It is pointless to advertise Istanbul. If you like cities where traditions, customs, cuisines, cultures and architectural trends are closely intertwined, you already know that Istanbul can be called the quintessence of the East, seasoned with a fair dose of Western civilization. It is easy to get lost in the streets and aromas here, and the magnificent views of the Bosphorus, the minarets of ancient mosques and bridges sink into the soul of any tourist who has visited here. The city is multifaceted and diverse, and you will always find something to do and where to go. In Istanbul, restaurants and museums, the most important architectural monuments and amusement parks, ideal opportunities for shopping and many options for organizing cultural leisure await the guest. In short, step onto the website of Turkish Airlines, which enjoys well-deserved respect from travelers, and set off to meet a city that is beautiful at any time of the year and in any company.

Parks of Istanbul

Do you know that the homeland of cultivated tulips is the Ottoman Empire? It was in Istanbul, and not at all in Holland, in the 11th-15th centuries that the first beautiful varieties of these bulbous plants were bred, which later became the cause of tulip mania. If you like tulips, go to one of Istanbul’s city parks, where millions of plants bloom every year:

Every year in early April, the Emirgan Park hosts the Tulip Festival, where millions of flowers planted in vast fields await visitors. In the park, you can see living labyrinths of plants, feed swans on lakes and ponds with grottoes, admire the Great Fountain near the White Pavilion and enjoy magnificent views of the Bosphorus from the observation deck.
In the historical part of the city, there is Gülhane Park – the oldest urban green area. It appeared in the 17th century and became part of the Topkapi Palace, the main residence of the sultans in Istanbul. Translated from Turkish, the name of the park means “courtyard of roses.” Hundreds and thousands of bushes of the queen of flowers decorate the alleys of Gulhane Park.
You can also see many rose bushes in Göztepe Park in the Asian part of Istanbul.
You can hear the violin, enjoy the romantic atmosphere and admire the flowering trees in the cafe of Fenerbahçe Park. The peninsula, washed by the waters of the Marmara Sea, has long become a favorite place for dates for Istanbul lovers, although tourists are also not alien to the desire to walk along neat alleys and arrange a photo shoot against the background of the sea or lush flower beds.

Entrance to Istanbul’s parks is free, some of them close at night.

Islands of Istanbul

If you like to swing on the waves and discover new lands, you will be interested in taking a ferry to the Princes’ Islands near Istanbul. Firstly, the archipelago has several architectural monuments: the Aya Yani Church of the 9th century, the Christ Monastery, the Temple of the Virgin, consecrated in the 14th century, and a unique children’s shelter building, built of wood and the largest of its kind in Europe.

The Princes’ Islands are a favorite beach vacation spot in Turkey among noble citizens. The sea is perfectly clean here, the water warms up quickly and you can swim quite comfortably in mid-May, and the ecological situation on the beaches of the archipelago is quite safe, since the city with its port and industries remains at a sufficient distance.

Istanbul attractions

Even if you only have a few hours, it is worth spending them on Sultanahmet Square, where two famous architectural monuments and religious buildings of Istanbul are located – The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

The Blue Mosque was built at the beginning of the 17th century. The project was a combination of architectural styles of Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, and the material used was unique varieties of marble. The building is decorated with ceramic tiles, which are hand-painted with blue and white ornaments.

Already one and a half thousand years ago, the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia adorned Constantinople. The temple survived the fall of the city and reconstruction by order of Sultan Ahmet, and then remained a Muslim shrine for five hundred years. Now a museum has been opened in Hagia Sophia, and the interiors of the cathedral still amaze the imagination of anyone who crosses its threshold. The mosaics of the temple are a real guide to studying the stages of development of Byzantine art, and the construction of the dome 50 meters high even now seems like a brilliant engineering solution.

The list of other Istanbul attractions certainly includes:

Galatia Tower, from where you can enjoy magnificent views of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Strait. It is often called the symbol of Istanbul. The tower was built in the 14th century and can be seen from many points in the city.
Topkapi Palace, starting in the 15th century and serving as the residence of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years. The complex covers about 700 hectares and offers visitors a rich collection of paintings, jewelry, dishes, weapons and religious relics.
Baroque style techniques are evident in the architectural form of the Dolmabahçe Palace, built on the shores of the Bosphorus by Sultan Abdul-Mejdid I, who was inclined to European luxury. The palace serves as the residence of the Prime Minister in Istanbul, but it is also worth visiting for tourists. Visitors are offered picturesque buildings, luxurious decoration of the halls and picturesque views of the sea from the numerous windows of the mansion.
In the Maiden’s Tower, which stands on a rocky island in the Bosphorus, you can dine in a restaurant stylized as a medieval castle and watch ships move along the strait.

The list of attractions also includes museum exhibitions: Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art with carpets, ceramics, ancient manuscripts and personal belongings of the sultans; Museum of Innocence, founded by the writer Orhan Pamuk, who fell in love with Istanbul; Museum of Whirling Dervishes, which tells about the traditions of the Sufi religious order, which leads into a hypnotic stupor with their dances; Museum of Modern Art with works by artists and sculptors who have worked in Istanbul in recent decades.

Istanbul for children

If you are on vacation with the whole family and you do not have much time to explore all its beauties, be sure to go to Istanbul Miniature Park. More than a hundred of the country’s most interesting sights are collected on its territory, and each of the park’s copies is made with precise observance of all details and proportions on a scale of 1:25.

Young naturalists will surely enjoy a visit to the Aquarium. One of them is located in the Forum shopping center, the other awaits visitors in the Bakirköy district. Guests will be able to get acquainted with the inhabitants of the underwater world and feed some of them themselves.

The Toy Museum presents hundreds of unique exhibits, lovingly collected in different cities, villages and provinces. Wooden and tin, knitted and straw dolls, cars, soldiers and other toys can tell a lot of interesting things to young tourists.

In the dolphinarium you will get to a fascinating show, in which marine mammals become participants every day. If you have long dreamed of swimming with dolphins, going to the Istanbul dolphinarium is even more worth it: the opportunity to splash in the pool with tailed artists is provided to everyone.

Vialand Theme Park is another useful address for a family vacation on the shores of the Bosphorus. The park’s range of attractions will keep both kids and their parents entertained.

Tasty spots on the map

There is an opinion that in Istanbul you shouldn’t look for special restaurants, because they feed you deliciously everywhere: street vendors selling fresh fast food from their stalls; expensive establishments where the tables are always occupied; and average cafes where the waiters are friendly and efficient, and the service is quite satisfactory, even if the napkins on the tables suddenly run out.

If you want to go somewhere special, these establishments are most often recommended in Istanbul:

In the iconic Kervansaray, a menu of dozens of oriental dishes and a luxurious interior is certainly accompanied by a show program, the highlight of which is belly dancing.
The name Sultanahmet Fish House unambiguously hints at a fish menu. The interior is decorated with fishing and ship gear, and in the evenings the hall hosts fire shows and includes fabulous illuminations.
For fans of Michelin-level cuisine, we can recommend the restaurant at the Midtown Hotel. The prices for dishes on the menu will seem considerable, but the chef’s skill is worth splurging on.
The main “trick” of the “Reyna” establishment is its location. The restaurant is located right under the suspension bridge over the Bosphorus, and in the evenings, visitors are guaranteed a dizzying illumination.

For those who are bored with Ukrainian food, we can recommend Mel’s Bebek, which serves borscht and dumplings, Zuma will delight fans of the currently fashionable Japanese cuisine, and Mikli is the best place to celebrate holidays with a large company in an elegant setting and on a spacious terrace overlooking the Bosphorus.

A note for shopaholics

People often go to Istanbul for shopping, because the city is called the trading capital of the entire Old World. The most profitable places to shop are in the Laleli area, the Grand Bazaar covered market, the Spice Market, and the Atrium and Tepe Nautilus shopping centers.

It is convenient to buy fur coats and leather goods in the Laleli area. Most of the outlets offering quality products are concentrated here. The shops on Laleli value their reputation and avoid selling fakes.

Buy antiques in the appropriate shops near the Grand Bazaar. When buying, ask the sellers about certificates for exporting products outside the country. It is also worth demanding a certificate when choosing jewelry so that the gold samples match the actual composition of the metal and the stones do not turn out to be imitations when tested.