Turkey is one of the ancient places in the world with the connection from ancient Greece, Persia, and Rome, though it is much more than its cliched image of where east meets west. Turkey’s biggest city Istanbul has the flavor of both ancient and modern culture. Beach towns near the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts attract the tourists to resort. World’s best archaeological sites to the unforgettable desert landscape, combined with innovative cuisines,maze-like bazaars, and friendly people -Turkey has everything for everyone.
Istanbul is Turkey’s biggest city. It is the only city on earth with one shore in Asia and one in Europe. Istanbul is both conservative and also freewheeling with its vibrant nightlife and prominent Mosque. The perfect blend of the old and new layer makes this complex city a Turkish delight. This city is where the Islamic world meets the global order acting as a bridge between Europe and outer Asia. Istanbul calls itself ‘Europe’s coolest city.’It can be in tune with the future precisely because it’s so rich in the heritage of the past and such seasoned wisdom about the cycles of culture and history.
The ideal time to visit:
The best time to visit is the spring or the autumn, from April through May and September. The summers here are hot and sticky and the winters are gray and drizzly.
Festivals to celebrate:
During Ramadan,there are public Iftars, though it’s not unusual for people to eat and drink on the street.Istanbul Music Festival and the Istanbul Jazz Festival during summer offer outdoor concerts throughout the city.
Food:
Kahbalti (Turkish breakfast) is not something to be missed. It includes the traditional spread of bread, eggs, local cheese, olives, jams, honey, cucumbers, clotted cream, tahini and many more. For dessert, sticky-sweet pistachio baklava is a great option. Make sure to try fresh grilled fish and meze (Turkish tapas) with a glass of raki which is strong anise-flavored liquor. Legendary kofte, kebabs, Turkish coffee, traditional sweets, and chocolates are popular among food lovers. Special mention to one culinary item from the diverse cuisines of Turkey is its traditional ice-cream, a totally different from the rest.
Top places to visit in Istanbul:
Bosphorus cruise - The Bosphorus Strait which divided the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea is one of the famous landmarks of Istanbul city and cruising here is one of the most memorable experience one can have. The cruises operate every day between April to October. There are three types of Bosphorus cruise that the city offers which are half day Bosphorus cruise, full day Bosphorus cruise and private Bosphorus cruise.
The Blue Mosque - The Blue Mosque, created in the 17th century is also called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The Mosque is not completely blue but the major part of the upper level is painted as blue is the reason behind its name. The Mosque is open to the visitors except for the prayer time.
Byzantine Hippodrome - The Hippodrome was the center of Byzantine ruler’s life for thousand years and of Ottoman life for another four hundred years and has been the scene of the countless political drama. Re-landscaped in more recent years, it is one of the city’s most popular meeting places and promenades.
Hagia Sophia - Since 6th century, Hagia Sophia, meaning ‘holy wisdom’ is one of Istanbul’s most prized architectural treasure. The building was a Greek Orthodox Christian cathedral in 537 AD which was later converted into Ottoman imperial mosque in 1453, and today it is a splendid secular museum. It is one of the best living examples of Byzantine architecture.
Suleymaniye Mosque - The Suleymaniye Mosque was built in 1550 by Sultan Suleyman. It stands as a famous landmark for the city of Istanbul.The mosque has impressive view down over the rooftops and bustling Sea of Marmara. Except the prayer time the place remains open to the visitors.
Grand Bazaar - The bazaar is one of the largest,oldest,and most vibrant covered markets in the world. It’snot only a centre of attraction for sightseeing travelers but stands as a merchant favorite. The market has 61 streets with 5,000 stores where the visitors can pursue everything from magic carpet to glittering jewels.
Other than that places like Galata tower, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahce palace, Chora church, Topakopi palace etc are carrying out the legacy of history which are must watch for travelers.
How to visit:
There are various airlines providing flight service from Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Cochin to different places to Turkey including Istanbul. The average flight timing is 10 to 36 hours based on the stopover destination and waiting duration.
One can easily avail the Turkey tour packages of Benchmark Holidays. So this Spring or autumn, plan the Turkey trip with family from Bangalore and enjoy the heterogeneous Turkey and beautiful Istanbul city.
