Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul

Grand Bazaar

The Kapali Carsi or Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the largest covered market in Turkey, and offers an inordinate range of breathtaking items at great bargains

Million

While this partially intact marble pillar dating back to 4th century AD may seem unremarkable, it was the starting point of any distance measured within the empire during the Byzantine era, so it may be nice to think that you are in the centre of where all the roads lead to (or, rather, start from)

Fatih

Gülhane Park

This park was royal hunting grounds in the past

Galata Tower

It was built by the Genoese on the city walls of Galata, then a western (Genoese/Venetian) stronghold beside eastern (Byzantine/Ottoman) Constantinople

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art

Carpets, rugs, calligraphy, pottery

Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern, also known as ‘Yerebatan Cistern’ or Sunken Cistern, is the largest of the several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul, with a holding capacity of 80,000 m³

Sultan Ahmed Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior

The Museum of Archeology

A must see! One of the best, including a great collection of Sumerian tablets, pieces of the wall of Babylon and Roman marble statues

Topkapi Palace

TheTopkapi Palace was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign