Places To Visit In Istanbul

Mosques of Istanbul

Istanbul is home to some of the best and most beautiful mosques you will ever see. Some say that the Blue Mosque by Sultan Ahmed is as majestic as the one in Mecca. It also had the same number of minarets – six – when it was first built. A seventh minaret was gifted to Mecca to settle a dispute regarding this. Hagia Sophia is hands-down one of the grandest architectures of the world. Suleymaniye Mosque near to the Grand Bazar, Rustem Pasa Mosque near to the Spice Bazar and the New Mosque constructed in the name of the mother of a Sultan are the other visit-worthy mosques in Istanbul.

Markets of Istanbul

Grand Bazar, Spice Bazar, Yesiktaz, Yesilkoy, Bakirkoy, Kadikoy are some of the markets you must see while in Istanbul. The markets are a great place to visit in Istanbul in October-November season, as the pleasanter climate makes it easy to walk through the maze of streets without breaking a sweat.

Here are some of the best Istanbul attractions to see.

1. Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia will always rank first among all the Istanbul sights, even though it gets quite a bit of competition from the Blue Mosque. The colossal architecture, with an even bigger dome dominating the skyline of Istanbul started out as an Eastern Orthodox basilica in 537. It later played the role of a Roman Catholic Church under Byzantine rule and then turned into an imperial mosque for the Ottomans. In 1395 it was finally reopened, not as a place of worship but of culture and education – as a museum. Hagia Sophia is a must-see in Instanbul sightseeing tours.

2. The Blue Mosque

Actually named the Sultan Ahmet Mosque after its founder, the grand architecture of the 17th century got its name from the thousands of blue tiles on its exterior and interior. Tourists throng here in large numbers to see the priceless treasures hidden inside. However, it is still an active shrine and is closed during the five prayers of the day as per Islamic faith.

3. Topkapi Palace

Perched on the side of the Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus Strait and the Golden Horn, this place was once the royal residence of the Ottoman emperors and the office of their daily business. Now it is a collage of the empire’s glorious years – all stored within the richly embellished quarters of the Topkapi Palace.

4. Grand Bazar

Grand Bazar lives up to its name – it is indeed the grandest market in all of Istanbul. Within its maze-like streets there are more than 500 shops lined up, selling everything from mosque replicas, ceramic items, clothes and jewelleries, handcrafted products and many more. Grand Bazar in Istanbul is a good place to visit for a leisurely afternoon.

5. Basilica Cistern

The underground water reservoir system ordered by Justinian I served the royal families of Istanbul over the years. Only a few steps away from Blue Mosque, this architectural and engineering wonder is also known as the Sunken Palace, because of the dark mystic look and the sound of water trickling in the background – a very mysterious setting.