"Istanbul" Istanbul by mikelisaanna

Istanbul Travel Guide: 7,646 reviews and 19,527 photos

In the small park in front of the Blue Mosque

Istanbul is Turkey's largest city, with a population of more than 10 million people. It is also one of the most interesting cities in the world, because it was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires for 1500 years. It also straddles the border between Europe and Asia, which are separated only by the Bosporus strait, the narrow body of water that flows through the middle of the city. You can easily spend a week sightseeing in Istanbul and still have plenty left to see and do. In addition to tons of history, Istanbul also has plenty of good restaurants, nightlife, and scenery. We spent about 10 days in Istanbul and would like to return some day to see what we missed.

Many of the city's top attractions and historic sights are located in or near the Sultanahmet neighborhood of the the city's European side, including the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia cathedral, the Basilica Cistern, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Islamic Arts, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the Grand Bazaar. This area of Istanbul also has dozens of restaurants and cafes, as well as plenty of shops. It is by far the most convenient area in which to stay if visiting Istanbul as a tourist.

Further afield, we also enjoyed visiting the Dolmabahce Palace, the Chora Church, the Galata Tower, and the Beyoglu neighborhood. Another highlight of our Istanbul visit was a cruise up the Bosporus, which we did at sunset on our last night in the city.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Tons of great historical sights and restaurants
Cons:More expensive than the rest of Turkey
In a nutshell:One of the world's most interesting cities

Last visit to Istanbul: Aug 2008
Intro Updated Aug 31, 2008
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Reviews (24)

Sultan Ahmet's tomb Things to Do (15)

Sultan Ahmet I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1590 to 1617, and is best know as being the sultan who... more travel advice

The Column of Porphyrogenetus - Istanbul

Column of Constantine Porphyrogenetus Things to Do (15)

The Column of Constantine Porphyrogenetus is a tall column made of stone blocks in Istanbul's Hippodrome. The column's... more travel advice

The Egyptian Obelisk in Istanbul - Istanbul

Egyptian Obelisk Things to Do (15)

The Hippodrome in Istanbul features three ancient columns. The most famous of the them is the Egyptian Obelisk, which is... more travel advice

A spice vendor in Istanbul's Spice Bazaar - Istanbul

The Spice Bazaar Things to Do (15)

The Spice Bazaar (also known as the Egyptian Bazaar) is the second-largest bazaar (after the Grand Bazaar) in the old... more travel advice

Hotels (1)
A very friendly upscale boutique hotel
Off The Beaten Path (2)
See All The Rustem Pasa Mosque
Transportation (3)
See All Taxis

Comments (12)

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roamer61 Jul 8, 2011 at 8:33 AM

Nice pages for Istanbul. Turkey is still high on my list. More so than Greece.
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LoriPori Dec 21, 2009 at 2:37 PM

Very enjoyable page on Istanbul. Anna is lucky to visit one of the most exciting cities. I have fond memories of this city when I visited here as a student and I still remember the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.
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SLLiew Sep 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM

I enjoyed your tips especially about obelisks. Enduring landmarks of humanity.
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alectrevor May 4, 2009 at 3:32 AM

Thanks for reply on drink in Istanbul, I enjoyed these pages,great tips and photos, i travel to Ist. on Thursday.
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Arkeolog Mar 25, 2009 at 12:18 AM

congrats. You have a great page here about the city where I live. Your tips are useful and accurate. Photos are good too. All the best. Bora
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iaint Mar 24, 2009 at 11:52 PM

very good pages; glad you enjoyed it
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balhannah Jan 12, 2009 at 3:10 PM

I've enjoyed reading your tips on Istanbul. The photos of the Palace are beautiful, it really is a must see, and the Bazaar! can't wait to get there.
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lynnehamman Dec 4, 2008 at 9:28 PM

Turkey(especially Istanbul & Ephesus) have long been on my wish list.Hagia Sophia is simply awesome. After India- its my next stop. Thanks for great tips.
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gilabrand Nov 26, 2008 at 11:48 PM

Good tip on the shoeshine scam....I have a tip on how to get rid of the pain-in-the-neck touts LOL
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cigno Oct 21, 2008 at 3:25 AM

As a Turkish girl, I think it is very shameful for us. It is indecent to charge 15 YTL. You must not give more than 5 YTL.