Istanbul Vacation Guide & Travel Information

About Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey, has a unique situation with holdings in both Europe and Asia. The city is divided by the The Bosphorus with European Istanbul to the west and Asian Istanbul to the east. The majority of the attractions and neighbourhoods that make up cosmopolitan Istanbul are to be found on the European side, where Istanbul has become a popular location with both business and leisure travelers.

In this sprawling, continent-spanning city you can admire mosques that are the most sublime architectural expressions of Islamic piety; peer into the sultan's harem; and hunt for bargains in the Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar).

The Old City is where you'll find all the main sights, such as Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), Aya Sofya (Sancta Sophia), the Atmeydani (Hippodrome) and the old city walls. The 21st-century version of Istanbul is a short walk north across the Galata Bridge, and is exemplified by bustling Taksim Square, the eye of the city's commercial storm. The Asian part of the city has less of the sights tourists come to see.

We constantly update Istanbul vacation deals and flights + hotel packages for Europe. If you just need a hotel, check out our discount hotels in Istanbul. You can also book popular sightseeing tours in Istanbul and save your vacation time.

Istanbul's Atatürk Airport (23km west of Sultanahmet) is Turkey's largest and busiest. Any number of popular regular services from the Middle East, the USA, Australia and Europe land here. Turkish Airlines (THY), has regular flights to major European and Asian cities. In 2001 another airport, Sabiha Gokçen International Airport, opened at Kurtköy on the Asian side of the city, though most flights still arrive and depart from Atatürk. A taxi into the city center is the quickest option; it takes around half an hour. Another option is to take an airport bus, which takes 35-60 minutes to get to Taksim Square.

Within Turkey, bus is the most widespread and popular way of getting around; they go literally everywhere, all the time. The main bus station, the otogar, is a town in itself, with 168 ticket offices, restaurants, mosques and shops. Buses leave here for domestic and international routes. There's also a bus station on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus at Harem. Train is the least preferred option for international visitors travelling to Turkey, as the services are generally slower and quite expensive for what you get. The main station is Sirkeci, and there's also Haydarpasa station on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus.

Buses are definitely be the best way of getting around the busy streets of Istanbul. For getting around town buses are plentiful but usually quite crowded. Tickets are available from the kiosks by main bus stops. Distances between the main stops can be quite long. Alternatively, the tram system was renovated in the early 90s and runs in a similar way to the buses with tickets interchangeable between the two. In addition, there are ferries and passenger boats traveling up and down the waterways of Istanbul and also between Europe and Asia. Istanbul has a large fleet of yellow taxis, but a cheaper way of getting around the streets is to hire a dolmus, a shared taxi or minibus. Istanbul's metro is under construction, though some lines are already in service (Taksim Square to Levent District).

Istanbul is full of attractions for all ages. Below is a list of some suggested things to do in Istanbul. You can also book some of these attractions online and save your vacation time.

Topkapi Palace
Now one of Istanbul's leading museums, the Topkapi Palace was the Imperial residence of the Great Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years until the reign of Abdülmecid. The palace was subjected to many changes as it passed from sultan to sultan, but today houses a spectacular museum famed for its large collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain.

Haghia Sophia
Considered the eighth wonder of the world, this Byzantine Church is one of the largest ancient buildings to be found anywhere. It is the most significant masterpiece of Byzantine art and Eastern Christian church architecture and was completed in 532 during Justinian's reign. The vast building, with its range of architectural styles, is one of Istanbul's best known landmarks and few visitors to the city miss a trip to view its extraordinary interior.

Blue Mosque
Dating from the 17th century, this is one of the largest Mosques in Istanbul and is one of the principal features on the city's skyline. The only mosque in the world with six minarets, its real fame derives most from its beautiful interior tiles with flower and tree motifs. On the east side of the mosque is the Arasta, a bazaar for the various tradesmen guilds.

Suleymaniye Camii
The mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent is yet another of the city's great landmarks set in a complex of surrounding buildings capped by over 400 domes. Its design represents an important development in Ottoman mosque architecture.

Yerebatan Sarayi (Sunken Palace)
A walkway just above the water allows you to view the forest of stone pillars that support this vast under ground cistern. Built in 532 AD it was at one time supplied by the Valens aqueduct.

Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar)
A vast labyrinth of little streets lined with over 4000 shops selling rugs, pottery, jewellery and countless other goodies.

The Bosphorus
This body of water that passes along the shores of Istanbul is 20 miles in length and is the physical divider between the continents of Europe and Asia.

Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi)
This palace was built in the mid 1800s to replace an earlier structure that was made of wood. The new palace incorporated sixteen separate buildings with stables, a flour mill and a clock tower among them.

Princes' Islands
These islands off the coast of Istanbul were so named because the Byzantine emperors would send princes there in exile. Today, only four of the islands are inhabited and none of them allow motorized vehicles.

Istanbul Archaeology Museum (Arkeoloji Muzesi)
Besides its importance as the first Turkish museum, it remains one of the world's largest museums with over one million works. Opened to the public in 1891, it houses a collection of Greek, Roman and Byzantine artifacts.