Istanbul is beyond doubt a cosmopolitan city with a captivating mixture of Eastern and Western worlds, celebrating the best of both cultural heritages. It is a vibrant and modern city with an exclusive character; a city of contrasts, with a rich past coexisting with a young exuberance. 

Set in a dazzling location, surrounded by sea, and as Byzantium, Constantinople and at last, Istanbul, it has been throughout its history the capital of three Empires. A legacy of mosques, minarets, palaces, castles, churches and monuments was left by each of them.

REASONS TO GO

The fascinating capital city of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire, and the Ottoman Empire.

The mysterious ancient Istanbul: the Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar and all the Mosques and minarets.

The new bustling city: trendy bars, modern museums and fabulous restaurants.

ORIENTATION

The Bosphorus Strait divides the city in the European and Asian parts, connected by two wonderful bridges.

The European part is also divided in two by the Golden Horn or Hali, which separates the historic part of old Istanbul (Sultanahmet and Laleli) from the modern city. It is crossed by a number of bridges, the most famous of which is the Galata Bridge.

The main tourist attractions are in the old town and very close to each other: The Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmet Cami, Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia), Topkapı Sarayı (Palace) and the Grand Bazaar (Kapalı arşı).

On the other hand, the modern part of Istanbul has excellent restaurants, animated bars, and a cosmopolitan ambiance. The centre of this modern part of the city is Taksim Square and the surrounding streets.

BEST TIME TO GO

The best time to visit this city is between May and September, as the weather is great for open air caf�s and promenades.

HOW TO GET THERE

By Plane

The main airport is Istanbul Ataturk Airport , about 20 km from the city centre.

From the airport you can take a taxi or the express bus service called "Havas" which departs every 30 minutes to Taksim, in the city centre.

You can also take a metro + tram combination to city centre, in about 45 minutes. However you will have to walk about 10 minutes from the airport terminal to the metro line.

The second airport, Sabiha G�k�en International Airport is located in the Anatolian side of the city. Mostly charter flights and low cost carriers operate from here.

A Havas bus connects to Taksim in the city centre in about an hour. You can also take the bus E10 to Kadıkoy, getting there in 70 minutes. From there you can take a ferry to Eminonu or Karakoy.

By Train

International trains from across Europe arrive at the station in Sirkeci, close to Sultanahmet. Asian trains arrive at Haydarpasa station. To get between the two, catch a ferry across the Bosphorus.

TRAVELLING AROUND

Walking

The main tourist points of Sultanahmet, the Bazaar Quarter and BeyoÄŸlu are all very easy to visit on foot.

Metro and trams

The metro and tram systems are comfortable and efficient options to the crowded buses and busy streets. The metro runs from Taksim to Levent.

The 'light metro' connects Aksaray (west of the Grand Bazaar) to the Esenler bus terminal and on to the airport.

The city's modern tram runs from Zeytinburnu via Aksaray to Sultanahmet and terminates at Emin�n� by the Galata Bridge. This is a practical service for travellers, connecting the most important tourist points. Buy tokens from kiosks at tram stops.

Ferries and Catamarans

There are boats and ships connections between the European and Asian shores. The main services run between Emin�n�, Karak�y and Beşiktaş on the European side, and �sk�dar and Kadık�y on the Asian shore.

Ferries also depart from Emin�n� and Kabataş to the Princes' Islands.

The modern catamarans are faster but more expensive.

By taxi and Dolmus

Taxis are an easy and cheap way to get around. Before getting say to the driver that you will pay for the meter price. Always try to stop a taxi that is passing by on the road or find an official taxi stop.

Dolmus are minibuses that depart when they are full (8 persons) and stop where you ask them to. They are the cheapest form of transport.

INFO

http://www.istanbulcityguide.com