Istanbul
Istanbul: The City on Seven Hills
Mid-April to June and September to October
3 days
INR 25000/- per person
Summer is Istanbul's largest tourism season, with many residents departing for vacations or family homes elsewhere in Turkey. As a result, hotel costs can be high, and lines at popular attractions can be long. The climate is hot and humid, but the light glints off the Bosphorus, and a profusion of cafés, restaurants, and pubs provide outside seating, making for a bustling urban atmosphere. Concerts, festivals, and other activities are also held outside.
Istanbul's lengthy, mainly warm spring and fall seasons are great for visiting the sights and touring the districts, since the city promotes walking exploration. Tourist throngs are thinned out, and local urban life, including a packed programme of arts and cultural events, is in full flow.
The winter months aren't the most enticing time to explore Istanbul, but they do provide the city a wonderfully melancholic atmosphere. On the positive side, finding lodging will not be hard or costly, and Istanbul's numerous museums, mosques, and other monuments will give enough indoor activities.
Istanbul is the only transcontinental city in the world. On the western side of the Bosphorus Strait, you're in Europe, but if you travel to the other side, you're in Asia!
The Grand Bazaar is the largest covered bazaar in the world. The Grand Bazaar, which has been open since 1461 and encompasses 61 streets and 3,000 stores, attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors each day!
Tulips, the national flower of Holland, originated in Istanbul and were introduced to the Netherlands from there.
There were 1400 public toilets in the city under the Ottoman Empire, although there were none in the rest of Europe.
When the bridge is completely full with automobiles, the vapur (ferry) is the best means to move from the European to the Asian side (or vice versa). On weekdays, rush hour begins around 8 a.m. and continues around 6 p.m., therefore many individuals going to and from work opt to take the Bosphorus instead. On the European side, there are three main ferry stations: Beşiktaş, Kabataş (now under development), and Karaköy. There is also Eminönü, from which boats go straight to the Asian side's Kadköy Ferry Station.
When it comes to its reputation, the metrobus has both advantages and disadvantages. At first look, the metrobuses appear to be a terrific option since they have their own lanes, enabling them to pass straight through traffic and transport people from one end of the city to the other. Nevertheless, because the metrobus makes many stops, it's known for its crammed-to-the-gills journeys, so expect to be crammed in close quarters with other passengers and expect potentially poor personal hygiene.
For its train tunnel that runs beneath the Bosphorus strait, Marmaray was a major deal when it first opened. Marmaray now only runs from Kzlçeşme on the European side to Ayrlk eşmesi on the Asian side, but it has already established itself as a desirable option to the bridge. If you do decide to take the Marmaray, make a point of visiting the ancient Sirkeci railway station to get a flavor of the history before boarding this brand new method of transportation.
You'll quickly notice that there are taxi taxis all across Istanbul that are just waiting for passengers. If traffic isn't too bad, taxis are a convenient method to get about if you're in a hurry. Make careful you get into a cab with a logo on its car doors, since this indicates that it is tied to a taxi stand and removes the risk of being ripped off.
Turkish is Turkey's official language, and English is extensively spoken in Istanbul; foreigners are frequently startled by how well most Turks speak English.
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