Istanbul

About — Istanbul

Direct flights from the Gulf to Istanbul take 3.5–4.5 hours and land at one of two airports: Istanbul Airport (IST, European side, 45–60 min to the city) and Sabiha Gokcen (SAW, Asian side, 60–90 min). Citizens of Gulf countries enter visa-free with a passport. The city spreads over two continents; the historic sites are clustered in Sultanahmet and Fatih on the European side, while modern shopping and nightlife are in Taksim, Nisantasi and Levent.

For first-time visitors the first three days are the Sultanahmet triangle (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi), a Bosphorus boat cruise and the Grand Bazaar. For days four and five we suggest the Princes' Islands, Eyup Sultan and Pierre Loti Hill, Ortakoy and Camlica Mosque. The T1 tram links Sultanahmet, Eminonu and Kabatas; for families, a chauffeured vehicle at 130 USD per day is the most comfortable option. Halal food is never a problem, and alcohol-free hotels are found in Sultanahmet and Fatih.

Family tips: enter busy museums at the 09:00 opening; Topkapi is closed on Tuesdays and Dolmabahce on Mondays. Mosques require a headscarf and knee-covering clothing, provided free at the entrance. In Fatih it is easy to find Arabic-speaking pharmacies, restaurants and barbers. Hagia Sophia closes to visitors during Friday noon prayer. In Ramadan, the iftar tables on Sultanahmet Square and the Tarawih crowds at Eyup Sultan are among the city's most beautiful moments.

City Guide — Istanbul

The Bosphorus is the world's narrowest strait used for international navigation; it connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara (which is connected by the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea, and thereby to the Mediterranean) and separates Rumelia (the European side) from Anatolia. Graceful mansions line parts of the Bosphorus, and Ortakoy Square is a great place to relax near the waterfront at one of the many outdoor cafes. The Maiden's Tower, originally constructed in the 5th century BC in the middle of the Bosphorus, is a point of interest with a cafe and restaurant. There are numerous tours up and down the Bosphorus, some at dusk including dinner; for those on a tighter budget, public ferries travel between the East and West frequently and for less than one euro.

Sultanahmet: many places of tourist interest are concentrated in Sultanahmet, in the heart of the imperial centre of the Ottoman Empire: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque), the Hippodrome, Kapali Carsi (the Covered Market), Yerebatan Sarnici (the Basilica Cistern) and the Museum of Islamic Art. Topkapi Palace was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years of their 600-year reign, from 1465 to 1853; the palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments and is a major tourist attraction today, containing the most holy relics of the Muslim world such as the Prophet Muhammad's cloak and sword. It is among the monuments belonging to the "Historic Areas of Istanbul", which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and is described as "the best example of ensembles of palaces of the Ottoman period".