The Turkish tourism industry is set to boom in the 2010 summer season as Istanbul one of the most popular cities in the country has been declared as the Cultural capital of Europe.
Istanbul is a city that set its self apart from the rest of the country with its people, culture and immense history which can be seen literally throughout the whole city.
The world’s only city to be divided by two continents promises great memories and experiences that will make everyone fall in love with it.
From the Blue mosque to Taksim Square, from Dolma Bahce Palace to Ortakoy, the city is lost in a time frame where you can change the year with only a ten minute Taksi drive.
Istanbul was also very popular amongst tourist in the 2009 season despite of the economic crisis with most tourists arriving from Germany, Russia, Iran, UK and Italy which was announced by the country’s foreign administrators office.
Due to cheap prices and quality services Istanbul still remains a popular destination which can be seen clearly on the streets of the beautiful city.
There are endless activities eager tourists can do but bellow we wrote our top 10 destinations that will make everyone of all tastes happy.
10 things to do in Istanbul in 2010
1. Shisha or Hookah (Native – Nargile)
Smoking a shisha which can be found on almost all main streets in the city, you can calmly smoke virtually any flavour you like and even mix and match while you watch the city go by for a few hours. With the famous Turkish Tea beside it you are guaranteed to have a beautiful experience. Taksim has some of the best Shisha locations with a diverse range of flavours.
The Istanbul night life is a great and colourful arena where people from all sorts of beliefs and cultures can be found. Some of the cities and country’s best clubs lie along the Bosphorus river in the Ortakoy region but I must warn that they are not very pocket friendly. Another great area for night life is Taksim where you can find the 360 bar, restaurant and club which overseas the city while you dance away to popular music. However If you are looking for a nice drink, Taksim’s back streets are ideal as a network of streets all filled with people trying to have a nice time.
3. Boat Trips
Boat trips are somewhat popular in Istanbul with some of the cities greatest landmarks lying right on the foot of the great Bosphorus river. There are many locations that one can find boat trips from along the long river that divides Europe from Asia. The trips change in time frame from location to location but generally the trip takes from one hour to two hours going up and down the river looking at the historic landmarks up close from both sides. You can find a boat trip tour of the Bosphorus in the Ortakoy region for a bargain of 10TL which will last for one hour.
The city has some of the largest and top quality shopping mauls in Europe where you can find almost any brand you like from cloths to furniture. The Istinye park and Cevahir shopping mauls are two of the latest and largest in Turkey with Cevahir even having a funfair that contains a roller-coaster. However if you are the type that is shopping for more cultural items or cloths the best place to go to is The Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar contains over 4,000 shops within a network of streets where you can find virtually anything you are looking for, from cloths to jewellery, from antiques to rugs.
5. Bosphorus Castle
The Bosphorus Castle which was erected in 1452 as a strategy by the Ottomans to stop ships going across. It is now a museum and an area were concerts are regularly held in the summer months. The castle is still intact with cannons that were used centres ago and has an astonishing view once you go up the network of stairs to high points.
6. The Blue Mosque
One of the countries and the worlds best designed mosque only the mosque in Mecca can compete with its six minarets. The beutiful experience continues inside the mosque which has tens of thousands of tiles along the walls.
7. Princes’ Islands
If you are looking for a nice beach then go to the cities famous Princes Islands with a ferry where you can find ideal sandy beaches, beautiful picnic spots and bike hires where you can travel the beautiful island with no cars.
The Baths which are divided into male and female sections guarantees relaxation and harmony. The marble interior design with beautiful light colours that takes away all the stress of day or even the month. You will feel as you were born again once you leave the warm Bath after being exfoliated, massaged, rinsed and steamed. Some of the best Turkish Baths in the city are located in the Sultanahmet region where you can experience a great authentic experience.
9. Hagia Sophia Museum
The Hagia Sophia was originally a Byzantine church which was converted into a mosque in the Ottoman era. However it was turned into a Museum in 1935 due to it’s architectural wonder and ancient artefacts the former church and mosque was seen as one of the finest Byzantine architectures and to have changed the history of architecture.
Food is something that Turkish people love and they commemorate this love by a diverse range of beautiful food that will get all taste-buds bursting. If you are travelling with a tight budget then by all means travel the streets of Istanbul where you can find the best kebabs, Lahmacun’s and some decent home made food. However if you are the type that likes the extravagant atmosphere then by all means you can find some of the best restaurants in the Etiler area.
