Situated
in between two continents—and former capital of two empires—the city of
Istanbul teems with diverse cultural influence and a storied history. This
alone make the city a must-visit for travelers in search of fascinating
discoveries. Add on the fact that Istanbul also boasts of a robust art scene,
mouthwatering cuisines and a medley of activities that tickles one's fancy and
senses, there’s almost an endless list of things to do and places to see in
this vibrant capital of Turkey. To help you plot your itinerary for your trip
to Istanbul, here some important facts and helpful travel tips you can follow.
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| Photo credit: Hege from Flickr |
How to get a Visa for Turkey
First things first, you need to
apply an e-Visa for Turkey. Fortunately, Turkey provides e-Visa services to
citizens from more than 100 countries (Philippines, included). To apply for a
Turkey visa—just follow these simple steps:
1. Open this website to apply for a visa to Turkey.
2. Click the "more about
visa" to learn about requirements, cost, validity and other useful
information
3. Click "Apply"
4. Fill up all required
information fields
5. You have the option to check
"urgent delivery" for a little additional cost
6. Click "Apply for
visa" once finished.
Note: Philippine passport
holders are given a Turkey visa with a maximum stay of 30 days valid for 6 months. The e-visa processing
fee cost approximately $20.00.
Places to See in Istanbul
The
district of Sultanahmet is the ideal place to start your Istanbul
exploration. Kickstart your tour at the largest cisterns in Istanbul, the grand
Basilica
Cistern then head out to the former site of the Hippodrome of
Constantinople, in At Meydani. For a fix of great architecture, there's the
spectacular Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom) whose Byzantine design
"changed the history of architecture".
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| Photo credit: Mondo from Flickr |
Of
course, you cannot visit Istanbul without laying eyes on the Sultanahmet—said
to be the most beautiful mosque in the city. There's also the Ibrahim
Pasa Palace, where you can find an astounding collection of rugs and
calligraphy. The 15th century Topkapi Palace and the Istanbul
Archaeology Museum.
For
some shopping delight, head out to the Grand Bazaar to not only find good
quality clothing, carpets, jewelry, souvenir items, ceramics and more—you can
also witness a very vibrant market activity. A smaller one but filled with natural
ingredients like spices, nuts, dried fruits and other Turkish goodies, the Spice
Bazaar is another fascinating place to shop. While here, you can also
check out the nearby Rüstem Pasha Mosque.
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| Photo credit: QXL from Flickr |
As
you explore further inside Istanbul, you will come across the Galata
Bridge—which is the gateway into exploring Beyoglu (a popular street
in Istanbul were Istiklai Caddesi is located), Galata Tower and the Dolmabahce
Palace (Turkey's biggest palace).
Things to do in Istanbul
As
a city brimming with interesting things to offer, Istanbul boast of a myriad of
goings-on every traveler can enjoy. Going on a culinary tour is one
highly recommended activity. Dine at Ciya Sofrasi—one of the city's
iconic culinary destination and discover more hole-in-the-wall dining places
and cafe in numerous local culinary alleyways found all over the city. You can
easily get the services of travel companies offering daily gastronomic tours.
Follow-up
your culinary tour with enrolling to a cooking class. This shall give
you further understanding about Turkish food. For a more relaxed time, set out
on a Bosphorus Boat tour along the scenic waters leading to Anadolu
Kavagi port in the Black Sea.
Go
museum hopping by visiting these other museums: Panorama 1453 History Museum
and Kariye
Museum. Cap your days by experiencing Istanbul's fun nightlife at these
highly recommended places: Nardis Jazz Club, Arcadia Blue Hotel's
roof bar, Büyük Londra Oteli just to state a few. Otherwise, just walk
the streets of downtown Istanbul and chances are, you will find yourself in the
middle of a cool and fun happening.
Where to Stay in Istanbul
Looking
for accommodations in Istanbul do not present any problem, as various hotels and
hostels catering to high-end travelers to midrange travelers and backpackers
are located all over the city.
These
high-end hotels come in highly recommended: Ada Hostel Istanbul, Green Life
Apart Hotel, Hotel Seraglio, Georges Hotel Galata, Nuru Ziya Suites and more.
