Sightseeing

Troy

Istanbul · Turkey

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.

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Istanbul · Turkey

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Sightseeing

Ephesus

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.

Istanbul · Turkey

Transport

Istanbul Airport (IST)

Istanbul Airport is one of the world's largest and most ambitious aviation projects, opened in 2018 to replace the former Atatürk Airport and designed with a capacity to ultimately handle 200 million passengers per year. Located on the European side of Istanbul in Arnavutköy, 35 km northwest of the city center, the airport's single mega-terminal — with its distinctive wave-shaped roofline — already serves as the hub for Turkish Airlines, the world's airline with the most international destinations. Connections to central Istanbul are provided by the M11 metro line (45 minutes to Gayrettepe), the Havaist bus service, and taxi and rideshare options.

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

Food

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) in Istanbul is one of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, a labyrinthine complex of over 4,000 shops in 60 interconnected streets established by Sultan Mehmed II after his conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Gold jewelry, carpets, spices, ceramics, and leather goods fill its vaulted chambers under ornate Ottoman arches. Navigating its maze of lanes without getting lost — or without buying something — is nearly impossible.

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

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

Date pending official confirmation