Istanbul, the city that unites Asia and Europe, with 15+ million inhabitants, is one of the world’s richest historical and cultural treasures. Served as the capital of three empires (Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman). Holiday AILYDIAN combines Istanbul hotel booking, Bosphorus tours, city tours, museum tickets and airport transfers.
Founded around 660 BC as Byzantion, becoming Constantinople under Roman emperor Constantine in 330 AD, and Istanbul under the Ottomans in 1453. Today the UNESCO Historic Peninsula, 2500+ mosques, 200+ churches and synagogues, the Bosphorus, modern malls and art galleries offer something for every visitor.
Sultanahmet contains Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar. Beyoglu / Taksim is the modern entertainment and arts hub. Bosphorus route (Ortakoy, Bebek, Anadolu Hisari, Rumeli Hisari) offers seaside views.
Bosphorus tour (evening lights + dinner), Eminönü-Üsküdar ferry experience, Turkish hamam (Cagaloglu, Cemberlitas), Grand Bazaar shopping, Turkish night entertainment, Bosphorus jet ski, helicopter tours are popular.
Sultanahmet (historic peninsula) is the ideal location — walking distance to all major museums. Beyoglu/Taksim for modern entertainment. Besiktas, Ortakoy, Bebek for Bosphorus-view luxury hotels. Luxury: Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Four Seasons Bosphorus, Raffles Istanbul.
Istanbul hosts all regional cuisines of Türkiye. Iskender kebab (Bursa), Adana / Urfa kebabs, fried anchovies, lokma, baklava, Turkish delight, Turkish coffee are signature. Karakoy, Beyoglu, Kadikoy food tours are popular.
Istanbul has two major airports: Istanbul Airport (IST, European side), Sabiha Gokcen (SAW, Asian side). City: Metro (M1A, M2, Marmaray, T1 tram), Metrobus, ferry, taxi, BiTaksi. Marmaray connects Europe-Asia underwater.
Ideal months: April-June and September-October (mild weather, low rain, manageable crowds). July-August hot and humid (35°C, watch humidity). November-March rainy but fine for cultural tours (hotels cheaper).