The FINANCIAL — Istanbul historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople, is the largest city in Turkey and 5th largest city proper in the world with a population of 13 million.
Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. Istanbul is located in north-western Turkey within the Marmara Region. The Bosphorus, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea, divides the city into a European side, comprising the historic and economic centers, and an Asian, Anatolian side.
Modern Istanbul is full of high class hotels, inviting guests from different parts of the world. Istanbul aims to become famous for its Shopping Fest which will be held from March 18 to April 26.
In modern times Istanbul is very famous for its shopping centres of world standard, modern districts with their shops covering many special brands and authentic passages. Istanbul addresses all the demands of both its residents and visitors with its reasonable prices and special stores. Some of the most important shopping points in Istanbul are: The Chirpy Grand Bazaar, Eğin Textile, Dervish, Muhlis Günbatı, Adıyaman Bazaar, Gülipek, “Yazmacı” the favourite place of Dolce & Gabbana and Rei Kawabuko, Beyoğlu, Nişantaşı’, and the peak of elegance of the Anatolian side: Bağdat Street. Most of the tourists from different parts of the world choose Istanbul as one of the best shopping places and that’s why you can always see foreigners in the city’s famous shopping centres and high streets.
“I think one of the best places in the world for shopping is Istanbul. In this city you have a variety of choice while shopping and people can find very luxurious brands as well as slightly cheaper brands. Foreigners mostly like the prices in Istanbul. You can buy very high quality products at affordable prices,” said Mária Varga 30, from Hungary.
“Istanbul is about sun, delicious food and shopping,” said Temur, 35, from Georgia.
“Istanbul is one of the best places for shopping. If you visit Istanbul, together with enjoying the sights and famous historic places of Istanbul, you can easily buy the world’s best brands in this city. I think Istanbul is one of the cheapest shopping destinations, with a wide range of shopping malls and the world famous Grand Bazaar,” said Svetlana Lantsova, 40, from Russia.
Istanbul is famous for its traffic jams. However while sitting and waiting, you can enjoy some interaction with the local people selling Turkish delight among the traffic.
In the narrow streets of Istanbul you will undoubtedly notice beautiful handmade rugs. “Turkey possesses a constantly rising market share in mechanical rug making, but no country can compete with Turkey when it comes to handmade rugs,” local newspaper Turkish Perspective notes.
“The export volume of rugs is expected to reach 1.6 billion USD with an amazing rise of 20 percent,” said Ibrahim Yilmaz, President of the Istanbul Rug Exporters’ Association.
Istanbul is famous for its tramway system. You can find in some of the districts of Istanbul both old and modern tram styles. The modern tram in Istanbul is a modern tramway system on the European side of Istanbul, opened in 1990. Currently it has two lines, one (T1) by low floor trams in the old centre and the other (T2) in a more outer area of Istanbul.
Istanbul covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. Istanbul is a designated alpha world city.
Turkish cuisine maintains a place of great importance among the cuisines of the world. Indeed, the fame of Turkish dishes, whose flavours are unparalleled, is known throughout the world.
Eating fish on the Bosphorus is superb. The Bosphorus is a particular fishing ground in Turkey, where many different species of fish with significantly different flavours are caught. The exquisite flavour of kebabs is widespread in Istanbul as well. If tourists visiting Istanbul want to taste different countries’ cuisine, they have a variety of choice from Italian cuisine to Japanese.
After enjoying a tour of the city’s beauty and cultural richness Istanbul’s animated nightlife offers thousands of options. Istanbul is a city of constant movement, twenty-four hours a day.
For those who want to spend a romantic or exciting night overlooking the Bosphorus, they may visit world-famous bars and nightclubs located along the seashore in the neighbourhoods of Kuruçeşme and Bebek. If you would like to sing Turkish songs and dance along to live music until the morning’s light then Etiler is the best place for that.
There are four major sections of the city of touristic interest: Old Town: Mostly the region around Sultanahmet, Beyoglu, (Pera District), Bosphorus, and the Prince’s Islands. If you decide to visit Istanbul you should definitely see: Aya Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, the museums of Turkish Islamic art, underground cistern – Yerebatan Sarayi, Topkapi Palace, Suleymaniye Camii, Archaeological Museum, Dolmanahce Palace, the Grand Bazaar, Beylerbeyi Palace, Chora Church, Rustem Pasa Mosque, the spice market, and Rumeli Fortress.
Discussion about this post