Istanbul Hotels

Istanbul: the crossroads of the world

The only city in the world that bridges two continents, Istanbul has a special energy. Ancient mosques rub shoulders with converted factory spaces, and the city’s thriving cultural scene is flourishing with hundreds of events and festivals throughout the year.

Ancient history

A must on every visitor’s itinerary is Topkapi Palace, which was at the heart of the Ottoman Empire from 1453 onwards. Today visitors can marvel at the Sultan’s home, with a treasury, Harem and enormous kitchens where the meals for up to 5,000 people were prepared daily. Another must-see is the beautiful Aya Sofya, Istanbul’s most recognised monument. Commissioned by Emperor Justinian, the great Byzantine cathedral was completed in 537 and later transformed into a mosque. Today it functions as a museum where visitors can admire intricate Christian mosaics and sweeping Islamic calligraphy.

Over the road from Aya Sofya you’ll find respite from the heat in the extraordinary underground Basilica Cistern. The cistern was built in 532 as a place to store water for the Great Palace. Eventually closed, it was rediscovered in 1545 and has since been restored numerous times. Walk along the boarded paths above the water between the 336 columns and plinths salvaged from ruined buildings that support the ceilings, and keep an eye out for the upside down Medusa heads at the base of two of the columns. The nearby Blue Mosque was built in the early 1500s and is named for the tens of thousands of blue tiles that line its interior.

Where east meets west

For centuries Istanbul has been a major trading centre and nowhere can this be more keenly felt than when you enter into the Grand Bazaar. The covered bazaar is a kind of city within a city, with over 60 lanes of stalls and an extensive infrastructure that includes mosques and even a police station. Give yourself plenty of time to haggle, get lost, and discover the endless treasures within. In the evening stroll down the Istiklal Caddesi, an elegant pedestrian street lined with cafes, restaurants, boutiques, bookstores and theatres. As the sun goes down take a boat trip across the Bosphorus Strait to step onto the Asian shore and admire the evening sky over the city. Then at night, dive into Istanbul’s unbeatable nightlife, whether it’s in a traditional tavern, a converted pastry shop turned bar, or on an artificial island in the middle of the Bosphorous.

Where to stay

Istanbul is a huge city, sprawling either side of the Bosphorous. Those wanting to be close to many of the main attractions can opt to stay in Sultanahmet on the European side. To the north, Taksim is busy with clubs and bars, while the hip area of Galata has a growing cultural scene. Across the Bosphorous on the Asian side, Kadikoy is one of the city’s fastest growing districts and still cheaper than the European side. To really escape the city, stay on the Princes’ Islands, four tranquil islands in the mediterranean that are just a ferry ride away.