Istanbul is one of our favorite travel destinations. The city combines the romance and magic of the Bosphorus with elegant mosques in their architecture. It is always very soulful, light and beautiful here. A real pleasure for the soul.
At first glance, Istanbul seems like an extremely crowded metropolis. There are a lot of people here. This is true, but this picture is mainly in tourist places. Such as Sultanahmet, Fatih, Beyoglu and Kadikoy.
We advise you to visit less touristic places to enjoy the real Istanbul. Stroll through the rich districts of Sisli and Besiktas, do not be lazy to cross the Bosphorus and stroll along the embankments of Uskudar. I would like to separately note the Moda district, which is located right behind Kadikoy.
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Galata Tower
Sights
Symbol of the city
One of the main attractions of the city. You can go up and look at the beauty of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. Historically, there was a lighthouse here that helped sailors navigate. There are many restaurants and cafes in the Galata area, so you can hang out here for the whole day.
An endless number of confusing shopping streets with an incredible amount of goods. You need to come here at least for the atmosphere. Be patient and get to the very center, because the trade starts much earlier. You will think that this is the very bazaar, but this is only the pre-bazaar. Also, be sure to visit the Egyptian Bazaar, it is located closer to Eminem. It looks simply gorgeous inside.
This is a modern project of the Turkish government, which has changed the appearance of the European part of Istanbul. And for the better. We highly recommend taking a walk here. There are many interesting restaurants and expensive shops. But the most important thing is that you can walk along the modern embankment and enjoy the view of the Bosphorus. Since this is a sea terminal, there is a chance that giant liners will be moored on the embankment.
Be sure to use the Istanbul city ferries and ride between stations. This is an indescribable pleasure that you can only get in Istanbul. Both during the day and in the evening, it is always very beautiful and romantic. Ferries, seagulls and Turkish hour with simits. To use the ferries, you will need an Istanbul card. You can buy it in regular grocery stores and top it up right at the station.
A long and very popular street among tourists in the Beyoglu district. It starts at the Galata Tower and ends at Taksim Square. We recommend you also take a stroll through the back streets. There are many unusual restaurants here.
We would also like to recommend visiting a football match in Turkey. The fans are the loudest and most energetic here. They start singing long before the match and seem to stop only when they throw you out. Even if you are not interested in football, you will be impressed by how beautiful it is. No England can even come close. We checked!
The tower is located on a small island right in the Bosphorus. You can see it if you go to Uskudar. In this case, the ferry will pass right next to the tower. But even from afar it is clearly visible. The structure is quite old and there is no longer any documentary evidence of why it was built.
A modern and very pleasant place to walk. From here you can enjoy the views of the mosques of the Fatih district. There is a bridge nearby, so you can take wonderful photos.
If you like modern art, you will find many interesting exhibitions in the museum. It will be convenient to visit the museum while walking around Galaport.
A beautiful mosque with a magnificent view of the Bosphorus
There are many mosques in Istanbul. They are all beautiful and usually rise on hills. We recommend you to visit this one, because not as many tourists come here as to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. You can easily enter inside and admire the decoration. There is also a cozy park around the mosque, and the Bosphorus is clearly visible from the hill.
A very nice place to walk and take a break from tourists. There are good restaurants and cafes. There are many beautiful and cozy renovated streets, and on the way to the Bosphorus there is the Makka Park.
A great opportunity to see the Asian side and sail past the Maiden Towers. The area has beautiful pedestrian streets with Turkish cafes and restaurants. And be sure to stroll along the embankment along the Bosphorus. You will have a wonderful view of the main attractions of the city.
The ferry ride to the islands takes about two hours, and you'll need a few more to walk around them. We visited the farthest and largest. It's like another world here. Wonderful wooden mansions, huge green areas and delicious fish restaurants. We read that only electric transport is allowed on the island, but we saw a couple of gas-powered cars.
If you think that Turkish cuisine consists only of kebabs, you are deeply mistaken. For us, Turkish breakfasts were a real discovery. This place is very popular among tourists, you will most likely have to stand in line before entering. But it is definitely worth it. Very tasty and varied.
Here you can order huge waffles with strawberries and sweet syrups. There are huge strawberries hanging all over the place. The photos are spectacular.
We highly recommend visiting Istanbul, but it is very important to choose the right time of year. Pleasant weather starts somewhere in April, and in the second half of June it already becomes hot. In autumn, Istanbul is comfortable until December.
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