Traveling to fabulous Istanbul is a great way to spend a weekend, vacation or short getaway. The city, where Western and Eastern traditions are intertwined and magically coexist, attracts fans of architectural monuments, history buffs, and gourmets, for whom the best way to relax is to taste new local cuisine. In any case, the excursion "Istanbul in 5 days" will allow you to get acquainted with the city, which is considered by many to be the most beautiful in Europe and Asia.
Attractions and entertainment on vacation in Istanbul
Strategic position
You can start a tour of Istanbul at the Palace Cape, which is located at the crossroads of the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. Its important strategic location made it possible in ancient times to build monasteries and public buildings here. The Palace Cape is a complex of buildings of the Topkapi Palace, which for more than four centuries served as the residence of the Ottoman sultans.
Today Topkapi Palace is a huge museum, where the richest treasures are collected: collections of jewelry, paintings, sculptures, household items. Once the palace occupied the entire area of the Palace Cape, but in the modern city, part of the territory was given over to a park zone.
Palaces of Istanbul
World-class museum
The Archaeological Museum, located next to Topkapi Palace, is another reason to stay in Istanbul for 5 days. The museum boasts one of the world's largest collections of art from a variety of genres. The largest collections of classical antiquities are located in two dozen galleries of the main building of the museum. The Children's Museum is open for kids, and the pavilion with Turkish ceramics and tiles delights their parents.
It is impossible to list all the main values of the Museum of Archeology, but the sarcophagus of Alexander and the mosaic icon of the Presentation are considered especially significant. The marble tomb was carved in the 4th century BC. for Tsar Abdalonim of Sidon and was named in honor of Alexander the Great, depicted on the plate as defeating enemies. The icon is dated to the 6th century A. D. and is the only known figurative mosaic on a religious theme that has survived from the Byzantine era to the present day.
Istanbul museums
Galloping across Asia and Europe …
For a mandatory inspection in Istanbul 5 days in advance, it is also certainly recommended:
- Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Cathedral.
- Galata Bridge and the tower of the same name.
- Suleymaniye Mosque and Basilica Cistern.
- Grand Bazaar and Istiklal Street.
Updated: 2020.03.
