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Turkey » Istanbul
 City Guide
 
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 The Turks are mostly overwhelmingly friendly to foreign visitors, the cuisine is frequently excellent, the cities are dotted with majestic old buildings and the countryside is often worth a good old-fashioned gash. There s and enormous variety of things to see and do ranging from water sports to mountain trekking, archaeology to night clubbing and river to raki drinking. |
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By Air
Turkish Airways is the national carrier.
Connecting Flights
Emirates, Kuwait
International airports
Ankara (ESB) (Esenboga) is 35km northeast of the city.
Istanbul (IST) (Atatürk, formerly Yesilkoy) is 24km west of the city.
Departure tax
US$50 is levied only on Turkish nationals not resident overseas departing from Turkey.
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Istanbul the capital of the civilized world remains the heartbeat of Turkey. Its a well-worn but still glorious metropolis, an impressive setting straddling Europe and Asia, and an unchallenged place in the countrys history, folklore, commerce and culture.
YEREBATAN SARNICI (UNDERGROUND CISTERN)
Near Hagia Sophia is the sixth-century Byzantine cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarnici. Three hundred and thirty-six massive Corinthian columns support the immense chambers fine brick vaulting.
Blue Mosque
It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. 260 windows surround the mosque. Due to its beautiful blue, green and white tilling Europeans have named it the "Blue Mosque".
Bosphorus
A stay in Istanbul is not complete without a traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, that winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty.
Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Palace, Besiktas)
Highlights include the crystal staircase, the royal bathroom made of silver and rare Egyptian alabaster, and the chandelier in the ceremonial room, and rumored to be the heaviest in the world. The palace is also full of gifts from foreign rulers, which seem to indicate their opinion of Ottoman tastes.
Haghia Sophia, (Sultanahmet, in front of Topkapı Palace)
Known to the Turks as Aya Sofya and literally translated as "Church of Divine Wisdoms", this is generally considered the finest extant example of Byzantine architecture in the world. Its vast dome rises to 56m (183ft), designed to represent heaven and seemingly suspended in space.
Mosaic Museum, (Arasta Bazaar, Sultanahmet)
Tucked behind the Blue Mosque amid an alleyway full of tourist shops, this contains all that is left of the magnificent flooring of Bucoleon Palace, the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors
Topkapı Palace, (Seraglio Point, Sultanahmet)
The sumptuous jewels of the original treasury (which include the Topkaı Dagger, the 86-carat Spoon maker s Diamond and gold-plated throne of Murat III), the armory, the silk ceremonial robes, the collection of both Chinese and Iznik ceramics all convey the extent of the Ottoman lifestyle at its peak..
Turk ve Esleri Müzesi (Turkish and Islamic Art Museum), Hippodrome 46, Sultanahmet
The early sixteenth-century palace of Süleyman is the most magnificent. Ibrahim Pasha is now the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum containing more than 40,000 items dating from the earliest Islamic period of the seventh century to the nineteenth century.
Yerebatan Sarays (Basilica Cistern), Yerebatan Caddesi, and Sultanahmet
It is thought to date back to the reign of Justinian in 532. It is a huge structure (140m (460ft) by 70m (230ft)), and it still contains a few feet of water over which wooden walkways have been constructed for visitors. Low, eerie lighting and classical music enhance the atmosphere.
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Turkey, as a result of its geographical location, is a treasure house of hand-made products. These range from carpets and kilns, to gold and silver jewelry, ceramics, leather and suede clothing, ornaments fashioned from alabaster, onyx, copper, and meerschaum.
The Misir Çarsisi or Spice Bazaar
next to Yeni Mosque in Eminönü, transports you to fantasies of the mystical East. The enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice fill the air.
The Kapali Çarsi, or Covered Bazaar
In the old city is the logical place to start. This labyrinth of streets and passages houses more than 4,000 shops.
On Istiklal Avenue, Cumhuriyet Avenue and Rumeli Avenue,
you can browse peacefully in the most fashionable shops that sell elegant fashions made from Turkey s high quality textiles. Exquisite jewelry as well as finely designed handbags and shoes can also be found.
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 Taxis are probably the easiest way to get into town and are readily available outside the airport. For getting around the city, buses serve most stops every ten minutes up until 10.30pm. They are less frequent up until midnight. While they are plentiful, they are usually quite crowded. Alternatively you can use the trams. Taxis are also plentiful but best to hail a cab from the hotel. |
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Dubb Indian Restaurant
Cafe
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