The city where East meets West

Located along the Bosphorus strait, Istanbul is the only city in the world that sits astride two continents – Europe and Asia.

Boasting the history of three influential ruling empires, the city is silhouetted by the sight of domes and minarets to modern architecture.

Istanbul has actually been on the tourist map for years. It was on the hippy trail in the 70s and today receives almost 7 million visitors a year.

“Istanbul has always been our key tourist city,” said Nihan Bekar, expert for the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. “For centuries it has been one of the most multicultural cities in Europe, where more than a dozen languages are spoken on its streets, from Italian and Persian, to Greek and Arabic.

“The fact that Istanbul is located on two continents makes it interesting. A visitor can be in Europe, then jump on the boat and be in Asia within half-an-hour. We say it is a bridge between the east and the west and a cradle of the civilisations. It is a meeting point of faiths.”

With a population of 13 million, the city is home to three universal empires – the Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman.

“Istanbul holds treasures dating back to these civilisations, such as the Hagia Sophia from Roman times, the Topkapi Palace of the Ottoman Empire and the Basilica Cistern from the Byzantine era,” said Bekar.

The Hagia Sophia Museum is breath-taking. It was used as a church for 916 years and as a mosque for 481 but, today, the masterpiece belongs to the history of architecture and has been a museum since 1935. Visitors are spellbound by its architecture, which includes its stunning mosaics. The figured mosaics above the Emperor’s Gate, by the exit door, date back to the 9th and 12th Centuries.

The Basilica Cistern is the largest of the cisterns in the city. Its entrance is in a small building to the west of the Hagia Sophia. It was built during the reign of Justinanus the First (527-565) and used to provide water to the palaces located in the area. It has 336 pillars in 12 rows of 28 pillars.

The elaborately designed Topkapi Palace dates back to 1459 and had been the seat of the Government for the Ottoman Empire that ruled three continents for centuries. It was the luxurious home to the sultans and their families. The palace turned into a museum in 1924 and, today, holds a vast and rich collection of Ottoman artefacts, including jewelled weapons, miniatures and manuscripts, as well as a collection of sultan’s clothes.

Another of the city’s top draws is the Blue Mosque. It is one of the most famous monuments of the Turkish and Islamic world and the only mosque built with six minarets. It is actually called the I.Sultan Ahmet Mosque, but it is known as the ‘Blue Mosque’ for its blue glazed tiles that decorate the interior.

“Istanbul really is a culture vulture’s delight,” said Bekar. “But away from the monuments there are plenty of other things to see and do. A traditional Turkish spa treatment is a must. A hamam is all about cleansing the body and soul; it’s a wonderful experience. There are traditional hamams dotted all over the city. You will also find modern spa facilities in the five-star hotels and most boutique hotels.

“Another attraction is taking a ferry over the Bosphorus from Europe to Asia or visa-versa. While doing this, you can enjoy a cup of Turkish tea as the sights pass by.”

If you’re looking to do a spot of shopping, the city has modern shopping centres but for something more authentic make sure you visit the Grand Bazaar, where you can haggle on a price for a Turkish carpet or traditional handicrafts.

“The Grand Bazaar is a traditional shopping mall with 500 years of history,” said Bekar.  “We say it is the grandmother of all the shopping malls. You can find all different types of Turkish handicrafts, such as the famous glazed tiles and pottery, works of art, jewellery, and famous Turkish carpets here.”

He added: “Make sure you don’t get lost, there are over 58 streets and 4,000 shops and restaurants.”

The Grand Bazaar is on the UNESCO world heritage site list, as is the Spice Market.

Food is an important part of life for the Turkish and it’s not all about kebabs.

Bekar explained: “We have different types of climates in Turkey, so there are lots of different cuisines in the country. For instance, in the Black Sea region you will find fish and vegetable dishes, while on the Turquoise Coast there are olive oil, vegetable dishes, and soups.

“Istanbul caters to these areas, as well as specialist restaurants that can serve dishes from Ottoman recipes. And, of course we have international restaurants.

“Walk through the backstreets and you will come across narrow little streets with lively open air restaurants.

“Remember to try our pastries too, such as the baklava, and a cup of Turkish coffee or tea. The whole of Turkey has a great café culture. The locals like to relax with friends and play chess or draughts while sipping coffee or tea.”

More famous for its historical sites and carpets, visitors to Istanbul might expect the city to be dull once the sun goes down. However, it actually has one of the liveliest nightlife scenes in the eastern Mediterranean, offering something for everyone from thumping nightclubs and Western bars to cool lounge bars and local meyhanes, which serve alcohol (try a glass of the raki – it can be quite potent). And you will be sure to find somewhere with a good belly dance show.

Due to its history and location, Istanbul has always received a large number of visitors – both tourists and business travellers.

“We received 6.9 million tourists to Istanbul in 2010,” said Bekar. “Our top market is from Germany, followed by Russia, the UK, and France. But we also receive a lot of Gulf visitors, especially from Iran – 1.8 million Iranians visited in 2010. Many of these were for leisure as opposed to business. We have also seen a large increase in visitors from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the UAE. For example, between 2009 and 2010, the number of tourists from Syria increased from 390,000 to 748,000.”

The city has a variety of hotels from five-star to boutiques, with many of the boutique hotels in the old city offering fabulous panoramic views. There are plans to build more.

“Istanbul has 338 hotels,” said Bekar. “We currently have a lot of hotel chains investing here. In May, the Edition Hotel opened. It has the famous restaurant Cipriani and the exclusive Gold Bar. This hotel attracts a lot of business travellers as well as those coming for a special occasion. The Hilton Group is also planning to open 40 properties in Turkey, including Istanbul, in the next five years.”

Istanbul is ranked as the 15^th city in Europe for international meetings , incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE). 

Bekar said: “We have Congress Valley, which combines three convention centres, hotels and shopping centres, as well as other convention centres. The city is easy to get to for business travellers. We have two airports and each receives a lot of flights. The Middle Eastern carriers all have direct flights into Istanbul. It is also easy for Europeans and Americans to travel here.”

Turkey’s capital, Ankara, is a business hub but Istanbul is the MICE destination of choice.

“Ankara is where the republic was established. It’s an interesting city and cultural with some wonderful museums. It is for the business traveller and I think it will grow in terms of MICE tourism. New convention centres are being built there and tourist figures are getting higher,” said Bekar.

Turkey has been enjoying an outstanding reputation as the most favourite travel destination of many people in the world during the last year. Surrounded by water on three sides – the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Aegean Sea – and protected by mountains along its eastern border, it all adds to its diversity and offers travellers’ choices.

“The population of Turkey is 73 million. It’s a big country and it’s the 15^th biggest economy in the world, with 10,000 years of history,” said Bekar. “It’s an economically growing country in the region and tourism is an important sector in Turkey; a resilient sector.

“Despite the universal economic crises our tourism figures keep rising. In 2009 Turkey welcomed 27 million visitors and in 2010 it was 28 million. We are Balkans, we are Asian, we are European and we are Mediterranean. Our neighbours are Middle Eastern countries, so Turkey is special in the region. I think our international visitor numbers demonstrate our diversity.

“Of course, the coastal towns are extremely popular in the summer months but Istanbul is all-year-round, even though it can get quite cold during winter.”

Istanbul has a good rail link to the whole of the country, as well as European destinations. The city also connects with the Orient Express to other European destinations, including Bucharest, Rome, Paris and London.

“In 2010 the New York Times ran a poll for its readers to name their favourite travel destination and Istanbul was top. This is not the first time Istanbul has come up trumps as a top travel destination. There is so much to see and do in Istanbul that it is like a country in itself,” said Bekar.