Çok Güzel Istanbul

The last few years, Istanbul has become one of the most visited cities in world, knocking off, Paris and New York  from the top.

Located on two continents, and separated by The Bosphorus, which  forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia, Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey and the country’s economic, cultural, and historic center.

It was also know as Constantinople, as the capital city of the Roman/Byzantine Empire,  and also of the brief Latin, and the later Ottoman empires.

When in Istanbul, there are so many things to do and see  so make sure to plan good your trip…

The fact that this city has a population of  15 000 000 citizens, and has a total area of 5,343 square kilometers, you will need more the one trip to get to know it well.

Hagia Sopfia or Ayasofia it was originally a church, later became a mosque, and now it is museum.

It represents the history and the unique story of how often a church can also be a mosque at the same time.  It still has that “old world ” feel, and you will get the impression that you have stepped back in time.

The Blue mosque is nice site to visit while in Istanbul, the entrance is free and it gives a good impression of the splendor of the olden days and especially on the wealth of Islam in the Ottoman empire.

This photo represents the amount of people interested in all the monuments, so confirm or book your tickets early to ensure your visit.

I’m pointing to this particular issue because unfortunately we had that problem, and even though we paid in advance our tickets for the most beautiful place in Istanbul, Dolmabahce palace, we couldn’t get in.

However we had the chance the see the amazing architecture, while cruising through The Bosphours, which I friendly recommend…

Capali carsi or The Grand Bazaar is the largest bazaar I’ve ever seen. Actually it is covered market and it is one of the largest and the oldest bazaars in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops.

Be careful while visiting, because it looks like labyrinth and you can get lost very easy. Typical for The Grand Bazaar and literally for like every bazaar in Turkey it is that bargaining is allowed so you can negotiate for the price.

But the fact is that  the sellers will high ball you and even if you think you have bargained well, you are probably still paying too much.

As I mentioned in my other posts, I’m very impressed by rooftop restaurants and I’m sure there’s a lot in Istanbul, but your choice was Istanbul Sapphire Restaurant.

Istanbul Sapphire, or Sapphire, is a skyscraper, and as of 2016, the tallest building in Istanbul and Turkey, located in the central business district  of Levent.

Istanbul Sapphire was the 4th tallest building in Europe when its construction was completed in 2010. From the top of the Sapphire building you can watch all over the city of Istanbul.

Everyone who comes to Istanbul should come here!!’Don’t miss it!!! It’s really worth going up the deck!

Last but not least, I will definitely recommend you to try the Turkish delights and cup of the famous Turkish tea…

Happy traveling…