Istanbul

Marmara Region

The Roman province of Trakya (Thrace) is separated from the rest of Turkey by the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardenelle Straits. Edirne, lying close to the borders of Greece and Bulgaria, is best known for the masterpieces of local architectMimar Sinan, with wonderful examples from the Ottoman Empire. The area is also famous for the lush rolling fields, filled with vineyards and sunflowers grown for their seeds and oil. The cities in this region are Balikesir, Bilecik, Bursa, Canakkale,Edirne, Istanbul, Kirklareli, Kocaeli, Sakarya,Tekirdag and Yalova.

The Marmara region has a turbulent past. In 481 BC the second Persian War, the Persian King Xerxes made a bridge of boats over the Dardanelle Straits between Abydos and Sestos. In the same location is the infamous love affair of Leander and Hera, whowere buried in the waters of the strait. And it was here that Mustafa Kemal won the first big victory against enemy forces in World War I, and the war graves and battlegrounds of Gelibolu are visited by thousands of tourists every year.

The lively city of Izmit with its fruit orchards and vegetable gardens is now an industrial centre, and nearby Hereke is famous for its carpets. To the south is Iznik, renowned during Ottoman times for its glazed tiles which adorned the mosques andtombs, and its great Byzantine city walls. Bursa, the land of silk, was the first capital city of the Ottoman Empire and birthplace of modern Turkish culture. The mosques, like Yesil Came and Ulu Cami, are some of the most important and beautiful inthe country. The country's first ski resort was built on the mountain of Uludag, lying to the south of the city.

Tekirdag, with beautiful examples of Ottoman architecture and broad beaches, is known for its vineyards and wine festivals. To the north is Gonen with its famous thermal springs, and the commercial port of Bandirma which is the biggest in theMarmara sea after Istanbul. Near the city and by Lake Manyas is Kuscenneti (Bird Heaven) National Park with 239 species of birds, many of which migrate from Europe and Asia during the summer, and fly south before the winter.

One the shores of the Marmara Sea are a whole host of beautiful beaches and holiday resorts, including Cinarcik, Armutlu, Gemlik, Mudanya, Erdek, the Marmara and Avsa Islands, Denizkent, Sarkoy and Silivri. To the west is Yalova, a site famous for itsthermal springs

ISTANBUL

Istanbul is a marvellous mixture of east and west, history and modern life, Asia and Europe.  The city was capital of three empires – Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman.  The history of the city can be seen in her huge minarets, in the glory of the palaces and in the arts of the museums.

  Istanbul is also a modern business city with modern hotels, international boutiques, busy traffic, and a very colourful day and night life.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi was a palace of the Ottoman sultans; nowadays it is a museum.  Jewellery, for example 81-carat Kasikci diamond and thrones decorated with jewels astonish visitors.  In the kitchen there is an immeasurable collection of Chinese porcelain.  Harem was the most important part of the sultans’ family life and that section of the Palace is still the most impressive part.  In addition to sultans four official wives a great number of mistresses lived in the Harem.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia Church was constructed by Justinian in the 6th century and it was the centre of the Byzantine Empire for almost one thousand years.  The church is a masterpiece of architecture not only for its size but also for its gold mosaics covering 1.6 hectares of walls, vaults and columns.  Earthquakes have ruined its vaults, crusaders robbed its treasures and in the end of the Byzantine Empire it fell into disrepair due to the lack of money.  When Turks conquered Constantinople the church was converted into a mosque and later in 1931 it was changed into a museum.

Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque was built during 1600-1616 and it has six minarets.  The mosque takes its name after its blue tile decorations.  In summer nights beautiful Sound and Light Shows attract tourists.

Galata Tower

This Genoese tower was built in 1348 and it is 62 meters high.  On the top of the tower there is a restaurant and a nightclub where you can watch the Golden Horn and Old Istanbul while enjoying a meal or a drink.

Maiden Tower

The first tower on this small island in the Bosphorus was built already in the 1100s for military purposes.  The tower as it stands today was built in the 1700s.  Legend has it that a king confined his daughter into the tower because it was predicted that she would die of a snake bite.  However, no matter what he did, a snake wriggled into a food basket brought to the island for the princess and the daughter died.  Nowadays the tower has a nice restaurant and a café.

Bosphorus Strait

A tour to Istanbul is not complete without a cruise on the Bosphorus.  The shores offer wonderful mixture of past and present, modesty and luxury.  Modern hotels, small fishermen villages, palaces and fortresses follow each other.  The best way to see the strait is to go to the Eminönü harbour and take a scheduled boat that sails from one shore to another between Asia and Europe.  Return tour takes about six hours.

Princes Islands

Princes Islands are located 20 kilometres from Istanbul in the Marmara Sea.  These nine islands offered shelter for the Byzantine princes.  In hot summer months they offer refreshing winds and elegant villas for both Istanbul people and tourists.

There are regular boats sailing to the islands from both European and Asian sides of Istanbul.  A tour from Sirkeci takes 1.5 hours with a normal boat.

Troy

The name Troy refers both to the remains of a Bronze Age fortress and city at Hisarlik, near the entrance to the Dardanelles and to the legendary city of King Priam that was destroyed by the Achaeans in the Trojan War.  There are reasons to believe that the physical remains in Troy today correspond to the city in mythology.  Troy was also once known as Ilios or Ilion; this is reflected in the name of Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, a work that claims to relate the story of Troy’s fall.

Troy was rediscovered and excavated by Heinrich Schliemann (1870-90).  Many excavations have been carried out by different archaeologists from different countries.  From the evidence recovered by archaeologists, there had been settlement in Troy from 3000 BC until 400 AD in nine different layers, each established on the previous layer.

Shopping

Istanbul’s Covered Bazaar with over 4000 shops sells everything from second hand shoes to diamond and antique jewellery.  It was a trade centre already in the Byzantine times.  Mehmet the Conqueror built the present bazaar in the 1400s.  You are advised to check any articles you intend to purchase carefully and bargain powerfully.

Next to the Covered Bazaar there is a spice bazaar, called the Egyptian Bazaar.  Here you can smell and have an experience of the spices of any type.  There are also cafes and you can also find the famous Mehmet Efendi’s coffee shop in the western corner of the bazaar.

Istiklal Caddesi begins from Taksim Square.  You can take a romantic wooden tram and travel the street from one end to the other.  You can treat yourself to shopping in international boutiques with original brands or buy elegant Turkish clothing and leather articles.

Carpets, copper and brass articles, leather items, ceramics, gold and silver jewellery, clothes and spices are worth buying and such items are usually said to be cheaper in Turkey.

Restaurants

Istanbul has a great variety of restaurants.  These may  vary from take away snack stalls, small kebab places to chic evening restaurants of international standards.  Kebab does not cost much and food is often excellent.  First class restaurants are not cheap but price and quality ratio is good.  There are plenty of original Turkish restaurants and also different ethnic restaurants easily available in Istanbul.  You can find all international fast food chains in Istanbul.

In Sultanahmet many Byzantine and Ottoman houses have been restored into restaurants forming a unique and enchanting setting.   Small restaurants on Cicek Pasaji are famous for their mezes and seafood menus.  There are many taverns, bars and fish restaurants in Kumkapi area.

Activities

In the surroundings of Istanbul you can sail either to the Black Sea region or to the Marmara Sea.  There are also golf courses near Istanbul.  Klassis Golf and Country Club in Silivri is 65 kilometres from Istanbul and Kemer Golf and Country Club in Belgrad Forests is 19 kilometres from the city centre.

Nightlife

There is something for everybody; opera, ballet, theatre, concerts and exhibitions.  You can enquire about such programmes at Atatürk Cultural Centre on the Taksim Square.  If you are interested in lighter nightlife there are belly dancing, cabarets, jazz and rock concerts, music bars, discos and nightclubs for you.

HOW TO GET THERE?

There are flights from all over UK and Ireland to Istanbul every day. Some of the airlines which operates are: Turkish Airlines : 0 844 800 6666 - www.thy.com, Pegasus : +90 212 444 0 737- www.flypgs.com, Easy Jet : 0871 244 2366 - www.easyjet.com, Atatürk Airport: +90 0212 663 6400 - www.tav.com.tr, Sabiha Gökçen Airport: +90 216 585 50 00 - www.sgairport.com, HAVAŞ Airport Bus : +90 212 444-0487 - www.havas.com.tr. In addition to a variety of forms of public transportation that connect the airport to a variety of destinations in the city, the airport also runs its own bus service, known as Havaş. The Havaş bus service is significantly cheaper than taking a taxi. The price per person varies depending on the destination (3,50-15 YTL).

SLEEP

Istanbul, uniting its natural beauties with its historical and cultural accumulation and modern infrastructure, offers unique accommodation facilites to its visitors. There are four hotel districts in Istanbul catering to all sorts of budgets. You could choose any one according to your tour plans and area preferences. The four main areas to host most of the hotels in Istanbul are Sultanahmet, Beyoğlu, the Bosphorus and Airport. The Sultanahmet is situated in Old Istanbul and is closer to all historical places, (Kalyon Hotel - +90 212 517 44 00 – www.kalyon.com; Hotel Arcadia - +90 212 516 9696 – www.hotelarcadiaistanbul.com) while the Beyoğlu is situated in the more modern part of Istanbul. (Pera Palace; Lares Park – +90 212 254 51 00 – www.laresparkhotel.com) If you stay at the Bosphorus hotels there may be a good water front view. (Les Ottomans Hotel - +90 212 359 15 – www.lesottomans.com) Almost all the international chains of hotels have their representation in Istanbul, and all provide the best possible services and facilities. If you have a tight budget regarding accommodation then Istanbul has a host of budget hotels and pensions.

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