navigate if I looked lost, a history lesson if I was exploring a new sight, or chat with me - without all that hullabaloo about "come check out my shop". Being that this was my first time travelling alone (I am not including my 24-hour layover in Montreal last year because I had already been there 6 months prior AND everyone spoke English), I felt overwhelmingly comfortable during my entire stay.

2. The public transportation is top notch - Although Istanbul can be a very walkable city, sometimes your feet aren't feeling a 12mile hike (like mine had today) and with a city so large divided in three by water, good infrastructure is kind of a must. Luckily, there is almost every kind of transportation to get you from one side of the city to the other. Trams, subways, ferries - you name it, they have it. And the crazy part - they're efficient, too!

3. Istanbul is huge - I've seen some pretty big cities, but none nearly as big as Istanbul felt. Mosques and Palaces dot the horizon and are easily spotted on the Bosphorus for miles. Turkey has a population of 80 million and Istanbul, 15 million, meaning that 1 in every 5 Turks lives in Istanbul. It can be a lot to take in, but it's worth taking the time to sit back and sit in awe.

4. History is all around you - that may be self-explanatory if you know a lot about the history of Turkey, but for an American, walking past a 1500-year-old mosque and a 2000-year-old park is mind-numbing. Turkey's history is so deep and interesting, too.

5. Many of the tourist hot spots are closed on random days of the week - In the states, if something is closed, it is usually closed on Sundays. Here, the day sites are closed varies by site. For example, the Hagia Sofia is closed on Mondays, the Topinki Palace on Tuesday and the Blue Mosque on Friday. If you've got limited time, don't wait until the day of to decide what you want to see. Plan ahead so you can make sure your timing is right!

6. Turkish coffee is delightful - Fun fact: Turkish coffee is the way the coffee is made, not where the coffee comes from, which I knew, but still fun. Also, when you get to the grounds or as my tour guide put it "when you start chewing instead of drinking", it's time to flip your cup over so you can read your future in the grounds. Another fun fact: there's a app for that. No, seriously, there's an app for that: Kaave.

7. Selfie sticks are everywhere - not that I'm judging if you have a selfie stick, but whatever happened to asking someone to take your picture? You can meet cool new people, and I guarantee they probably want that same picture.

8. There is a drink called Ayran - Water. Yogurt. Salt. To a westerner who is used to literally the sugariest drinks like pop (sorry "soda" lovers) and juices, this combination sounds God awful. It may not be for everyone, but, after being warned by locals to try it with my kebab, I actually really liked it. (Shh, don't tell my mom I'm trying new foods).

9. Kebabs are to die for - Speaking of kebabs… They are really wonderful. They are served two ways. One, like I've seen in the states with meat and veggies alternated on a skewer, maybe served with a side. Two, A strip or two of minced meat (generally a mix of lamb and beef), some beautifully seasoned couscous, and usually some veggies (onions, what's up!) with a piece or two of bread to roll it all up into one mouthwatering sandwich.

10. Starbucks exist, but the wifi won't work - First of all, Starbucks' are fancy as all get out in Turkey. (America, what are you doing? You take away our Caribous and don't upgrade our Starbucks?) The real problem, though, is that wifi (in the airport, at Starbucks, or any other public place) generally will not connect unless you have a Turkish phone or Turkish sim card. Luckily, my hotel, and I've heard many others, do have wifi all phones can connect to. Just don't plan on popping into a Starbucks to check out Google Maps.

11. Gas is over 6USD a gallon - Istanbul has a lot of traffic. There are really only a few main roads for vehicles and they seemed to be almost consistently packed, which is why I was shocked to hear how high the price of gas is. When I left the Chicago a week ago, I paid $2.39/Gallon to fill up my car, and that was on the rise.

12. The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is not worth the wait - Obviously this is just an opinion, but after waiting for almost an hour (on a slow day, so I was told) to get inside, I decided to call it a wash. Instead I went inside two other mosques that were smaller but just as beautiful (according to both guides and hotel staff), for free. There are so many other wonderful mosques and museums to visit all over the city, waiting in line to be in a crowded space is a waste of time. Something that may make it worth your while, however…

13. Museum Pass - 80TL. Can be bought outside most museums. To get into the Hagia Sofia and the Topinki Palace is 40TL each. So, if you plan on visiting more than two of the included museums, then it is well worth your while. And the best part is - you get to skip the lines! It's like getting a fast pass at Six Flags, but without all of the angry looks. Be careful though, some museums aren't included.

14. There are hidden gems everywhere - One of my favorite parts of exploring any city are finding those awesome, off-the-beaten-path places or experiences, and those are abundant in Istanbul. Cool historical buildings, cute cafes, and cats are waiting to be discovered around every corner.

15. Flights from Athens, Greece to Istanbul are listed as "Constantinople" - I met a woman travelling from Greece who shared this interesting tidbit. I thought it was really funny. No offence to Greece, but that's some pretty caddy ish. It's been over 500 years, but I get it, it's a sore subject.

16. The Ottoman take-over was ballsy - While I'm on this sore subject though, The Ottoman's conquering of Constantinople was intense, but not in the "cannons, guns, hand-to-hand combat" sort of way one might think. If you look at a map of Istanbul, you'll see two pieces separated by the Golden Horn. The bottom half, or the old city, was surrounded by a wall with cannons on all sides but one - the side facing the north. There was Galata Tower on the other side as a look out, but since the Golden Horn can only be entered on that side from the Bosphorus, there were chains running just below the surface of the water to stop any ships from entering. So, the Ottomans came from the North and at night pushed (with the help of tree trunks) over land, behind Galati Tower (the watch tower) and came down into the water on the other side. With no defense, the Greeks had no option but to surrender. Impressive.

17. There is a Beverly Hills equivalent in Istanbul - It is called "bebek" or "as beautiful as a baby" and it lies on the Bosphorus. Pools, yachts, views - it has it all. If only money grew on trees…

18. There are obelisks near many of the historical sites that list a brief history/information in four different languages, including English - theses were immensely helpful to me since my studies have taken the reigns and my usual historical reading about new places has taken a backseat.

19. There are more English speakers in the old city than in the newer part - I was told this by almost every native I talked to. Useful information, and made me feel good about deciding to start my day in the old town. Still, I found that most people, anywhere I went, at least spoke enough English for me to get by.

20. Bazaars are bazaar- I mean pretty expected, but still an interesting note since it amazes me even though I walked through crowded markets in Tunisia for a month last year. No personal space, but oh so worth the experience. People, spices, people, dried fruits, people…

21. The domes in all Mosques are based off of the dome in the Hagia Sofia - I did not know this before this trip, nor would I have guessed, but having walked Istanbul for a day and learning the age of all the mosques, it makes more sense.

22. There is a free walking tour offered every day at 10:45AM - As I was planning my day, I was hoping I could find a free walking tour to start off my day. I have done one in Barcelona and Seattle and was thoroughly impressed by all three (I did two different ones in Barcelona because, well, walking and free). If you are unfamiliar with how free walking tours work, here's a quick breakdown. You meet at a specified location at a specified time like any other tour. Then you walk around for 2-3 hours and see a plethora of sights (and hidden gems!) with a great guide giving you interesting, fun and accurate information as you go. At the end, you can tip your guide what you view the tour being worth. This is great for everyone, but especially people who have a budget, but still want to experience a great tour - and get closer to their daily step goal at the same time. Many companies offer tours in both Spanish and English, and sometimes other languages, too.

23. Travelling alone is invigorating - In just one day travelling alone, I have already learned so much about myself and grown both in confidence and comfortability. I look forward to travelling alone again soon in the future.

24. You need much more than 24 hours to explore a city so dense in history, culture and beautiful people.