Istanbul sightseeing
Topkapi Palace
Completed in 1478, the opulent Topkapi Palace was the residence of the sultans and their court. See sumptuous state rooms, wonderful gardens and the famous harem which would have housed the sultans’ wives, concubines and ladies in waiting.
Dolmbahce Palace
Situated along the European shore of the Bosphorus, the extravagant and lavish Dolmabahce Palace was the residence of the last Ottoman sultan.
Ephesus & Pamukkale
Although slightly further afield, Ephesus and Pamukkale are well worth a visit. Click here for details
The Blue Mosque
In the 16th century, to rival Sancta Sophia, Sultan Ahmet I built Sultanahmet Mosque, the only mosque boasting six minarets, and at the time equal to that of Mecca’s Great Mosque. Known as the Blue Mosque it boasts 20,000 exquisite Iznik tiles with colours accentuated by light from the splendid stained glass-windows.
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Underground Cisterns
Many underground waterways were built under the Byzantines to ensure supplies of fresh water during possible city sieges; visit the vast Basilica Cistern and Binbirdirek, which boasts 264 columns and a restaurant!
Sancta Sophia
Formerly the largest and most important church in the Christian world, Sancta Sophia subsequently became a mosque during the Ottoman Empire when the four minarets were added. Converted to a museum in the 1930’s it features well preserved mosaics depicting angels and saints, Madonna and Child, and John the Baptist.
Princes Islands
Just off the coast of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara, 9 charming islands with wooded hills, lovely beaches and Ottoman mansions are easily reached by ferry or hydrofoil and provide a peaceful break from the bustling capital.
Bazaars and Shopping
Designer labels abound in Nistantasi district’s exclusive boutiques, and there’s a myriad of wonderful shopping malls including the largest in Europe, Cevahir Mall, and haggling for traditional mementoes is frantic but fun in the bazaars and the atmospheric Sunday market in Ortakoy.
The unique Grand Bazaar offers an energetic experience: it’s a selfcontained community with cafés, banks even its own mosque, and its warren of streets and alleyways with 4,000 shops sells everything, from souvenir trinkets and backgammon sets, to fantastic gold and silver jewellery and eclectic antiques. The Spice, or Egyptian, Bazaar is vibrant with stalls of dried fruit, nuts and spices: you can even commission custom-made perfume!