Our flight arrives just as the day is breaking and the city is shaking off the languor of sleep. As we thread our way to our hotel in Istanbul, it is evident, that Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman structures jostle for space with the modern skyscrapers that are redefining the city’s skyline.
Our sightseeing route is a trifle unconventional this time as we begin with the city’s famous Grand Bazaar or Kapali Carsi, ‘covered market’, as it is called in the native language. One of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets, Carsi has around 60 streets comprising over 3000 shops selling an assortment of wares.
We are actually mesmerised by its unique architecture with lofty domes and colonnaded mezzanine galleries that are air-conditioned. We buy a couple of souvenirs and saunter into one of the bazaar’s many restaurants to feast on rich slices of helva (halwa) in every possible colour and the ‘sinfully’ delicious baklava, dripping with creamy cheeses and honey.
We begin our second day visiting Hagia Sophia first. The 6th century Byzantine basilica-turned-mosque-turned museum and fourth largest cathedral in the world, the Hagia has us spellbound with its high dome, mammoth interior with stunning mosaics of the Madonna and the Child.
Still recovering from the sensory overload, we walk towards the Sultan Ahmet Mosque bang in front of the Hagia. More famously known as the Blue Mosque, for the magnificent blue iznik tiles that adorn its interiors, it stands supremely elegant with its six minarets.
Day three brings us to the massive Topkapi Serayi, the palace complex and heart of the vast Ottoman Empire, claimed to be the world’s largest and oldest surviving palace. Topkapi commands an impressive view of the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus.
The most spectacular segment of the palace is the architecturally magnificent Imperial Harem, only a portion of which is open to public viewing. Topkapi houses the most cherished treasure, the 86-carat tear-drop-shaped Spoonmaker’s Diamond and Nadir Shah’s gold throne which he gifted in the 18th century to Mahmud I.
On the last day of our stay, we visit Dolmabahce Palace. Built on the waterfront right by the Bosphorus, French-looking in its Baroque and Rococo architectural style, Dolmabahce is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world built by the Sultans. French Baccarat and Czech Bohemian chandeliers bedeck the ornate interiors of the palace that boasts of 285 rooms, 43 halls and 6 Turkish bath. The reception room of the palace is richly decorated with good measure of gold, supposedly a whole ton of the metal!
We wind up our trip with a cruise on the Strait of Bosphorus. We glide past Mahmud II’s imposing fortress, the Rumeli Hisari and several other structures. As we bid goodbye to the city, we know four days in Istanbul is not enough to absorb and assimilate its incredible assortment of sights, smells and sounds.
GETTING THERE
Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and the only city in the world that straddles two continents, Asia and Europe, one part separated from the other by the majestic Bosphorus.
Istanbul city has two international airports, which are well connected by regular flights from Europe, Middle East, and North America. Besides air, many places in Western Europe are also connected to Istanbul by regular bus and train services.
The writer is a travel enthusiast
via Irresistible Istanbul | Deccan Chronicle.
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