Sightseeing

Ephesus

Istanbul · Turkey

Ephesus was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world, a thriving Greek and Roman metropolis whose remarkably preserved ruins on Turkey's Aegean coast include the Library of Celsus, the Grand Theatre (seating 25,000), marble-paved colonnaded streets, and the House of the Virgin Mary. Once home to 250,000 people, it was the commercial and administrative capital of Roman Asia and a major early Christian center. The nearby Ephesus Museum in Selçuk houses spectacular finds from the site.

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Istanbul · Turkey

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Sightseeing

Pamukkale

Pamukkale (Cotton Castle) is a surreal natural wonder in southwestern Turkey where mineral-rich thermal waters cascade down terraced white travertine pools, creating a landscape of frozen white waterfalls. The UNESCO-listed site also encompasses ancient Hierapolis, a Greco-Roman spa city whose ruins include a spectacular necropolis, theatre, and the sacred thermal pool of Cleopatra. The glowing white terraces are one of Turkey's most iconic and otherworldly landscapes.

Istanbul · Turkey

Sightseeing

Troy

Troy is a historic site , offering a fascinating glimpse into the region's rich past. The historical architecture and cultural significance of this landmark provide visitors with a tangible connection to the long history of human settlement and cultural development in this area.

Istanbul · Turkey

Lodging

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet

The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet is one of the most extraordinarily positioned hotels in the world, housed inside a restored neoclassical prison building from 1917 directly adjacent to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia in the heart of Old Istanbul. The building's imposing facade and distinctive central atrium have been transformed into 65 rooms and suites, many of which look directly onto the minarets of the Blue Mosque at dawn — a view of unparalleled historical and architectural power. The hotel's terrace restaurant is among the finest breakfast settings in the city, and the proximity to Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and the Basilica Cistern makes this the most historically immersive luxury hotel address in Istanbul.

Istanbul · Turkey

Sightseeing

Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)

The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is Istanbul's most iconic religious landmark, a masterpiece of Ottoman imperial architecture completed in 1616. Its six minarets and cascade of domes dominate the skyline of the old city, while the interior is lined with over 20,000 hand-painted İznik tiles in blue and white that give the mosque its nickname. Unlike most mosques, it remains open to respectful visitors between prayer times.

Istanbul · Turkey

Food

Çiya Sofrası Istanbul

Çiya Sofrası is one of Istanbul's most important and beloved restaurants, operating in the Kadıköy market district on the Asian side of the Bosphorus under chef Musa Dağdeviren, who has devoted his career to preserving and reviving the dying culinary traditions of Anatolia. The restaurant functions simultaneously as a research institution and a lunch counter, serving a rotating menu of regional Turkish dishes drawn from a personal archive of thousands of recipes collected from villages across Turkey. Dishes from southeastern Anatolia, the Black Sea coast, and nomadic traditions sit alongside more familiar Istanbul staples, creating a daily menu of extraordinary depth and cultural significance.

Istanbul · Turkey

Sightseeing

Grand Bazaar Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar Istanbul is the world-famous historic market at the heart of the old city, established in 1461 and now housing over 4,000 shops trading in gold, spices, silk, carpets, and ceramics. Its 30,000 daily visitors make it one of the world's most visited tourist attractions. The warren of vaulted streets, hans (caravanserais), and mosques within the bazaar constitute a complete Ottoman commercial world frozen in time.

Istanbul · Turkey

Discover places worth the detour

Destination

Turkey

Travel guides

Turkey Travel Guide: Ancient Wonders & Modern Charm

7 days

Events

Ramadan Iftar Season

Turkey’s Ramadan Iftar Season centers on iftar, the evening meal that ends the daily Ramadan fast at sunset and the Maghrib call to prayer. Ramadan is a month o

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Events

Istanbul Tulip Festival

The Istanbul Tulip Festival brings a vivid welcome to spring each April, when parks, gardens, and public spaces across the city are planted with tulips. The flo

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