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Originally, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror set up the covered bazaar as a way to generate income for the upkeep of the Hagia Sophia and it was an important place for trade in Ottoman times. Today you will find everything from antiques to jewelry, gold to affordable souvenirs and unique mementos in more than 3,000 individual shops. Similarly, the Spice Bazaar (also called Mısır Çarşısı or Egyptian Bazaar) was built in 1660 and was meant to support the New Mosque. There are nearly 100 shops selling not only spices and dried fruits and nuts but also jewelry, souvenirs and of course the famous Turkish delight and other traditional sweets. The bazaars are sensory feasts and one of the most essential and authentic of Istanbul experiences.
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With one of the world's largest covered bazaars, Istanbul is the perfect place to shop for a fun souvenir or traditional Turkish goods. Head to the Grand Bazaar and try your hand at haggling with the locals over spices, textiles and more. Tilt your head back and prepare to be captivated by the dazzling building known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque or the Blue Mosque. The walls are covered with more than 20,000 hand-painted blue tiles that catch the natural light at the perfect moment from more than 200 windows.
Bosphorus and the Golden Horn
Get a delicious doner kebab made with succulent slow-roasted meat served in a wrap or pita with yogurt, tomato sauce and butter or try a collection of meze, or appetizers, like fava or muhammara. Another great food possibility is a balik ekmek, a popular sandwich that's made with grilled fish, onions, and lettuce. The tea gardens in Istanbul, known as çay bahçesis, are a social fixture in Turkish society. They often offer waterfront views and relaxing atmospheres, perfect for sipping tea, resting, and taking in the beauty of the day while in port on an Istanbul cruise.
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On cruises including Istanbul, the food and drink are unparalleled. Turkish coffee is specially brewed in sugar and cardamom for a sweeter (and stronger) cup of coffee, and it’s a hallmark of the daily routine and culture in Istanbul. Another Istanbul classic is a Turkish Delight, a sweet dessert often containing nuts and dried fruits coated in confectioner’s sugar. Try lahmacun, a popular street food consisting of crispy, thin flatbread topped with minced meat and lemon juice. Fresh Turkish baklava is a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth. The immersive Kadıköy Produce Market offers local produce, nuts, olive oil, coffee, yogurt, and more.
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There are no facilities inside the port, but just outside there's a collection of cafes, though these are generally oriented to young people enjoying the Turkish tradition of Narjile (which my guide described as "hubble bubble" -- hookah in other countries). Better yet, head over to the cafe and bar at the Museum of Modern Art, which is also within easy walking distance. A geographic and metaphoric melding of East and West, Istanbul is the world's only city covering two continents. The Bosporus runs through the center; Europe lies to the west, Asia to the east. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices.
Thank you for requesting a quote about the amazing cruises we have on offer at Celestyal Cruises. Lowest pricing is based on our 3rd party pricing supplier and valid as of April 22nd, 2024. Starting at just $439, choose the perfect cruise from Istanbul that fits your traveling desires. Istanbul cruises often range from nights providing cruisers with a variety of different entertainment and dining options. Most commonly, cruises from Istanbul go to exciting destinations such as Europe - British Isles & Western, Caribbean - All, Caribbean - Eastern, Europe - Eastern Mediterranean, and Italy. Popular amongst many cruise lines including Crystal, Cunard Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Sinan completed it seven years later, and the mosque’s main dome, several smaller domes, four soaring minarets and graceful interior make it one of the most impressive of Istanbul’s religious sites. The mosque is located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, west of Sultanahmet Square but still within the city’s ancient walls. For more than a thousand years it was the center of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity, before Mehmet the Conqueror had the huge structure with its signature colossal dome converted to a mosque in 1453. In 1935 the Hagia Sophia has converted yet again, this time to a museum, and many of the original Byzantine mosaics such as the one depicting the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus and Constantine and Justinian standing on either side have been faithfully restored. The cathedral-sized Basilica Cistern is an elaborate underground network of cisterns built by some 7,000 slaves during the Early Roman period to supply water to the Great Palace (and later to Topkapi Palace).
Another major reason to visit Istanbul is to sample some authentic Turkish food, and you'll find no shortage of excellent restaurants here. Kasap Osman is one of the top places to go for a traditional doner kebab, while Durumzade and Ciya Kebap are also both well worth a visit. Opposite the Golden Horn and adjacent to Karaköy is the old district of Pera, settled by Genoese and Venetians in the 12th century and home of the iconic Galata Tower, built by the Genoese. The ornate Dolmabahçe Palace, formerly as sultan’s palace and now a museum, is on the European side of the Bosphorus, in a historic area of mansions and elegant yali, or waterfront wooden villas. A boat excursion along the Bosphorus is a great way to experience this visual pageantry. The Boğaziçi Bridge looms over the neo-Baroque style Ortaköy Mosque and spans more than 5,000 feet across the Bosphorus.
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For nearly 2,000 years, the ideally situated metropolis has been the keystone of some of the world's great empires, serving as capital city for the Romans (under the name Constantinople, as noted by the informative "They Might Be Giants" tune), Byzantines and Ottomans. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners who list cruise pricing on Cruise Critic are required to provide prices for cruise only or cruise packages, per person, double occupancy, and are based on specific cabin types and sailing dates, and may not be available for all cabin types/sailings. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Hop onboard the Tunel, the second-oldest underground urban train in the world.
US couple stranded in Istanbul after selling everything to join three-year cruise that never happened - New York Post
US couple stranded in Istanbul after selling everything to join three-year cruise that never happened.
Posted: Fri, 29 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The palace also housed Janissary quarters for the elite Ottoman troops and some 400 rooms that were part of the famous Imperial Harem. Topkapi’s gardens afford panoramic views of the legendary waters of the Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara. It’s easy to get lost in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, which offers some of the biggest bargains from Turkish artisans in the city. You can make an all-day affair of shopping here or simply go for the people watching. The Bazaar is one of the few places remaining in Istanbul where the art of haggling is welcomed and encouraged.
Istanbul is one of those places where all roads seem to magically converge, and as such is a meeting point between east and west, and old and new. Sprawled across the two banks of the Bosphorus, Istanbul is a rich tapestry of sights, sounds, smells and stories, with the city's historic heart being Sultanahmet, where most of its iconic ancient structures and buildings are found. It's this area that was known as Constantinople by the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and the history of the city is written into the many attractions in and around Sultanahmet Square. Perhaps the most famous of these is the enormous Hagia Sophia mosque, which was originally built as a basilica by the Romans, before being converted to a mosque when the Ottomans took control of Istanbul in the 15th century.
As Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, it was a metropolis of stunning splendor when the great cities of Europe were mere villages. The square is the heart of Istanbul’s most historic peninsula and some of the finest examples of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture are located here, including the famous Sultan Ahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque. Completed in 1616 and the world’s only mosque with six minarets, it has no fewer than 138 windows and takes its name from the beautiful blue-colored tiles that line its interior. In close proximity to the Blue Mosque, you can see the Obelisk of Theodosius and ancient bronze Serpentine Column which is on the site of the Hippodrome, which was the ancient “circus” or sporting center of Constantinople. The Arasta Çarşısı, or Arasta Bazaar, is located just behind the mosque and a great stop for some unique handicrafts shopping. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, the Kapalı Çarşı, dates back to 1461 and along with the Spice Bazaar is one of the most exciting stops you’ll make in the city.
The stark blue tiles will captivate your senses in this bustling, historic place. Its Museum of Modern Art -- handily located pierside, where ships dock -- is new and offers both rotating internationally-minded exhibitions and works from Turkish artists. Topkapi, on the strategic Seraglio point, is the definitive Ottoman Turkish palace. Its construction started in the 1460s by the order of Sultan Mehmed II, and it is where the sultans held court. The palace houses the Mgbaddes Emanetler Dairesi (Chamber of Holy Relics) where the Prophet Muhammed’s Hırka-i Saadet (Blessed Mantle) and Sancak-ı Şerif (Holy Banner) are kept in their golden chests. Other treasures include the jewels of the Sultans, ornate swords, chalices set with precious stones, the emerald encrusted Topkapi Dagger and a throne encrusted with 18,000 pearls.
Its spectacular array of vaulted roofs and floodlit columns lie less than 500 feet southwest of the Hagia Sophia. Built between 1609 and 1616, the mosque is still fully functional today, so you are likely to observe services while you’re there. Men should wear long pants, and women should wear a headscarf or covering.
The western perimeter of Sultanahmet, meanwhile, is still lined by the ancient Theodosian walls, which have protected the city from attack since the 5th century. The nearby Museum of Archaeology is the place to go to learn more about the many legends to have emerged from the city, and in true Istanbul fashion, these age-old artefacts are contrasted against the pieces on show at the nearby Istanbul Modern Art Museum. If there's one thing to be learnt in Istanbul, it's that the city is certainly no stranger to change, and has been continually reinventing itself ever since ancient times – a process which is still in motion today.
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