Incredible Turkey … the place at the center between East and West influences. Sultan Ahmet I’s grand architectural gift to his capital was this beautiful mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque today. Built between 1609 and 1616, the mosque caused a furore throughout the Muslim world when it was finished, as it had six minarets (the same number as the Great Mosque of Mecca). A seventh minaret was eventually gifted to Mecca to stem the dissent. The mosque gets its nickname from its interior decoration of tens of thousands of Iznik tiles. The entire spatial and color effect of the interior makes the mosque one of the finest achievements of Ottoman architecture. A great sightseeing joy of a trip to Istanbul is wandering amid the gardens sandwiched between the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofya to experience their dueling domes in twin glory. Come at dusk for extra ambience, as the call to prayer echoes out from the Blue Mosque’s minaret.
At 14 kilometers (9 miles), Patara is one of the longest stretches of sandy beach found anywhere in the Mediterranean. The beach is backed only by ancient Lycian and Roman ruins and swooping dunes with no buildings visible except of a small cafe. Patara Beach is also the breeding ground of the endangered Loggerhead turtle. The nearby village of Patara was the birthplace of St Nicholas, the 4th-century Byzantine bishop who later passed into legend as Santa Claus.
The surreal swooping rock valleys of Cappadocia are every photographer’s dream. Cliff ridges and hill crests are home to rippling panoramas of wave-like rock or wacky-shaped pinnacles that have been formed by millennia of wind and water action. And if you don’t feel like hiking for the views, this is one of the world’s top destinations to take a hot air balloon ride. If the lunarscape isn’t enough to tempt you, nestled in these valleys are the frescoed rock-cut churches of the Byzantine Era, when this area was an important early Christian site.
A key entry on any list of major tourist attractions in Turkey, the picturesque sight of the Blue Mosque will impress even the hardiest sightseer. Built by the young sultan Ahmet I, the Blue Mosque was designed to rival its neighbour the Hagia Sophia and, with its hierarchy of increasingly large domes, this vast complex helped define Istanbul’s skyline. The interior is just as grand and includes swathes of blue tiles which give this magnificent building its name.
Istanbul experiences hot summers and cold winters so the ideal time to visit the city would be from late March till May and from September till mid-November. During Spring, the weather becomes warm during the day and cooler at night, with less rain. You can expect high temperatures between 18 and 27 degree Celsius. Istanbul guided tours in Spring will show you the colourful Tulips blossom, which plays a significant role in Turkish culture and history. Before booking any Istanbul tours or whipping out our spreadsheets to figure out a daily budget. The cost of your trip to Istanbul will vary depending on your individual needs. The cost of food and drink can be very little if you want to try some of the street food your money will go a long way. The transport costs are reasonable, everyone should try the tram that runs through Istanbul’s Istiklal Street and is very cheap at less than a Euro. Read more about Istanbul private tours.
One of the most important museums in Turkey, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum is actually three museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Ancient Orient Museum and the Tiled Kiosk Museum. The three museums combined contain more than 1 million objects from civilizations around the world. Founded in 1891, it was the first Turkish museum, and was located on the Topkapi Palace grounds. The Tiled Kiosk dates back to 1472. The museums contain thousands of precious artifacts, including the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great.