Are you visiting Istanbul and don't know where to start? In this article, we present to you the 3 things to do in Istanbul.
Contrary to what many people think, Istanbul is not the capital of Turkey, this title belongs to Ankara.
In fact, Istanbul is the cultural, financial and historical center of Turkey, which has millions of inhabitants.
If you want the chance to experience a bit of Europe and Asia at the same time, Istanbul is the perfect place for you.
Due to its location between East and West, Istanbul is one of the richest cities in terms of culture.
And if you want to spend less money, Istanbul is also one of the cheapest tourist destinations in Europe.
If you want to discover this place rich in history and culture, we will help you develop your itinerary.
To do this, we present in this article 3 things to do in Istanbul.
1. Hagia Sophia
To begin with, the Hagia Sophia is one of Turkey's main tourist attractions.
Located on the Sultanahmet Square, this beautiful church was converted into a mosque and today functions as a museum.
And if you want to discover an ancient site, the Hagia Sophia was built in the year 537 by Emperor Justinian.
Moreover, it is one of the great symbols of Byzantine architecture.
You can visit it every day of the week, except Mondays when the museum is closed.
The entrance ticket costs 15 euros.
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2. Blue Mosque
Then we recommend you to visit the Blue Mosque.
There sultanahmet mosque, better known as blue mosque, is the symbol of the greatness of Islamic Turkey.
If you're wondering why the name 'blue', the answer lies in the more than 20,000 blue tiles that line the vaulted ceiling.
However, if you are going to visit the Blue Mosque, it is important to remember that it is not a museum, but a temple of worship.
Therefore, women must cover their hair with a headscarf and cannot wear short skirts or short shorts.
And men can't wear shorts either.
Another tip we can give you is that in front of the mosque there is a wonderful garden.
3. Grand Bazaar
So this is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world.
THE Grand Bazaar Istanbul dates from 1455, the period of Sultan Mehmet II, just after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
In the Grand Bazaar you will find 58 streets, 18 gates and 4000 shops.
In addition to the different types of stores, there are workers who speak all languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, etc.
This means that you will have no problem communicating inside.
Besides, you won't have any trouble finding yourself either, because the Grand Bazaar is well organized.
In fact, it is organized by districts, each grouping together a certain type of craft: jewellery, carpets, textiles, mosaics, silverware...
Finally, these are 3 things to do in Istanbul that you can't miss!
