Hotels in Istanbul, 545 Hotels

If anyone asked you what at the top ten things to do in Istanbul, you would probably be stuck for an answer because there really is just so much to do in the city where east meets west and begins to party. 

It doesn't matter what time of day it is in Istanbul you can find so much to do, enjoying the food is just the start and try the bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Turks are famous for their bread and understandable so. And then they fill their bread with goodies and call them kebabs and words will fail you to describe the taste, wonderful is just one.

The Turkish people are and have been for thousands upon thousands of years traders, Turks and the people they descended from were trading before the Pyramids were build and probably made several offers to carpet them so after breakfast go to the Grand Bazaar and do a bit of haggling. Turks love to sell things but will be disappointed if they don't earn the sale and that means that you haggle, argue and barter for all you are worth.

There are well over 4,000 stalls to barter at and you can buy literally anything though most seem to like Gold, Carpets, and Leather wares. When you tire of the bartering then it is a short walk to one of the most impressive buildings in the world. 

The Hagia Sophia is a Museum that was once a Mosque that actually started life as a Byzantine church St Sophia's. Built in 532AD it was once and for over 1000 years the largest Cathedral in the world. 

From the Hagia Sophia Museum you can easily reach Istiklal Street known for its high quality boutiques and restaurants. If you are feeling adventurous the venture across the Bosporus to the Asian side and visit the small village of Anadolu Kavagi where not only can you enjoy excellent seafood caught locally you can take in the enormous panorama of the original Byzantine fortress that guards the cape. 

Once Istanbul was a major city of the Roman Empire and so where ever you look there are Roman remains, architecture and influences, the 480 metre long Hippodrome that was home to Chariot races and Roman games could seat 100,000 spectators and still stands. Close by is an Egyptian Obelisj that was brought back from Egypt by Emperor Theodosius.