Visit the Sultanahmet district of the Old City to find many of Istanbul’s star attractions. Occupying the tip of the historical peninsula on the border of Asia and Europe, this district was formerly the strategic capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.
Sultanahmet is still a strategic spot to base yourself today. Just to the northwest, on the tip of the historical peninsula, is central Istanbul’s main railway station by the Golden Horn and there are ferries everywhere.
This always lively neighbourhood is also packed with UNESCO-protected historical sites. Start your self-guided tour at the Alman Çesmesi (German Fountain) in Sultanahmet Square. Standing at the spot of the ancient Hippodrome of Constantinople, gaze up at the tall spiral column that was brought in from Delphi in Greece. Don’t miss the famous Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) and the Binbirdirek Cistern, home to the 1001 Cistern Museum. Before leaving the square, surround yourself with the aromas and colors of the small Arasta Bazaar and browse its Great Palace Mosaic Museum.
When you need an energy boost, order a strong coffee with sweet treats or a meze lunch in one of the charming cafés and restaurants of the touristy Sultanahmet neighborhood.
Stroll to Istanbul’s famous Hagia Sophia, a former Byzantine church and Ottoman-era mosque that is now a museum. As you venture inside, one of Istanbul’s most wonderful structures is located right under your feet: the museum’s subterranean Basilica Cistern. The reservoir used to supply the water for the nearby Topkapı Palace.
After visiting Hagia Sophia, enjoy the fresh air in Gülhane Park on the grounds of the famous Topkapı Palace.
To submerge yourself in the Turkish lifestyle, visit a local hammam(traditional bath house) for a scrub and massage. At sunset, do as the locals do and order fresh or fried seafood on the Galata Bridge. Look west towardsEuropeand east across theBosphorustowardsAsia as the skies change color.
When you stroll back to your hotel after dark, you will be treated to the unforgettable view of ancient palace roofs, synagogue domes, mosque minarets and church towers illuminated by colorful spotlights. This panorama is a stunning reflection of Sultanahmet’s diverse history and promising future.
