In this sprawling, continent-spanning city you can tramp the streets where crusaders and janissaries once marched; admire mosques that are the most sublime architectural expressions of Islamic piety; peer into the sultan's harem; and hunt for bargains in the Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar).

Side by side with Old İstanbul you'll find hip bars and clubs, flashy executives, malls and haute cuisine. And then there is a rich arts culture - opera, music, cinema - which nods its head to the Ottoman and Byzantine ways while taking cues from Europe. All this history, hustle and bustle coexists around the spine of the Bosphorus, a constantly busy, heaving mass, dotted with ships and ferries, which provides the link between Europe and Asia.

Whatever your interest - architecture, art, nightlife, cuisine, history, religion, shopping - İstanbul has more than enough of it, at prices which are among the lowest in Europe.

Area: 98 sq km
Population: 13 million
Country: Turkey
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +2
Telephone Area Code: 212 - European Istanbul; 216 - Asian Istanbul

Orientation

The Bosphorus, the strait flowing between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, creates a natural north-south divide in İstanbul - European İstanbul comprises the bulk of the city to the west, while Asian İstanbul is to the east. European İstanbul is itself divided by the Golden Horn (Haliç) into the old city to the south, and Beyoğlu and other modern districts to the north.

The Old City is where you'll find all the main sights, such as Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), Aya Sofya (Sancta Sophia), the Atmeydani (Hippodrome) and the old city walls. The 21st-century version of Istanbul is a short walk north across the Galata Bridge, and is exemplified by bustling Taksim Square, the eye of the city's commercial storm. The Asian part of the city has less of the sights tourists come to see.

There are clusters of budget places in the Sultanahmet district of the old city; Akbiyik Caddesi in Cankurtaran is the backpacker hub, other streets nearby are more low key. The heart of modern Istanbul, Taksim Square and Beyoglu are also good places to stay, with lots of restaurants, theatres and shops nearby. If you want to spend a bit more, head for the luxury hotels of Harbiye and along the Bosphorus. Most cafes are clustered in Beyoğlu, but many are dotted in the suburbs on both sides of the Bosphorus and in other well-heeled suburbs. Kumkapi and Çiçek Pasaji, and Nevizade Sokak in Beyoglu are home to clusters of meyhanes (taverns).

When to Go

The best times of year to visit Istanbul are from April to June and September to October, roughly the months of spring and autumn respectively. During these months, temperatures are in the consistently mild range of 16-25°C (61-77°F) and the humidity is not too bad, plus the crowds aren't as big a nuisance as in the summer months. The wintery months from November to February have the highest rainfall (80-100mm/30-40in per month), and it's when spirits are most likely to be dampened.

Events

Turkey's Holy Month, Ramazan, sees much of the city's population fasting during daylight hours, although most restaurants and cafes remain open for those choosing not to participate and for non-Muslims. The festival of Şeker Bayramı marks the end of Ramazan and is when the inhabitants of İstanbul embark on a frenzy of socialising, with an emphasis on the sweet tooth. It's one of the city's busiest times; a three-day national holiday when businesses close and public transport is heavily patronised.

An equally busy time for İstanbul is during Kurban Bayramı, Turkey's most important religious holiday. The four-day festival celebrates the almost-sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham on Mount Moriah and results in hotels being heavily booked and a dearth of space on public transport.

As the lunar Hejira year is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, Muslim events happen 11 days earlier each year.

Other special events include the İstanbul Film Festival in April, May's Conquest of Constantinople celebrations, June/July's International İstanbul Music Festival and International İstanbul Jazz Festival and September/October's International İstanbul Biennial.

30 Aug - Victory Day
19 May - Youth & Sports Day
dates vary according to the Islamic calendar - Kurban Bayramı
dates vary according to the Islamic calendar - Ramazan Bayramı
 

Attractions

Atmeydani (Hippodrome)

Back in Byzantium days, elections weren't decided by a namby-pamby voting system; more often than not, an emperor's fate hung on the outcome of a Ben Hur-style chariot race. The races were held at the Hippodrome, or Atmeydani, where the 'Greens' and 'Blues' (political parties) did battle. It wasn't unusual for an emperor to lose his throne at a post-match riot.

Ottoman sultans also kept an eye on activities in the Hippodrome. If things were going badly in the empire, a surly crowd gathering here could signal the start of a disturbance, then a riot, then a revolution. In 1909, there were riots here that caused the downfall of Abdül Hamit II and the repromulgation of the Ottoman constitution.

Though the Hippodrome might be the scene of their downfall, Byzantine emperors and Ottoman sultans outdid one another in beautifying it. Unfortunately, many priceless statues carved by ancient masters have disappeared from their original homes here. Chief among the villains responsible for such thefts were the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade, who sacked Constantinople, a Christian ally city, in 1204.

Near the northern end of the Hippodrome, the little gazebo in beautiful stonework is actually Kaiser Wilhelm's Fountain. The German emperor paid a state visit to Abdül Hamit II in 1901 and presented this fountain to the sultan and his people as a token of friendship.

The impressive granite Obelisk of Theodosius was carved in Egypt around 1450 BC. The Byzantine emperor, Theodosius, had it brought from Egypt to Constantinople in AD 390 and had it erected on a marble pedestal engraved with scenes of himself in the midst of various imperial pastimes. Though these marble billboards have weathered badly, the magnificent obelisk, spaced above the pedestal by four bronze blocks, remains crisply cut and shiny.

Aya Sofya

Aya Sofya (known as Hagia Sofia in Greek and also called the Church of the Divine Wisdom) was regarded as the greatest church in Christendom up until the fall of Constantinople, when it was put back into service as a mosque. The edifice is crammed with fine mosaics and topped by a magnificent dome.

Aya Sofya was not named after a saint; its name means holy wisdom. It is called Sancta Sophia in Latin. Emperor Justinian (r. 527-65) had the church built as yet another effort to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire. It was completed in 537.

Examining the interior of the church is more a metaphysical than a physical experience. Visitors entering through the main entrance, via the low original steps, experience both a gradual sense of being drawn upwards and a sense of gloomy darkness being dispelled by the inner light of 30 million gold tesserae (mosaic tiles).

The dome is supported by 40 massive ribs constructed of special hollow bricks made in Rhodes from a unique light, porous clay, resting on huge pillars concealed in the interior walls. It was through the Imperial Door that Mehmet the Conqueror came in 1453 to take possession for Islam of the greatest religious edifice in the world. Before he entered, historians tell us, he sprinkled earth on his head in a gesture of humility. Aya Sofya remained a mosque until 1935, when Atatürk proclaimed it a museum. It must be seen to be believed.

Blue Mosque (Mosque of Sultan Ahmet)

'Blue' because of its stunning interior decorated with İznik tiles, this mosque is one of the city's largest and busiest. Sultan Ahmet set out to build a mosque that would rival and even surpass the achievment of Justinian. He came close to his goal.

The Blue Mosque is a triumph of harmony, proportion and elegance. Its architect, Mehmet Aÿa, achieves the sort of visual experience on the exterior that Aya Sofya has on the interior.

In order to experience the Blue Mosque properly and appreciate its architectural mastery, approach the mosque from its front. The layout of the Blue Mosque is classic Ottoman design. Walk towards the mosque through the gate in the peripheral wall. Note the small dome atop the gate: this is the motif Mehmet Ağa uses to lift your eyes to heaven.

As you walk through the gate, your eyes follow a flight of stairs up to another gate topped by another dome; through this gate is yet another dome, that of the ablutions fountain in the centre of the mosque courtyard. As you ascend the stairs, semidomes come into view: first the one over the mosque's main door, then the one above it, and another, and another.

Finally the main dome crowns the whole, and your attention is drawn to the sides, where forests of smaller domes reinforce the effect, completed by the minarets, which lift your eyes heavenward.

Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar)

Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar) has been a shopper's Mecca since just after the mid-15th century, when the smallish warehouse was turned into a teeming bazaar by a constant stream of traders, selling everything from carpets to cummin. These days it's the most fantastic, monstrous, labyrinthine and totally manic shopping bazaar you could hope to experience.

Tourist shops selling glittery geegaws line the main streets, but delve into the back streets and you'll still find Istanbullus buying a few metres of cloth, a gold bangle for a daughter's birthday, a beautifully crafted gold-plated 'eye' to ward off evil or an antique carpet.

The confusing labyrinth of streets was originally named after the goods sold there (Mirror-makers St, Pearl Merchants St, Fez Makers St and so on), and although that's not necessarily the case today, it is still possible to buy precious gems, old coins and intricately crafted jewellery in Jewellers St.

The Grand Bazaar is also renowned for offering basement-bargain deals on fur and leather goods, kilim products and a range of handcrafted goodies. Just remember to keep your wits about you.

Topkapı Palace

It's so huge, Topkapı Palace will take more than half a day to explore. If you start early you can avoid the worst of the crowds. The must-see parts are the Imperial Council Chamber, the Imperial Treasury, the Sacred Safekeeping Rooms, Baghdad Kiosk, the Tower of Justice and the Harem. It'll keep you busy.

Mehmet the Conqueror built the first Topkapı Palace shortly after the Conquest in 1453, and lived here until his death in 1481. Sultan after sultan played out the drama of the Ottoman sovereign here until the 19th century. Mahmut II was the last emperor to occupy the palace. After him, the sultans preferred to live in grand and ostentatious European-style palaces such as Dolmabahçe, Çırağan and Yıldız, which they built on the shores of the Bosphorus.

Topkapı grew and changed with the centuries, but its basic four-courtyard plan remained the same. Hit the Topkapı early and get in to tour the Harem first, before it becomes impossible.

Buy your tickets to the Palace and the Treasury at the main ticket office just outside the gate to the second court. Tickets to the Harem are available at the ticket box outside the Harem itself. Guides to the palace congregate next to the main ticket office

Off the Beaten Track

Mevlevi Monastery

The Mevlevi Monastery was once home base for a tarikat (order) of whirling dervishes. It now contains the Divan Edebiyatı Müzesi (Museum of Court Literature), originally a Mevlevihanesi (whirling dervish hall) and a meeting place for Mevlevi dervishes.

The Mevlevi order was founded in Konya during the 13th century, taking its name from the great Sufi mystic and poet, Celaleddin Rumi (1207-73), called Mevlana (Our Leader) by his disciples. Sufis seek mystical communion with God through various means. For Mevlana, it was through a sema (ceremony) involving chants, prayers, music and a whirling dance.

The order flourished throughout the Ottoman Empire, but dervish orders were banned in the early days of the republic because of their ultraconservative religious politics. Although the ban has been lifted, only a handful of functioning tekkesi (dervish lodges) remain in İstanbul, including this one.

These days, this former monastery is a slightly rundown compound with overgrown gardens and shady nooks. As you approach the tekke, notice the graveyard on the left and its stones with graceful Ottoman inscriptions. The tomb of Galip Dede, the 17th-century Sufi poet who has given his name to the street, is here.

Inside the modest tekke (lodge), which was restored between 1967 and 1972 (the first building here was erected by a high officer in the court of Sultan Beyazıt II in 1491), the central area was for the whirling sema, while the galleries above were for visitors. Separate areas were set aside for the orchestra and for female visitors (behind the lattices). These days, the upstairs is only for the musicians who play during the ceremony. In the display cases surrounding the central area there are exhibits of Mevlevi calligraphy, writing and musical instruments.

Yedikule (Fortress of the Seven Towers)

Yedikule began life as a triumphal arch in the late 4th century, but was then incorporated into the more ambitious plans of Theodosius, who built great land walls around the city and added four towers to the structure. The other three walls were built inside the wall by his successor, Mehmet the Conqueror.

The towers were multifunctional; not only did they help protect the city from attack but were also used as a treasury, a prison and a place of execution. Quite often they were used to accommodate hapless ambassadors from other non-favoured countries. The best view of the city walls and fortress is from the Tower of Sultan Ahmet III, and in some places it's even possible to walk along the land walls.

Yedikule is quite a few miles away from the other city sights and involves a special trip via train from Sirkeci. It's best to go with a group of other travellers as the district often attracts a less-than-salubrious crowd.

Yerebatan Sarnıçı (Sunken Cistern)

Yerebatan Sarnıçı, with its 336 columns and a high, vaulted ceiling, is an incredible Byzantine relic that was primarily used to store the city's water. Children in particular are fascinated by its eerie darkness and the ghostly echo of drops falling from the vaulted ceilings.

Built in AD 532, it is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul. It was constructed by Justinian, who was incapable of thinking in small terms. Columns, capitals and plinths from ruined buildings were used in its construction. Two columns in the northwestern corner are supported by two blocks carved into Medusa heads.

Çemberlitaş Hamamı

The strange building with a row of streetfront shops is Çemberlitaş Hamamı, one of the city's oldest hamams, located just off Divan Yolu near the Kapalı Çarşı. This is perhaps the best place for your first Turkish bath experience, and thoroughly reputable.

It's a double hamam (twin baths for men and women) designed by Sinan for Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Sultan Selim II, in 1584. You can choose between the 'attendant scrub and massage' or the 'no thanks, I'll do it myself' options. It's well worth it after a day of haggling and bargain hunting.

History

Prompted by the oracle at Delphi, a man named Byzas established a town on the site of present-day İstanbul around 657 BC. Although conquered by Alexander the Great and eventually subsumed by the Roman Empire, Byzantium fared pretty well until it annoyed a Roman emperor by backing his rival in a civil war, and it was subsequently destroyed. A new city was erected in 330 AD, at first called New Rome but quickly rechristened Constantinople in deference to the new Roman emperor.

Constantinople was regarded as the capital of the Eurasian world, thanks in large part to its magnificent architecture - many of the Christian churches and palaces, as well as the impressive Hippodrome, are still visible today. Embellishments to the city continued as the Eastern Roman Empire grew in strength, reaching its peak in the time of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. Over the next few centuries the city weathered attacks by the armies of the Islamic and Bulgarian empires, but the crusaders finally sacked it in 1204. The city was reclaimed by a rejuvenated Byzantine Empire 50 years later.

The fall of Constantinople occurred in 1453 when the Ottoman army of Sultan Mehmet II took the city. It was under the Ottomans that a classic mosque design was established and many other great buildings constructed in the city, which was soon renamed İstanbul. The Ottoman Empire overextended itself militarily in the 18th century and went into a decline, accentuated by the fact that it was well behind Europe in the areas of science, politics and commerce. This led to modernisation attempts and in-fighting, including the eventual slaughter in İstanbul of the janissaries, the sultan's bodyguards and a prominent symbol of the old regimes.

Ethnic nationalism ultimately splintered the Ottoman Empire. Greece asserted itself in 1832, with Bulgaria, Romania, Albania and the Arabs primed to follow suit. Meanwhile, other European powers were getting ready to squabble over the geographical pickings. Russia tried to pressure the Ottomans for control of the faltering empire's subjects, but the unfortunate result was the Crimean War, fought in 1853-56 with British and French support for the Turks against encroaching Russian power.

The turn of the 20th century was greeted with more nationalist uprisings in Macedonia, Crete and Armenia, and Turkish stability hit a new low after the country opted to side with Germany during WWI - the result was the British occupation of İstanbul. The Turkish War of Independence, during which revitalised nationalist forces fought off invaders from Greece, France and Italy, finally led to the birth of the Turkish republic in 1923.

The seat of the new nation was established in Ankara, and İstanbul, no longer regarded as a political or cultural powerhouse, was relegated to a back-seat role in terms of its prominence as a city. All that changed during the 1980s and 90s, however, when Turkey experienced an economic and tourism boom, and İstanbul is now re-staking its claim as the 'capital' of the eastern Mediterranean.

Unfortunately the shine came off its tourist-friendly reputation when, on 17 August 1999, an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale devastated an area 90km (56mi) east of the city. A boom in prosperity conversely contributed to the disaster; jerry-built structures, erected ad-hoc in an attempt to cash in on the economic windfall, folded like matchstick models and fatalities numbered in the tens of thousands. It was enough to put a severe kink in İstanbul's tourist industry, although numbers are now beginning to rise to pre-earthquake levels.

Getting There & Away

İstanbul's Atatürk Airport is Turkey's largest and busiest. Any number of popular regular services from the Middle East, the USA, Australia and Europe land here. Although the city's major airline, İstanbul Airlines, went bust, the main domestic carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), has regular flights to major European and Asian cities. In 2001 another airport, Sabiha Gokçen International Airport, opened at Kurtköy on the Asian side of the city, though most flights still arrive and depart from Atatürk. The price of your air ticket will usually cover the airport departure tax.

Atatürk Airport is 23km (14mi) west of Sultanahmet. A taxi into the city centre is the quickest option; it takes around half an hour. A cheaper option is to band together with a few other thrifty travellers (make sure the meter's on) to get you to Yesilkoy banliyo tren istasyonu, the railway station in the neighbouring town of Yesilkoy. From there get a rattling battered old train to Sirkeci station in the city. Another cheap option is to take an airport bus, which costs around 2.00 and takes 35-60 minutes to get to Taksim Square. If you are heading for Sultanahmet, get out at the Yenikapi stop beneath the underpass.

A number of local bus companies service other European destinations, but these services are slower and often more expensive than the equivalent flights. Within Turkey, bus is the most widespread and popular way of getting around; they go literally everywhere, all the time. The main bus station, the otogar, is a town in itself, with 168 ticket offices, restaurants, mosques and shops. Buses leave here for domestic and international routes. There's also a bus station on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus at Harem. Train is the least preferred option for international visitors travelling to Turkey, as the services are generally slower and quite expensive for what you get. The main station is Sirkeci, and there's also Haydarpasa station on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus.

Driving through Turkey isn't recommended - the traffic is horrendous. However, if you're game to get behind the wheel, you can bring a car over on a ferry from Italy or Greece; however, you'll find yourself docking in Izmir or Cesme rather than İstanbul. Car and passenger ferries operate fairly regularly around the Turkish coastline - book your trip well in advance, as they're popular.

Getting Around

İstanbul has a decent dirt-cheap public transport network, which you'll appreciate once you get the hang of pre-buying tickets (try an Akbil pass instead, if you're in town for a few weeks), jumping on half-moving vehicles and avoiding armpits in tram jams. And if it all gets too much, a mad taxi driver is always ready to race you to your destination - and you won't pay too much for the thrill, either. But all public transport slows to a crawl around peak hours; this is the time to take to your feet. Walking is the best way to see İstanbul - though the ferries rate a close second.

The main bus station, the International İstanbul Bus Station, or more simply, the otogar, is 10km (6mi) west of Sultanahmet at Esenler. Both city and private buses run services in İstanbul. The suburban trains are a bit decrepit but reliable and inexpensive, runnning from Sirkeci station. İstanbul's metro is under construction, though some lines are already in service; it's inexpensive, with frequent services. There are several tramlines to choose from if you want a ride with a view. Istanbul has a large fleet of yellow taxis, but a cheaper way of getting around the streets is to hire a dolmus, a shared taxi or minibus. It's an easy matter to rent a car; it's navigating the thing through the insane traffic that might prove to be difficult. Save it for excursions out of town. Ferries and catamarans can take you along the Golden Horn or up the Bosphorus - an hour-long ferry ride is cheap and fun.