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Straddling two continents and layered with millennia of history, Istanbul is unlike any other city. Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques and hidden cisterns sit beside Karaköy's art galleries, Beyoğlu's nightlife and Kadıköy's bohemian streets.
4 places
Museums★Hagia Sophia
Sultanahmet, Fatih
Built in 537 as the crown of Byzantium, converted into a mosque under the Ottomans, then a museum, and a mosque again in 2020 — perhaps the most layered building on earth.
ShoppingGrand Bazaar
Beyazıt, Fatih
Open since 1461 and home to over 4,000 shops across 60+ covered streets — the original shopping mall.
Food & DrinkKarakoy Lokantasi
Karaköy, Beyoğlu
A modern Istanbul classic on the Karaköy waterfront, serving refined versions of Ottoman home cooking.
AttractionsGalata Tower
Galata, Beyoğlu
Built by the Genoese in 1348, this 67-metre tower offers the most famous 360° view of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.