Istanbul City Breaks

Istanbul City Breaks - Two continents meet
An Istanbul city break tells the story of two continents colliding to form an incredibly boisterous and mesmerising place. Divided by the magnificent Bosporus river – which flows from the Sea of Marmara in the southwest to the Black Sea in the north – the city is the only metropolis in the world to be situated in two continents; Europe on the western banks and Asia in the east. Istanbul has had many names throughout its history, depending on the culture, language, and religion of its rulers; Greek, Roman and Ottoman – Byzantium, Constantinople, Stamboul and Tsarigrad are examples that are still used in some countries today. Constantine built the city on seven hills to match the seven hills of Rome and this is represented in the city’s coat of arms with seven mosques, one at the top of each hill. A short break in Istanbul can begin to unravel the thousands of years’ history.

 Search for Istanbul City Breaks

Short Breaks In Istanbul - Where the west welcomes the east
The fusion of cultures results in a real melting pot of activity, ideal for short weekend break visitors. There is so much to see and do here planning your stay is advisable. With more history than most countries, a city break in Istanbul is not complete without an excursion to the Sultanahmet peninsula. Architecture lovers will love the unique fusion of styles: Haghia Sophia (‘Holy Wisdom’), with 30 million gold tiles throughout its interior, in Sultanahmet Square has spent a thousand years as a church followed by 500 as chief mosque of the Ottoman Empire – revered by Christians and Muslims alike; or the lavishly decorated Topkapi Palace (Bab- Hümayün Caddesi, Gülhane), the hub of Ottoman power for more than three centuries.

Istanbul City Breaks - Shopping heaven!
Those seeking a shopping city break will not be disappointed! The Grand Bazaar is often claimed to be the world’s oldest shopping centre. Akmerkez, in the Etiler quarter, is the only mall in the world which has won both ‘Europe’s Best’ and ‘World’s Best’ accolades. The Levent and Etiler districts have numerous upmarket shopping malls – Kanyon, Metrocity, Akmerkez, Mayadrom and Mayadrom Uptown – while the 6 km long Bagdat Avenue has rows of shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants on either side of its impressive granite pavements. As Napoleon Bonaparte once famously said; “If the Earth was a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.” A city break in Istanbul will be an experience you’ll never forget.