Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul “The City of the Past”

Istanbul, also known as the late Constantinople or Byzantium, has been the city that joins two continents but also joins cultures, traditions, languages, race, and most importantly, people. It joins the mystery of the East and the modern world of the West. These city has been the balance of the traditional and the contemporary. Throughout time, Istanbul has become one of the most visited places in the world and here are the reasons why.

Istanbul is one of the top touristic places to visit when going to Turkey, is visited annually by 12.5 million tourists. Some interesting facts about this beautiful city can be that is the world’s most popular congress city, has 78 public and private museums, 5 imperial palaces and mansions, 112 modern malls, 233 public and private hospitals, 53 universities including 5 technoparks, 2 international airports, an approximate amount of 3133 mosques, and the 5^th most visited place in the world.

The places that are a must see in Istanbul are the Hagia Sophia, The Topkapi Palace, which used to be the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, the Hippodrome, built from AD 203-AD 330, Istanbul Archaeology Museum, the well-known Grand Bazaar, the world’s first shopping mall, Süleymaniye Mosque, Spice Bazaar, which includes dried fruit, nuts, herbs etc., and the Galata Tower.

Istanbul is an ultimate paradise for all of the food lovers, including delicious and exquisite meals and drinks, their restaurants range from gourmet restaurants to cafes, to coastal fish restaurants all the way to traditional kebab houses. With weather and climate depending on the time of the year due that the city is under the effect of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Balkans, and the Anatolia. Istanbul has the four seasons of the year, being July and August the hottest months and January and February being the coldest months.

It’s also one of Turkey’s largest economical capital and its biggest industrial center, which includes importation of $389.4 million to Turkey’s GDP.

The currency rate at Istanbul is the Turkish Lira, the paper currency comes in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 with 1 Euro has an approximate of 4 Turkish Lira and the dollar is 3.7 Turkish Lira.

In conclusion, the enigmatic and captivating city contains several preferences for every type of people, whether your trip is for business or for relaxation purposes, you and your family will end up enjoying these unforgettable vacations.