Istanbul is one of the world’s most magical cities. From the sound of the call to prayer before dawn on a cold winter’s day to the boats that ply the Bosphorus linking Europe and Asia, there’s always something to stimulate the senses.
Take a hire car around the sights: Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque or the palaces of the Bosphorus or better still, take a boat trip up the river to see them all from the water. One of the palaces, the Dolmabahce, has parts of the staircase made from Baccarat crystal.
Istanbul Mini Guide
Istanbul is an incredibly glamorous ancient city which sits on either side of the Bosphorus Strait across the Mamara Sea and the Black Sea. The huge city of Istanbul has around 15 million inhabitants and is one of the largest in Europe. If you are visiting Istanbul on holiday you may want to think about doing one of the walking tours in order to get yourself oriented.
Arriving you will land at Ataturk Airport which is to the west of the city centre.
The main gateways to Istanbul are the bridges across the Bosphorus, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and the Bosphorus Bridge, and these operate on a toll system.
Having a car will save you having to haggle over the price of a taxi or worry about getting ripped off. Be prepared for some rough traffic and avoid the city centre or park up and walk or use public transport.
Istanbul is divided up into many different districts. Among them are New Istanbul which is the main business sector, the old city of Constantinople which is known as Sultanahmet and has most of the historical landmarks, and the Asian side of Istanbul at the eastern coasts of the Bosphorus and Mamara. In terms of sights to see you must go to the Galata district as this is where the Galata Whirling Dervish and Galata Tower are located. Galata also has some of Istanbul’s best nightlife.
There are some incredible mosques in Istanbul which must be seen such as the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) and the gigantic Hagia Sofia.
For a cultural experience you should try one of the Narghile houses where you can smoke a Turkish water pipe and there are a number of scenic places to try this in.
You may also enjoy using the Hamams in Istanbul which are an unforgettable experience. In these cleansing baths you get a full treatment which is both stress relieving and good for you. The most well known hamam is the Suleymaniye Bath which was built by a famous architect and is the only family friendly hamam in Istanbul as both men and women are allowed in.
To buy goodies, gifts and souvenirs head to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. With more than 4,000 shops you are unlikely to be disappointed. There are too many restaurants to mention in Istanbul but this is definitely one place where you can eat good food on a budget.
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