Istanbul

This post is Part 1 of a series covering our trip to Turkiye, featuring Istanbul.

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country’s economic, cultural, and historical heart. With a population over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia. Istanbul straddles the Bosporus—one of the world’s busiest waterways—in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.

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We were very lucky as when we arrived there, it was snowing and it was our first experience with snowfall.

Streets of Istanbul

As with any European city, the best way to explore this city is on foot, especially the Sultanahmet area. There are historical sites at every step.

Mosques of Istanbul

This city is full of beautiful mosques. Not all of them allow non-moslems to enter.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is a beautiful building which has been a church as well as a mosque over its history.

The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is a fascinating place where you can buy almost everything. We bought lamps.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is a beautiful palace on the waterfront.

Cruise on the Bosporus

One of the best ways to city is to take a cruise on the Bosporus and see bth the European and Asian sides of the city.