Istanbul embraces two continents, one arm reaching out to Asia, the other to Europe. Through the city's heart, the Bosphorus strait, courses the waters of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn. The former capital of three successive empires - Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman - today Istanbul honors and preserves the legacy of its past while looking forward to its modern future.
Istanbul's variety of choices mesmerizes its visitors. The museums, churches, palaces, great mosques, bazaars and sights of natural beauty seem inexhaustible. As you recline on the shores of the Bosphorus at sunset, contemplating the red twilight reflected in the windows on the opposite shore, you understand, suddenly and profoundly, why so many centuries ago settlers chose to build on this remarkable site. At times such as these, you feel that Istanbul is truly one of the most mystic and imperial cities in the world.
Places to visit

• On a spot of land at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea, stands Topkapi Palace, a maze of buildings at the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed. Tel: 0212 512 04 80
  
• Built in the mid-l9th century by Sultan Abdülmecit I, the facade of Dolmabahçe Palace stretches for 600 meters along the European shore of the Bosphorus. The vast reception salon, with 56 columns, and a huge crystal chandelier weighing four and a half tons and lit by 750 lights never fails to astonish visitors.
  Tel: 0212 236 90 00
  
• In the 19th century, Sultan Abdülaziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace, a fantasy in white marble amid magnolia filled gardens, on the Bosphorus's Asian shore used as the Sultan's summer residence.
  Tel: 0216 321 93 20
  
• In addition to the state pavilions at Yildiz Palace, the compound includes a series of pavilions and a mosque. It was completed by Abdülhamit II at the end of the 19th century. The Þale Mansion, the largest and most exquisite of the buildings, reveals the luxury in which the sultans lived and entertained. Tel: 0212 258 30 80
  
• The Göksu Palace, also known as Küçüksu, takes its name from the streams, which empty into the Bosphorus near the tiny palace. Built by Abdülmecit I in the middle of the 19th century, it was used as a summer residence.
  Tel: 0216 332 33 03
  
• Hidiv Mansion was built for the Egyptian Lieutenant Abbas Hilmi Pasa in 1907 and renown for its tower that can be seen from the Bosphorus. The mansion now serves as a museum and a restaurant.
  Tel: 0216 425 06 03
  
• Originally built in the 18th century and later restored by various sultans, the Aynalýkavak Pavilion got its name from its famous mirrors. This palace on the Golden Horn is one of the most beautiful examples of traditional Turkish architecture.
  Tel: 0212 256 97 50
  
• The 19th century Ihlamur Pavilion is named after the linden trees that grow in its gardens.
  Tel: 0212 259 50 86
  
• Facing St. Sophia stands the supremely elegant, six-minaret, imperial Sultanahmet Mosque. Built between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Mehmet, the building is more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque, because its interior is covered with a magnificent paneling of blue and white Iznik tiles.
  Tel: 0212 518 13 19
  
• The Basilica of St. Sophia, now called the Ayasofya Museum, is unquestionably one of the finest buildings of all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and its diameter spans 31 meters.
  Tel: 0212 522 17 50
  
• The Archaeological Museum is found just inside the first court of Topkapi Palace. Included among the displays is the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus.
  Tel: 0212 520 77 40
  
• St. Irene Museum, also known as Aya Irini, was the first church built in Istanbul. Constantine commissioned it in the fourth century and Justinian later had the church restored. Reputedly the building stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple.
  Tel: 0212 522 17 50
  
• The dark stone building that houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art was built in 1524 by Ibrahim Pasa, Grand Vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent, as his residence. Today, it houses a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork miniatures, calligraphy, textiles, and woodwork as well as some of the oldest carpets in the world.
  Tel: 0212 518 18 05
  
• Near St. Sophia is the sixth century Underground Cistern known as the Yerebatan Sarnici. Three hundred and thirty-six massive Corinthian columns support the immense chamber's fine brick vaulting.
  Tel: 0212 522 12 59
  
• The Kariye Museum, the 11th century church of "St. Savior" in Chora, is after St. Sophia, the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul. Unremarkable in its architecture, inside, the walls are decorated with superb 14th century frescoes and mosaics. Illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, these brilliantly colored paintings embody the vigor of Byzantine art.
  Tel: 0212 631 92 41
  
• Rahmi Koç Industry Museum, in the suburb of Hasköy, on the coast of the Golden Horn, an Ottoman-period iron and steel-works building formerly called Lengerhane, houses industrial development exhibits. Visitors can also enjoy its nice restaurant, café and bar.
  Tel: 0212 256 71 53-54
  
• Up the Bosphorus in the picturesque suburb of Büyükdere, the collections of the Sadberk Hanim Museum fill two charming 19th century wooden villas. A private museum which originally displayed Turkish decorative arts, it has recently been expanded with a new collection of archaeological finds.
  Tel: 0212 242 38 13-14
  
• Known as Leander's Tower, Kiz Kulesi is one of the romantic symbols of Istanbul. First constructed in the 12th century on a tiny island at the entrance to Istanbul's harbor, the present building dates from the 18th century. Today visitors can enjoy its luxurious restaurant, as well.
  Tel: 0216 342 47 47
  
• The Istanbul land walls, once an impenetrable fortification, stretch seven kilometers from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn. Restored recently, and many times previously, these walls date from the fifth century and the reign of Emperor Theodosius II. UNESCO has declared the land walls and the area, which they enclose to be one of the cultural heritages of the world.
  
• The Galata Tower, a Genoese construction of 1348, rises 62 meters high over the Golden Horn. From the top, you see a marvelous panorama of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. In the evening, visitors enjoy its popular restaurant, nightclub and bar.
  Tel: 0212 245 11 60
  

Arts and Culture

Istanbul is an international art and cultural center. The International Arts and Cultural Festival is held each year in June and July with famous artists coming from all over the world (for more information Tel: 0212 293 31 33). These performances are held mostly in the Atatürk Cultural Center (Tel: 0212 251 56 00). Classical music enthusiasts can enjoy it at Cemal Reþit Rey Hall (Tel: 0212 240 50 12). Operas, operettas, ballets, film, concerts, exhibitions and conferences all share the cultural palette of the city.

Shopping

For shopping, Kapali Çarsior Grand Bazaar in the old city is the logical place to start. This labyrinth of streets and passages houses more than 4,000 shops. The names recall the days when each trade had its own quarter: Goldsmiths' street, Carpet sellers' street, Skullcap makers. Still the commercial center of the old city, the bazaar is the original shopping mall with something to suit every taste and pocket.
Turkish crafts, the world-renowned carpets, brilliant hand painted ceramics, copper, brassware, and meerschaum pipes make charming souvenirs and gifts. The gold jewelry in brilliantly lit cases blinds passersby. Leather and suede goods of excellent quality make a relatively inexpensive purchase. The Old Bedesten, in the heart of the bazaar, offers a curious assortment of antiques. It is worth poking through the clutter of decades in the hope of finding a treasure.
The Misir Çarsisi or Spice Bazaar, in Eminönü, transports you to fantasies of the mystical East. The enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herbs and spices fill the air. You can also buy the famous Turkish delight, baklava and coffee in this bazaar.
The sophisticated shops of the Taksim-Nisantasi-Sisli districts contrast with the chaos of the bazaars. On Istiklal Avenue, Cumhuriyet Avenue and Rumeli Avenue, you can browse peacefully in the most fashionable shops that sell elegant fashions made from Turkey's high quality textiles. Exquisite jewelry as well as finely designed handbags and shoes can also be found. The Galleria Mall (Tel: 0212 559 95 60) in Ataköy and Akmerkez Mall (Tel: 0212 282 01 70) in Etiler have branches of Istanbul's most elegant shops. Baðdat Avenue is one of the liveliest places with its chic cafes and high-end fashion shops on the Asian side. Capitol Mall (Tel: 0216 391 19 20), again on the Asian side in Altunizade, offers similar goods.

City Info