Much of your time in Istanbul will undoubtedly be spent in the Old City or Sultanahmet. This is where most of the best-known sites are concentrated, within reasonably easy walking distance of each other. But do not miss the opportunity to go further afield, there is much to be seen in this ancient metropolis.
If you only see one thing in Istanbul make it Aya Sofia, for a thousand years the largest internal space in the world. Built as the Church of Divine Wisdom at the time of the Roman Empire it became a mosque at the fall of Constantinople. It is filled with stunning mosaics and a dome which glows from the light of 30 million gold tiles. It is truly unforgettable.
Then look upwards as you visit the Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmet Cammii. From the entrance a series of domes takes your eyes even higher, closer to heaven as the architect Mehmet Aga intended. The dazzling blue Iznik tiles that line the walls give the mosque its name. When it was built, the Sultan wanted an edifice to outshine Aya Sofia. He almost succeeded.
Imagine the life of a Sultan in the Topkapi Palace. For nearly 400 years from 1453 this was the heart of the Ottoman Empire. The vast building with its ornate gardens seems to have a place for everything, even a circumcision room. Check out the enormous and sumptuously furnished harem quarters which were once guarded by eunuchs.
Haggle for your souvenirs in the Kapali Carsi or Grand Bazaar which is both architectural extravaganza and shopper's paradise. No less than 4000 shops lie under the lofty dome with its colonnaded galleries and calligraphy-covered high walls. There are bargains to be had in traditional handcrafted carpets, jewelry and leather. You will have to debate the price with the shopkeeper, but that is half the fun.
Clean up in a real Turkish bath. Nothing in the west matches these temples to ablution. One of the best is Cemberlitas Hamami, off Divan Yolu. Built in 1584 for the wife of a Sultan, it has baths for both men and women. For $15 or so you get a wash and massage from an attendant that, at the time, will make you feel as if your limbs are being pulled off. But afterwards, you will feel as relaxed and supple as a baby.
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