EasternTurkeyTours Short Breaks ISTANBUL: a world city History - Culture - Music - Festivals - Cuisine - Legends - Luxury Exceed your expectations Email: info@easternturkeytour.org
Why Go? A modern World City with a truly ancient pedigree. A unique bridge between two continents and whether you are thinking in terms of history, food, arts or music, Istanbul is a true international city of fusion. When to Go? You can visit Istanbul at any time of year although the best times are Spring and Autumn. How to get there? There are numerous flights connecting Istanbul to all major cities around the world. Nearly all of the capitals of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia are within three and a half hours flying time and Istanbul is the centre of an impressive global network with Turkish Airlines.
Best For History & Museums With a history that goes back to the 7th century BC it is hard to know where to start but apart from the iconic Ottoman Imperial mosques that give Istanbul s skyline its stunning aspect there is the unforgettable Topkapi Palace, home of the Sultans and the repository for their riches, and the Genoese built Galata Tower on the other side of the Golden Horn. In addition to the city s 2500 mosques it has 157 churches, 19 synagogues and 10 monasteries and is the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church. Surrounded by the stunning and almost completely intact Theodosian walls on the land side and the waterways of the Golden Horn, Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara on the other side, it s not hard to see how Istanbul s strategic position has made it a magnet for the forces of history. The city s history can be experienced at every corner but there are outstanding museums across the city. Principle Museums: Topkapi Palace & Harem. Çinili Chalet. Sultanahmet Aya Sofiya. Mosaic Museum. Sultanahmet Archaeological Museum. Gülhane Museum of Islamic Science. Gülhane Naval Museum. Beşiktaş Divan Literature Museum (Derviş & Mevlana). Galipdede Cad. (Tünel) Sakip Sabanci (Art). Emirgan Military Museum. Harbiye Pera Museum (Culture). Meşrutiyet Cad. Santralistanbul (Culture & Modern Arts). Eyüp
Best For Festivals & Culture Image courtesy of: www.howtoistanbul.com As one would expect from a truly World City there is a vibrant cultural scene from the street level all the way up to the high arts celebrated in the city s grand theatres and art galleries. You can experience the vibrant street culture at any time of the year and there are major festivals of art and culture. Istanbul s International Jazz Festival is of a particularly high standard and always features top names and acts from across the world. Cultural Events Istanbul Film Festival: Istanbul Music Festival: Istanbul Jazz Festival: Istanbul Biennial (Arts): April June - July July Sept - Dec Best For Cuisine Turkish cuisine, alongside French and Chinese, is considered to be one of the world s great cuisines. The Turkish kitchen represents fusion cooking at its best. It not only draws from the many, varied traditions of Anatolia but also cooking styles from Asia, Arabia, Europe and North Africa. While Turkish cuisine reached its formal peak in the kitchens of the Sultan s palace at the Topkapi and which can now be experienced at top restaurants across Istanbul, it stretches all the way down to street level cooking where tasty dishes made from superb ingredients can be had at almost every corner. At street level, this is fast food as you wish it could be at home!
Best For Shopping Everybody knows about Istanbul s fabulous bazaars and street markets from the 16th century Covered Bazaar and Egyptian Spice Bazaar to the vibrant fish and produce markets all over the city but Istanbul boasts some of the most modern and up market temples of designer brands in the world housed in state of the art complexes and malls; it can, quite literally, be shopping in the 16th century before lunch and in the 21st century in the afternoon! Best for the Bosphorus Some of the great cities of the world are built on or around water: Helsinki. Vancouver. Rio and Hongkong to name but a few. But Istanbul is the clear winner. The Bosphorus is the channel that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and the on to the Mediterranean. It is 37 km long at a mere 700 metres at its narrowest point and is one of the world s busiest shipping lanes. It is spanned by two magnificent suspension bridges with another soon to follow; on the seabed it is crossed by a new underwater rail link. All along its length there are castles and palaces, harbours and ship yards, mansions and restaurants, towns and villages. Tens of thousands of Istanbulites cross the Bosphorus for work or pleasure each day making it the best place to people watch and see the world go by.
Best For Luxury Çiragan Palace on the Bosphorus Istanbul s stock of luxury hotels goes from the stunning and palatial to the small and intimate; from the ultra modern to boutique hotels that are beautiful conversions of old Ottoman mansions; from the totally astonishing Çirağan Palace on the Bosphorus to the quiet sleepy houses on the Prince s Islands, there is something for everyone. Best For Princes We all know that Istanbul is a huge city that rarely sleeps but it does have its quiet, relaxed sides as well. If you want a haven from the Big City that s still within easy access you can do no better the Prince s Islands. A small cluster of islands within sight of the great city, they have been refuges as far back as ancient times for those wishing to contemplate God or simply to get away from it all. There are churches, monasteries and synagogues; little secluded beaches, clubs and hotels and quiet walks. But best of all, no cars. Short Breaks ISTANBUL: a world city History - Culture - Music - Festivals - Cuisine - Legends - Luxury Exceed your expectations Email: info@easternturkeytour.org Visit: www.easternturkeytour.org
Sample Daily Itineraries 1 Day: The Old City Aya Sofia & Imperial Tombs Topkapi Palace & Harem. Archaeologal Museum. Çinili Chalet Basilica Cistern Gülhane Park. Dinner in Buhara 93, Nakilbent Cad. Sultanahmet 1 Day: Hippodrome & Bazaars Blue Mosque. Mosaic Museum & Arasta Bazaar. Hippodrome. German Fountain. Divan Yolu. Burnt Column. Covered Bazaar. Dinner in Kumkapi District. 1 Day: Imperial Mosques & the Golden Horn Suleymaniye and Royal Tombs Rüstem Paşa Mosque. Egyptian Spice Bazaar. Ferry up the Golden Horn from Eminönü to Imperial Mosque at Eyüp Return to Galata Bridge by ferry Dinner at Pandeli. No 1 Misir Çarşisi, Eminönü 1 Day: Crossing the Bridge and Pera New Mosque. Galata Bridge. Divan Literature Museum (Derviş & Mevlana). Tünelfunicuiar railway. Istiklal Cad to Taksim. Shops. Ciçek Pasaji. Avrupa Pasaji. Balik Pazari Taksim return to Istiklal- Galata Tower. Karaköy Dinner: Karaköy Lokantasi, Kemankeş Cad. No. 27 A 1 Day: Bosphorus Starting at Eminönü. Catch scheduled Municipal Ferry for Bosphorus Cruise. 2 hours each way. Two hour turn around at last stop on the Asian side, Anadolu Kavaği. Visit the Genoese castle of Yorgos overlooking the entrance to the Black Sea. Lunch in one of the many excellent fish restaurants. Return to Eminönü and watch the rush hour ferry mayhem- it s one of the wonders of Istanbul! EasternTurkeyTours Short Breaks ISTANBUL: a world city History - Culture - Music - Festivals - Cuisine - Legends - Luxury Exceed your expectations Email: info@easternturkeytour.org