There’s a new aura of excitement in Istanbul these days, as this center of the Ottoman empire has become one the world’s focal points for art, fashion, haute cuisine and nightlife. Of course there’s always an abundance of ancient monuments and grand mosques with stunning frescoes to see here, like the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. Head to any park and you’ll see why tulips have long been the symbol of this city.
Suleymaniye Mosque
Built by the Sultan during the peak of the Ottoman Empire, it combines slender minarets with large domed buildings to produce an awe-inspiring structure inside and out.
Chora Museum
Built as a church in the 11th century, then converted into a Mosque in the 1500s by the Ottomans, this extraordinary museum has no peer in Turkey and perhaps the world when it comes to beautiful frescoes and mosaics.
Blue Mosque
Arguably Istanbul’s most famous and beautiful mosque, Sultan Ahmet’s visual treat has more minarets than any other in the city, the largest courtyard, 260 windows, and tens of thousands of blue tiles.