Istanbul is one of my favourite cities in Europe, it is in a mental and aesthetic way the closest to Asia. Their buildings, palaces and mezquites are exquisite and they look taken from a fantastic story. Their food is full of spices and flavours, a whole new world in that level, and of course you can visit the Gran Bazaar where you get to find all kind of spices and crafts, and it is where your inner merchant must come out to deal with the locals as their prices may vary as you negotiate or just act as you leave and they will come after you with a better offer. As another fun fact from this trip we decided to cross to some greek islands through Bodrum where we sailed from on a ferry. We just stayed some hours there, a rocky place by the sea with many kind of seal boats and there at the port we met a character which i baptised the turkish Jimmy Hendrix playing enchanted melodies in a fantastic guitar. During this trip i used a little coolpix cam which did pretty well.
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Istanbul: Dolmabahçe Palace
Located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European coastline of the Bosphorus strait, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922, apart from a 22-year interval (1887–1909) in which Yıldız Palace was used. This should keep your mouth open for 15 minutes, Dolmabahçe is the largest palace in Turkey. It has an area of 45,000 m2 (11.1 acres), and contains 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 baths (hamam) and 68 toilets. About its architecture it is difficult to define but the design contains eclectic elements from the Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles, blended with traditional Ottoman architecture to create a new synthesis, so whaat? If you go to Istanbul and you don't visit this Palace, yo should go.
Istanbul: People on streets
I can say, as i've been in like 20 different citis in Europe and i felt safe and people was extremely friendly. We enjoyed speaking and sharing with turkish people. Food as i sayed before it is really excellent. You can also enjoy fresh pomme granate juice on the streets which it is known in the region. We also visited near the bridge to cross to Asia and had some fish sanwiches on the port where you can see lots of fishermen and bars to smoke Narguila with scented tobaccoes.
Istanbul: Süleymaniye Mosque
The Süleymaniye Mosque (Turkish: Süleymaniye Camii, Turkish pronunciation: [sylejˈmaːnije]) is an Ottoman imperial mosque located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. It is the largest mosque in the city, and one of the best-known sights of Istanbul.
This "vast religious complex called the Süleymaniye blended Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements. It combines tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of the Byzantine church Hagia Sophia (which the Ottomans converted into the mosque of Aya Sofya)" (481 Traditions and Encounters: Brief Global History).
The design of the Süleymaniye also plays on Suleyman's self-conscious representation of himself as a 'second Solomon.' It references the Dome of the Rock, which was built on the site of the Temple of Solomon, as well as Justinian's boast upon the completion of the Hagia Sophia: "Solomon, I have surpassed thee!" The Süleymaniye, similar in magnificence to the preceding structures, asserts Suleyman's historical importance. The structure is nevertheless smaller in size than its older archetype,
Istanbul: Laleli Mosque
The Laleli Mosque was built by Sultan Mustafa III from 1760–1763, designed in the baroque style by Ottoman imperial architectMehmet Tahir Ağa. The complex was destroyed by a fire in 1783 shortly after its completion and was immediately rebuilt. A fire in 1911 destroyed themadrasah, and subsequent road construction work destroyed many other auxiliary structures to the mosque.
