Many tourists choose Istanbul for shopping tours
Such a diverse Istanbul. Unlike the popular summer resorts of Turkey, tourists from absolutely all corners of the planet Earth flock to Istanbul at any time of the year. After all, shopping – tours to Turkey are popular among tourists from many countries.
In this magnificent city, which for a long time was the capital of Byzantium, and after the conquest by the Turks became the capital of the Ottoman Empire, there are many both Islamic and Christian monuments. The most famous of them is the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), formerly a Christian temple, later a mosque, and now a museum, in which two completely different religions coexist beautifully. It is located in the old part of Istanbul, in the Sultanahmet district, which is the concentration of the most famous sights of Istanbul.
Be prepared that getting into the cathedral will not be easy. There are many people willing to feel the atmosphere of this unique place, to see the icons bordering on excerpts from the Quran, and you can stand in line for tickets for hours.
Next to Hagia Sophia rises another masterpiece of architecture – the Sultanahmet Mosque, which is also called the Blue Mosque because of its color. This is the only mosque in the universe that has as many as 6 minarets instead of the traditional four. The entrance is open not only to Muslims but also to tourists. However, before entering inside, you must take off your shoes and cover exposed areas with scarves – they are issued by the local staff.
One of the most visited tourist sites in Turkey, along with Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, is officially recognized as Topkapi Palace. Here once lived Ottoman rulers, and now tourists roam in crowds. The museum collection accessible to the tourist's eye numbers over 60 thousand of the rarest exhibits. However, it is believed that this is only a tiny part of what the walls of the Palace actually hide.
Not far from the Sultanahmet district is the famous Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı), one of the oldest in the world. However, before buying anything there, it is better to try to persuade the seller to lower the price, as it can be very high. Moreover, it doesn't matter what the product is – a leather jacket or a box of Turkish delight – the desire to bargain is in the blood of Turks, and for them it is rather not business, but just a pleasant pastime.
It is another matter with stores of famous Turkish and European brands – here prices are fixed. For such shopping, you can head to the long Istiklal Street, near Taksim Square, or to the Cihangir shopping center (metro station – Şişli), while clothes of world luxury brands (Prada, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, etc.) can be purchased in the Nişantaşı district.
On the Asian side of the city, where you can get by bus or ferry across the Bosphorus, there is another shopping street – Bağdat Caddesi. Here, in addition to countless stores, there are many cafes and bars where you must try Turkish coffee or tea, as well as famous sweets.
Istanbul, uniting different cultures and worldviews, is so bright and diverse that it is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. To fully understand this city, weeks, months or even years are needed. But to truly fall in love with it – one hour is enough.
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