Blue Mosque is the most typical grand mosque in Istanbul. Its 260 small windows, more than 20,000 blue tiles, hundreds of carpets and many Arabian calligraphic artistic works are important viewing points.

In addition, there is a mausoleum that consists of 36 tombs of different sizes outside of the mosque. Contained within is the tomb of Sultan Ahmed I. In front of the mausoleum, there is a marble bell tower that was made in the 19th century, and a library is behind it. The famousHagia Sophia and the Hippodrome of Constantinople are nearby. You can take a tour there, too.

The Hagia Sophia is separated by a street to the Blue Mosque. It was a cathedral of the Byzantine Empire in early times. After that, it was reconstructed as a mosque when it was occupiedby the Turks, and now, it is a museum. It is a famous historic building in Turkey, and also one of its major symbols.

Topkapi Palace was always the main residence of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in the city. Now, it has been reconstructed into a museum to showcase the previous life of the palace and the amazing treasures it handed down from ancient times.

There are many historical sites in the old urban area of the Sultan Ahmed where the TopkapiPalace is located, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Istanbul Archaeological Museum, etc.

The Basilica Cistern is near the Hagia Sophia. It was built by Justinian I, Emperor of Byzantine. It was used as an underground reservoir for the imperial palace in the Byzantine and Osman periods. Nowadays, it is one of the most romantic and mysterious scenic spots in Istanbul. Because of its unique and mysterious atmosphere, Hollywood movie 007: Skyfall and Jackie Chen's The Accidental Spy were filmed here.

The Istanbul Archaeological Museum is close to the first yard of the Topkapi Palace. In the museum, you can find ancient Greek and ancient Roman sculptures, paintings and other classic ancient works excavated from the ruins of Anatolia. Wherein, large batches of sarcophaguses discovered in the royal cemetery of Phoenicia can be found.

This museum used to be the exterior garden of the imperial palace, and it was reconstructed from the foundations of the palace's buildings. Now, the museum is divided into three parts - an archaeological museum (the main building), the Museum of the Ancient East and the Tiled Kiosk. There is a unimpressive alley leading to the museum from the gate of the old imperial palace which is easy to miss if you aren't looking out for it.

The Süleymaniye Mosque is the second grand mosque in Istanbul. Its grandiose buildings are built on the complex and steep third hill. The architect used extraordinary building plans to combine the hill with the surrounding streets. It is also called "the grandest monument" of the Ottoman Empire.

Bazaar means market. In Turkish, it means "market with ceiling". The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest bazaars in the world. For several centuries, it has been the urban center of the whole of Istanbul. If you have been there, you can say you have been to Turkey.

The Grand Bazaar is close to Istanbul University and the Blue Mosque. Its entrance is very ordinary, so many tourists often miss it. However, once you enter the Grand Bazaar, you will witness another scene entirely. The Grand Bazaar is all hustle and bustle. The meaning of tourismhas exceeded that of just shopping.

Bosporus is also named the Istanbul Strait. Its north connects to the Black Sea, and its south connects to the Sea of Marmara and the Mediterranean. Bosporus divides Turkey into two parts. An Asian part and a European part. Nowadays, the 31-kilometer natural landscapes of the sea area greatly contrast with the historical sites, making it one of the most famous places for sightseeing in Turkey.

The most common way to tour Bosporus is by taking a cruise ship. When the ship sails here, the mosques and imperial palaces on both banks can be looked at far and wide. The ship will also pass through a bridge, so the tourists are able to overlook the city and closely witness the sea and sky merge into one. When the sun goes down, the sceneries of the strait are especially charming.

Dolmabahce Sarayi is located in the new urban area of Istanbul. It is also commonly known as the new palace of the Ottoman Empire. The palace is tall, large and wide, the overall building is grand. Indistinctly, the building discloses the glory and wealth of the Ottoman Empire which was glorious for a period.

If you have more time, you can go to the Crystal Palace and Hall of Clocks and Watches. Thepalace is along the strait, and has a 160-meter wharf. You can stand on the wharf to overlook the beautiful landscape on the opposite bank and take photos to mark the occasion. In addition, there is an open-air café aside the bell tower in the garden. If you are tired, you can sit down for a cup of coffee, look at the blue sky, and enjoy sea breeze.

Istiklal Caddesi is about 4km long. It is located in the new urban area of Istanbul. It is along a road that slopes down from Taksim Square to Galata Tower. The area along Istiklal Caddesi is a relatively high area in Istanbul, and is very famous among tourists.

The scenic spots of Galata Tower and the fish market, etc. are nearby Istiklal Caddesi. At the same time as window-shopping, you can taste amazing food everywhere.

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