Exploring Istanbul’s most atmospheric underground space You know that feeling when a city suddenly gets quiet and you realize you have stepped into a completely different world? That is the Basilica Cistern. One minute you are walking past street vendors and honking cars near Hagia Sophia. The next, you are entering a totally nondescript building and descending underground into cool air, dripping water, glowing arches, and a place that feels like a cinematic dream sequence. I

When Dharma and I stepped into Hagia Sophia, we had no idea we were about to gain an unofficial (yet somehow very official) tour guide. The fee to enter the Hagia Sophia is about $30 each and, after picking up our tickets at the Hagia Sophia Museum across the Hippodrome square, we passed through the gatekeepers and metal detectors and made our way up the stone, tunnel-like ramps that lead to the second floor of the mosque. (The mosque is currently undergoing renovations and i