Istanbul

Hagia Sophia is one of the excellent examples of Byzantine Architecture noted and famed for its huge and pretty dome remains an iconic symbol of this city. A mosque during Ottoman Empire now turned into a museum has had a long history.

As you step inside one would come across the collections of mosaics and marble pillars. It also holds tombs of the Ottoman sultans and the weeping column is the famous component here. There are tour guides who would explain the travelers its history and other infinite details and it’s a must to visit with guides so that you can enjoy the sight along with the old Sultanahmet area.

Blue Mosque is one of the beautiful places to visit with its serene and calm atmosphere hosting majestic domes, intricately designed with minarets, spires, and stained-glass windows and filled with culture and history.

Blue mosque is considered to be a grand architectural gift to the city of Istanbul and right opposite Hagia Sophia. Turks do come here to pray so it's preferable to visit during off prayer hours (as it's closed for tourists during those hours) and it’s really important to dress appropriately with shoulders and legs covered as it’s a religious site.

Women are supposed to wear headscarves to enter here. Both men and women would be given appropriate dress at the entrance.

Initially, this glorious palace was the ruling place of the Ottomans Empire besides the Bosphorus. This vast complex displays its vast Islamic art, tile work, decorated rooms, and huge courtyards with its towers and walls.

Though this palace complex has many rooms, halls, and chambers and the significant ones are only open for tourists to visit and are divided into several places of interest and sections.

Harem stands distinctive as it’s the place for Sultan’s mistresses and children spent their time, vast palace kitchens, imperial chambers and Sultan’s private rooms are few of them to experience. One would enjoy exploring its imperial treasury showcasing collections of art, weapons, pottery, gold artifacts, and precious gems.

This particular museum displays the range of artifacts and history from Turkey and throughout the Middle East. This museum houses antiques, ceramic arts, housewares, and objects that represent almost all eras, cultures, and civilizations. It’s a worthwhile visit for travelers interested in history and the ones who love to watch antiques serving a good place to skip the crowds for a while.

Rainbow Stairs is one of the recognized places to click instagramable pictures. Earlier painted by an engineer to showcase that colours always put smiles on people's faces and that was exactly what Rainbow stairs looked like.

These are the bright-coloured steps among the regular building nearby making a great photo spot. After the repair work was done the painted steps were replaced by bright colourful tiles and serving the same purpose as the doer.

Dolmabache Palace served as the main residence for Ottomans after Topkapi palace and it showcases the European architecture influence over the Ottoman Empire.

The interiors of the palace are a mix of various styles and forms; many parts of the ceilings are made with gold and its extravagantly decorated with crystal stairs, precious stones, and Marmara marble.

This ornate palace is home to the largest collection of Bohemian crystal chandeliers in the world with the one in the ceremonial hall is the largest such crystal chandelier in the world. This palace would surely get any of its visitors awestruck and it’s accessible only via guided tours and hence it is important to plan well in advance.

The huge underground complex looking like that of a palace was used to store the water supply for the Byzantine emperors. It’s the largest complex lying below the city with carved marble columns. This attracts its visitors as usually a water system is perceived to be a bunch of boring pipes and tubes. Basilica Cistern is referred to as one of the splendid historical buildings preserved since old times.

Galata Tower is an iconic symbol of Istanbul city located in the middle of the city known to be the oldest and tallest tower within the city’s skyline. Visitors can take an elevator to the top of the building to get panoramic views of the city.

There is a restaurant and café on the top floor wherein travelers can enjoy a meal with their special ones overlooking the city. The café is pretty lively and one can enjoy drinks with friends or family with some of the best views of the city.

Bosphorus is an international Strait of huge importance as it has Europe on end and Asia on other giving a different opportunity to cruise along the international waters and viewing the pretty cityscape of Istanbul. Cruises pass along the Bosphorus bridge which is a suspension bridge connecting two continents.

Cruise the waters during sunset wherein you can enjoy beautiful sights of Istanbul with pretty sunset or at night when the city is lit making you awestruck with its beauty.

They even offer cruises with dinner making it extremely romantic, suitable for couples. Nevertheless, it's one of the best things to do when in Istanbul.

Istanbul is known for its Bazaar culture as these are massive enclosed markets within the walls between 2 mosques. Grand Bazaar has 11 gates and the entrance is through one of them and as soon as you enter you would notice lanes and alleys covered with shops selling Turkish souvenirs and handicrafts.

Visitors should note that the vendors here almost double up the price for things than their actual value so you surely can bargain or move on to the next shop if you feel you are being conned.

Grand Bazaar is one of the things that tourists shouldn’t miss when in Istanbul and also make sure to move along in groups of people you are traveling with as there are chances of getting lost in this huge space and specifically take care of children with you.

Spice Bazaar known as the Egyptian market is the biggest spice market in the world and 2^nd biggest covered bazaar where visitors can buy spices and dry fruits. It’s usually crowded during the daytime and you would notice vendors selling Iranian Saffron, Russian Caviar, Turkish Delights, and many other such products.

For foodies, it’s is a place to try your taste buds by the merchandise they offer to taste and a perfect place to buy spices. Even here you can try bargaining to get your desired prices as much as you can.

Miniaturk is an impressive model park displaying important Turkish, Anatolian, and Ottoman Buildings of the country in its miniature forms. All the miniatures are exact copies of the real buildings and it's pretty to visit here if you haven’t covered some destinations on your trip you can surely get some pictures and idea of the landmarks in this park. It is recommended to visit this park if you have time on your hand and explore its huge area and get some beautiful pictures.