Istanbul – Top 6 Things to See

Top 6 Things to See in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia: A marvelous architectural masterpiece which was converted into a mosque in 1453 and was once the world’s largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years. It is now a museum and its use as a place of worship is strictly prohibited.

Basilica Cistern: This ancient Roman water-storage depot is a remarkable engineering achievement, consisting of brick vaults supported on 336 columns. The atmosphere there is uncannily calm, and, of course, misty.

Blue Mosque: Just across Hagia Sophia, lies the17th century Blue Mosque – “blue” for the 20,000 blue tiles adorning its interior walls and ceiling – which was built as a place of Islamic worship that would rival the Hagia Sophia.

Topkapi Palace: Once the chest that housed the sultans, Topkapi Palace is now a spectacular museum. Visitors can see items like Moses’ staff, Muhammad’s sword, tooth, beard and cloak as well as golden artifacts, emeralds the size of eggs and the famous bejewelled Topkapi dagger.

Grand Bazaar: It is of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions, with 91,250,000 annual visitors.

Egyptian Spice Market: This colorful market place is located under an arched roof in the Eminou quarter of the Faith District. The aromas of the different spices seduce the visitor’s senses.  Stall holders selling Turkish delight and lokum, will be happy for you to taste products.

If you arrive at the port of Istanbul by cruise ship, Achtypis tours offers a variety of istanbul shore excursions, making sure that you won't miss any of its highlights!

Sources:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/istanbul

http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/travel-guide-weekend-istanbul.html