Sightseeing Overview
It takes time to see Istanbul properly, since examples of its 2,000-year-old past can be difficult to find amid the chaos of the present. The list is very long when it comes to places to go so you have to make some choices. These are my favorite places to in istanbul.
Sultanahmet
The heart of historical İstanbul is Sultanahmet, the district centred on the Byzantine Hippodrome in the oldest part of the city. The city is best explored on foot, as most sights are within easy walking distance of one another. If the pace does get too much, a tea garden is never too far away.
The Tünel climbs the hill from Karaköy port to the start of Istiklal Street, a mile-long pedestrianthoroughfare leading up to Taksim Square, the heart of modern Istanbul and home to much of its nightlife. Istiklal Street which crosses Istanbul’s new town on the European side. Day and night, no matter when, there are always people walking and hanging out on this street, one of the busiest streets in Istanbul.
There are innumerable cafes and bars on the side streets from Istiklal Street. From Turkish folk music to Techno music, a lot of bars and clubs are blasting their sounds into the street, it is like a big flood of music. Last summer we were going though one of the side streets, suddenly “Karadeniz” music jumped into our ears. Karadeniz means Black Sea, in Turkish, there is very original and characteristic music and dance, people from there are very proud of their unique culture.
Topkapi Palace
Originally built as a summer residence and the seat of government, Topkapi Palace was home to harem, state administration and military personnel in the 16th century, with around 3,000 residents. Sultans abandoned it for Dolmabahçe Palace in 1855, but many of the sumptuous jewels of the original treasury (including the Topkapi dagger, and gold-plated throne of Murat III), the armory, silk ceremonial robes, Chinese ceramics and the collection of manuscripts, all convey the old Ottoman decadence. Near the Imperial Gate is Haghia Eirene Museum, venue for concerts during the International Istanbul music festival. The prison-like Harem, comprising several dozen ornate rooms which once housed up to 300 concubines, is only open to guided tours and requires a separate ticket (and separate queue). Weekends and holidays are more crowded.
Originally built as a summer residence and the seat of government, Topkapi Palace was home to harem, state administration and military personnel in the 16th century, with around 3,000 residents. Sultans abandoned it for Dolmabahçe Palace in 1855, but many of the sumptuous jewels of the original treasury (including the Topkapi dagger, and gold-plated throne of Murat III), the armory, silk ceremonial robes, Chinese ceramics and the collection of manuscripts, all convey the old Ottoman decadence. Near the Imperial Gate is Haghia Eirene Museum, venue for concerts during the International Istanbul music festival. The prison-like Harem, comprising several dozen ornate rooms which once housed up to 300 concubines, is only open to guided tours and requires a separate ticket (and separate queue). Weekends and holidays are more crowded.
Kapali Çarşisi (Covered or Grand Bazaar)
The Grand Bazaar Covered Bazaar) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 58 streets and 4,000 shops, and has between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. The bazaar contains two bedestens (domed masonry structures built for storage and safe keeping), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.
