Istanbul is the city where Asia meets Europe and it was no accident that three successive great empires chose Constantinople, as it was then named, as their capital. The Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans all left a stamp on modern day Istanbul with wonderful examples of the city's vivid and colourful past to be found around every corner. Take an
Istanbul weekend break and discover a city with a labyrinth of streets and mass of cultural and historic sites. These include the Blue Mosque, with its 21,000 hand-painted Iznik tiles, the huge dome of Haghia Sophia, the Imperial Treasury and the Topkapi Palace. The Topkapi Palace was home to the Ottoman Sultans for four hundred years. The buildings and gardens are impressive and pay tribute to the wealth and history of the Sultans of Istanbul in days gone by. You can visit Imperial display rooms containing Sultans Kaftans, Chinese porcelain, portraits of all the Sultans and the armoury. The Bosphorus River is a predominant feature throughout the city and it is an absolute must on any
Istanbul trip to see the city from the water. When on your Istanbul holiday the skyline is a most remarkable sight. It is dotted by thousands of minarets. The Yerebatan Saray or Sunken Palace is an immense underground Cistern built during Byzantine times. The Sancta Sophia or Aya Sophia is also known as the Church of the Divine Wisdom, this architectural masterpiece, once a Church, is now a museum. The decoration is beautiful and although you cannot walk around on the Upper Gallery, you may want to use some binoculars to look at the detailed mosaics and chandeliers. The Aya Sophya is also home to a picture Gallery where mosaics of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary are on exhibition.
There are a wide range of
cheap hotels in Istanbul available to as well as cheap flights.
ISTANBUL HOTELS
There are a wide range of hotels in Istanbul to suit families, couples, groups and singles. Combine cheap hotels and cheap flights to Istanbul to create outstanding value city breaks in Istanbul.
For information on our cheap flights to Istanbul please use the link below.
CHEAP FLIGHTS TO ISTANBUL
Book a cheap
city break in Istanbul and have enough money left to explore the city and enjoy the following:
SHOPPING
If you like a bargain an Istanbul trip is for you. The open-air bazaars in Istanbul are named either according to the neighbourhood or according to the day on which they are held. The ancient covered Grand Bazaar has over 4,000 shops and is in the heart of the old city, where bargaining for everything from desserts to jewellery is a tradition. Misir Bazaar takes its name from the source of the spices in old times. The merchants of this colourful old covered market, also called the Spice Bazaar sell spices, herbs, medicinals, dried fruits and a myriad of other goods in barrels and baskets, there are also several boutiques there. All kinds of good quality, low-priced goods from clothing to kitchen utensils can be bought in these bazaars. The bazaars in Etiler and Yesilkoy begin early in the morning and last until sunset. There are bazaars in Bakirkoy and Besiktas on Saturday, in Fatih on Wednesday, in Kadikoy on Tuesday, and in Findikzade on Friday. You can find the elite boutiques of the world famous name brands under the 19th century buildings in Nisantasi and Tesvikiye, or in elegant stores in Bagdat Caddesi.
NIGHTLIFE
The Turkish cuisine, which is one of the richest in the world, appeals to the eye as well as the palate. Turkish food is truly a living mix of Eastern and Western cultures. In addition to the many restaurants that serve traditional and international menus to satisfy the varied tastes of their guests, you'll find on any
Istanbul holiday many nightclubs, cafes and bars offer fine menus along with a wide range of entertainment choices. The city is also extremely contemporary. It boasts restaurants to rank amongst the best in the world, streets full of shops of all varieties, a vibrant café music scene, frequent concerts, and for those so inclined, some of the most dramatically located nightclubs you will find set on the banks of the Bosphorus. At night, restaurants stay open late, and in the Cicek Pasaji, wheretourists mix with students, gypsies, flower-sellers and musicians, and the street-shows go on into the early morning.
INFORMATION
Language: Turkish
Currency: Lira
Airport: Istanbul
Author Information:
Simon O’Flynn is the Commercial Director of the Low Cost Travel Group, one of the UK’s leading and fastest growing online travel companies. He has about many years of experience in the travel industry and is full of passion and knowledge that it takes to really make a business like this thrive. For more info, visit:
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