If you want to experience time travelling, that is the city which will bring you from the past to the present and the present to the past. There are the ruins of magnificent history everywhere. Skyscrapers touch the sky while saluting old palaces. A sea divides the city and seperates Asia from Europe. You need to decide one thing before you visit the Istanbul; What would you like to be in this trip? A king, sultan, mystic, princess, fairytale hero or star of the night?
As a Turkish student in Ireland, I face with this question frequently and I decided to create an Istanbul guide. Here we go!
Historical Places
If you want to see history, here is 5 recommendations;
1. Basilica Cistern / Yerebatan Sarnıcı
2. Topkapı Palace / Topkapı Sarayı
Here is the magnificent history!
3. The Blue Mosque / Sultanahmet Camii
It is more than a mosque with its special blue ceramics and 6 minarets.
4. Beylerbeyi Palace / Beylerbeyi Sarayı
An Ottoman Sultans’ palace from 1860s in the Asian side of Istanbul.
Night Life in Istanbul
Istanbul has every kind of pubs, clubs and restaurants. Here are some recommendations;
Reina Bar&Restaurant&Club
If you like posh style entertainment this club and restaurant is for you! Jennifer Lopez, Bon Jovi, Gisele Bündchen, Uma Thurman, Kevin Kostner, Sting, Lional Richie, John Cusack, Kobe Bryant, Paris Hilton, Salma Hayek, Axl Rose, Zidane and even Bono visited here before. Also, it is possible to visit the place with a yacht.
An amazing view, sushi, steaks, quality wines…
Nevizade Taksim
This is a street where you can find all the fish restaurants.
3. Arnavutkoy Fish&Raki Restaurants
Atlas Fish Restaurant, Arnavutkoy Balikcisi, Eftalya are the best fish restaurants in Arnavutkoy. Arnavutkoy is a town at the European seaside of Istanbul. Turkish people called this area ‘Bosphorus’. Bosphorus has famous towns such as Rumelihisari, Bebek, Tarabya, Yenikoy. All these places have famous fish restaurants and you can taste Turkish traditional alcohol ‘Raki’ in these places.
Rumelian Castle where Fatih Sultan Mehmed conquered Istanbul with it.
Food Recommendations
Something special
