The seat of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years, Topkapı Palace is today one of Istanbul's most popular sights. The massive complex consists of four courtyards and hundreds of rooms, and the treasures on display are among the world's most valuable. A visit to Topkapı Palace is almost compulsory during a trip to Istanbul... just expect to be exhausted afterward.
Rocketing 780 feet into the air, the Sapphire building in the modern neighborhood of Levent is Turkey's tallest building. A cafe on the top floor and an open air viewing platform on the roof offer one of Istanbul's most breathtaking views.
A stone's throw off the coast of Üsküdar, the Maiden's Tower is one of Istanbul's most instantly recognizable landmarks. It's been a place of intrigue, legend and strategic importance since the city's earliest days.
The irony wasn't completely lost on us. Visiting Dolmabahçe Palace, a symbol of preposterous wealth and privilege, while just outside workers were marching in Istanbul's infamous Labor Day protests. "What's that smell?" I whispered to Jürgen, while admiring a carpet with more square footage than any apartment I've ever lived in. "Tear gas", he said, his eyes starting to well up. "Amazing carpet, though."
It was the mid 15th-century, and although the Ottoman army had long since surrounded the city, Constantinople was proving stubbornly resistant. In order to more effectively isolate the Byzantine capital, the invaders hastily constructed the Rumeli Hisarı. This fortress along the Bosphorus is still in marvelous condition, and makes for a fun outing.
Favored by the kings, statesmen and spies of Europe's tumultuous 20th century, the Orient Express is almost definitely the most famous line in the history of trains. It linked the capitals of Western Europe to the Ottoman Empire, with a terminal stop in Istanbul's magnificent Sirkeci Station.
No visit to Istanbul is complete without walking along, ferrying under, taking the tram across, or enjoying a drink on the Galata Bridge. The bridge spans the Golden Horn to connect the city's two European sides, and is one of Istanbul's most iconic landmarks.
At just six kilometers in length, the Walls of Theodosius can be traversed in a few hours, but there are so many sights along the way that we needed two days. Exploring the southern half of the fortifications had been a lot of fun, and our day spent on the northern half would prove to be just as rewarding.
Stretching for six kilometers from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn, the Land Walls of Theodosius II protected Constantinople from invaders for over a thousand years... until the arrival of the Ottomans and their giant cannons in 1453. The walls have survived largely intact to the present day, and walking along them is an exciting way to see a different side of Istanbul.
After visiting the neo-baroque Küçüksu Pavilion, we walked north along the Asian shore of the Bosphorus to the pleasant town of Kanlıca, where we treated ourselves to yogurt by the seaside, and then lunch at an amazing hilltop restaurant overlooking the strait.
