Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, and the only city in the world that sits on two continents, Asia and Europe. Istanbul has a rich history that can be seen all over the city. Sightseeing opportunities are everywhere - from the majestic Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace (centre of the Ottoman Empire for more than 4 centuries) in Istanbul's old city, to the thousands of shops and stalls at the Grand Bazaar, the world's largest covered market. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historical mosque popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Mosque dominate the skyline of Istanbul.

THINGS TO DO:

• Visit the Hagia sophia (aya sofya) the largest church in the christian world for a thousand years
• Visit the only imperial mosque of the ottomans with six minarets, the blue mosque
• Check out the Topkapi palace is certainly the most important historical site to be visited in istanbul
• Ferry around the bosphorus also known as the Istanbul strait
• Take a look at the Hippodrome is vast area that lies between hagia sophia and the blue mosque. It is also known as at meydani, or plaza of the horses
• Haggle for carpets at the grand bazaar
• Tuck into ottoman cuisine
• Get a whiff of the Egyptian spice market
• Be awed by the Dolmabahce palace it is said that 14 Ton of gold and 40 tons of silver were used for the decoration of the palace
• Yerebatan sarnici (the underground cistern) is one of the most extraordinary and impressive buildings in Istanbul
• Escape to the princes' islands
• Enjoy the nightlife