Istanbul is by far one of the most beautiful tourist cities in Europe, especially since it is the only tourist city located on two continents: Europe and Asia. The mix between the 2 continents is a very beautiful combination that attracts a large number of tourists annually.
The European side is pulsating with life, and the tourists attracted by a huge number of tourist objectives concentrated in this area will surely be delighted.
The advantage when you plan to visit the European part of Istanbul is that most of the internationally renowned attractions not to be missed are located in the same area, more precisely in the Sultanahmet district and if you are well organized you can visit them all in the same day.
You can start the tourist route with a visit to the Blue Mosque, whose name is said to come from the color of the ceramic tiles (over 20,000 tiles) made by hand and found only inside. Also as soon as you enter the interior you will be able to see the beautiful huge chandeliers on which are painted quail eggs, which are said to keep spiders at bay. On the floor are hundreds of square meters of red or blue carpet with various decorations. Another very important aspect inside the Blue Mosque is represented by the approximately 200 stained glass windows, which you certainly can not miss.
From the Blue Mosque, you can then go to Hagia Sophia. The two are at a distance of 10 minutes from each other and are connected by beautiful green space. Hagia Sophia or the Great Church as it was originally called was invaded by the Ottomans in 1934 and then transformed a few years later into a mosque by Mehmet II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Inside you can still see the traces left after the Ottoman invasion, but a point of great attraction inside is the wishes column where exist a depression, about which is said, that when you put your palm there and rotate it 360 degrees if you will put a desire, you have all chance of it happening.
You can end your visit to the Sultanahmet district with an entrance to the Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years. And even if many places in the Palace are not accessible to the public, surely a visit to the Harem or a walk through the inner garden will be worth the visit.
But you can’t leave Istanbul without visiting the Grand Bazaar, especially since it is only 1km away from Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazaar resembles a fortified city, being the largest market in the world, where you can find a mix of the most varied products from oriental spices, souvenirs, gold jewelry, and even more interesting gifts. The 61 streets inside the Bazaar are like a labyrinth, so don’t try to be guided by anything, but let yourself be carried away by the wave of traders and tourists, and don’t forget to negotiate for any product you want to buy. In the end, you can take a walk on the Galata bridge where you can enjoy one of the sandwiches with fresh fish, caught by the local fishermen on the shores of the Bosphorus.
In the evening, you can relax with a walk on the pedestrian alley İstiklal Caddesi and Taksim Square, where you can continue to do shopping at the shops from this famous area, or you can sit at one of the restaurants or coffee shops in the area, and you can admire the show where life thrives without stopping.
The Asian Part is not as grand as the European part, and here you will enjoy the local atmosphere, rather than the modern one. The fastest and easiest way to get to the Asian part is by ferry – a very useful means of transportation in Istanbul. In this case, it is recommended not to miss a ride on the Bosphorus by ferry, to profit, and to admire all those beautiful architectures of the luxurious villas on the edge of the Bosphorus.
The Kadikoy area is one of the busiest in the Asian part, being full of beautiful landscapes overlooking the Bosphorus, restaurants, and coffee shops, where you can enjoy Turkish cuisine, along with the famous Turkish tea or the famous hookah, with the diverse flavors. Another objective to visit in this area is the Maiden’s Tower (or Kiz Kulesi- in Turkish) which over the years, has had various uses: from the control tower in the past to host a restaurant today.
Turkish cuisine is very diverse and certainly, everyone can find something to his liking, from the famous kebab to those specifically Turkish dishes, like ,,meze,,- a kind of platter with everything: cheese, olives, eggplant salad, zakuska, meatballs, etc. And for dessert, you should not refuse a portion of baklava with Turkish tea or coffee. For accommodation, you can make a reservation depending on the budget at a 3 or 5-star hotel, located in the Asian or European part, as close as possible tourist objectives, so as not to waste too much time with transport, especially since the peak hours in Istanbul are very crowded.
If we have already convinced you to add Istanbul to your list of city breaks for 2021, then you can already make your reservation for plane tickets and accommodation Here.
