Istanbul is a wonderful holiday destination that wraps every tourist's heart with the modern lifestyle on the traditional edge. The modern skyscrapers dotting the skyline and delicately carved ancient monuments welcome tourists from all over the world. Istanbul is a city that presents travelers with both Asian and European facets across the Bosphorus Strait. Because of this passage, Istanbul remained the capital city of famous Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire for several decades. If you happen to be in this city, do not forget to take the Turkish bath - Hammam. The locals are generous and very hospitable and might offer you tea at their homes or teahouses. To enjoy Istanbul, the most, take ferry rides, visit the local teahouses, pubs, taste the local drink - raki, and leisurely enjoy the sightseeing places. Also,
hotels in Istanbul are another level of luxury.
Best Time to Visit
Istanbul experiences summers and winters on a little extreme level. It is visited year-round, but mostly in the spring and autumn season from April to May and from September to November. These months are considered ideal for holidays in Istanbul. However, many tourists prefer to visit this destination in the winter as well to experience chilly winters and snow.
Places to Visit
Some of the all-time favourite Places to Visit in Istanbul are The Hagia Sophia Museum, The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace Museum, Basilica Cistern, the Prince Islands, Aya Sofya, and Suleymaniye Mosque. All these places reflect the grandeur of dynasties that once ruled here with great architectural splendour. On the Asian side of Istanbul, worth visiting places are Beylerbeyi Palace and Camlica Hill. Kadikoy and Bagdat Caddesi are full of shopping places, restaurants and cafes. The Galata area in the city is a vibrant place that offers upscale boutiques, markets and Galata Bridge is known for fishing. The Spice Bazaar and Grand Bazaar are a few happening places for tourists to shop everything varying from tea, spices, carpets, leather, jewellery and dry fruits.
Food and Restaurants
Some of the authentic must-try dishes include Menemen, Meze, Kuyu Kebabi, Adana Kebab and Kunefe. Popular places in the city to dine at are Nicole Restaurant, Gram Kanyon, Adana Ocakbasi, Karadeniz Pide ve Döner Salonu and more. Beyoglu is a famous place in the city for upscale wine and dine.
Transportation
Istanbul has well-maintained connections to many countries of the world via various transport channels. Tourists travelling via air de-board at
Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST). There are plenty of international flights that connect the city to different cities such as
Delhi, Paris, Cairo,
Dubai, Seoul, New York and more. New Delhi and Mumbai receive plenty of direct flights from Istanbul via
Turkish Airlines and
Air India. Several other cities of India connect to Istanbul via connecting flights.
Cheap flight tickets from here to other popular cities can be booked online on Goibibo. Also, flight status & other details related to
flight booking & air tickets can be easily accessed on it. So for cheapest air tickets, it is recommended to book flights online. Rail routes are well laid across the city that receives trains from many parts of the country and also from European and Asian countries as well. The trains coming to Istanbul from Asian countries arrive at Haydarpasa Station and from European countries arrive at Sirkeci Station. Same as trains, many buses ply from Istanbul to cities of Greece, Romania, Bulgaria. A number of cruise and ferry services also operate from Istanbul that connect to European countries.