If you arrived in Constantinople, more precisely in Istanbul, then you should look at all and you will need a lot! In the literal sense of the word. And so, most likely you will stop in the area of Sultanahmet, in the historic center, so that it is faster and more convenient to get to all the most important attractions. Initially, the charming fountain and beautiful sculptures from trees will be waiting for you in the square itself, very interesting compositions create landscape design masters.
In Sultanachmete, Iy Sofya is waiting for you - the church, the mosque, then again the church, and now the monument to the ancient architecture. How many times have it been built and rebuilt, minarets added and changed the inner decoration probably no one already says. The queue will have to be distinguished not small for tickets, the price of a ticket is about 25 lir, but it is worth it. Inside you awaits a luxurious painting - icons and symbols of the Ottoman Empire, and indeed the building is striking with their luxury and majesty. There will be a lot of tourists of course, but it is worth it.
After inspection, Sofia is worth visiting the blue mosque, which is directly opposite. This is a valid mosque, entrance to tourists and for those who come to pray free, but tourists should remember that on Friday, day prayer takes about two hours, it begins at about 13-00 and at this time in a mosque but no parishioners Lose.
But look inside through the glass and see this picture (as we did) no one forbates you.
Walking around the mosque and looking at the square with the Egyptian obelisk, you can go to the Palace of Top Kapa, it was here that all generations of the Sultno Ottoman Empire lived and ruled. It is worth going to the palace since the morning, because the turns of tourists are very large, in the sun, in the waiting for tickets you can sleep for a whole hour. The territory of the palace is also huge and you will be offered to visit separately and harem. What to look, and what is not - your choice, as the palace represents a small town, there was a mosque, harem, bedrooms, park ... In the palace, about 10 exhibition halls, unfortunately because of the huge influx of tourists see everything carefully It does not always succeed. There is a clothing that Sultans and some furniture items that they used were presented. There is even a hall with treasures belonging to the rulers of the Ottoman Empire, but it is impossible to photograph there and it seems to me that the real relics lie somewhere in safes, and tourists show accurate copies. With one of the viewing sites of the Palace, a magnificent view of the Bosphorus opens.
After a walk through the palace, if you have the strength to go to the park Gulkhan, it was here that Atature presented a new alphabet with Latin letters for the Turkish language (the Turks used to the Arab letter). The park is not big, but very cozy and shady, here you can get cool after a walk under the scorching sun.
And so, having rested a little bit into the holy basil tank, this is another attraction, which is located in Sultanamet. She is on the opposite side of Olites from Ayia Sofia. The entrance is small and unremarkable, but you will easily notice on the crowd of tourists and queue. The ticket is only 10 lir. The tank is a huge underground reservoir, before it was here that water was collected for the city. Nowadays the water is only on the bottom and swim there are huge fish, which I want immediately on the grill :) The columns decorated with jellyfish are simply amazed, according to the legend, when Muslims wanted to grab the Holy Basilica (Vasily) and execute that he was Orthodox, he hid in the hole in one of the columns and did not find it. And now, if you turn a thumb for 360 degrees in this hole and make a desire, it will definitely come true.
As they say, the fairy tale is a lie, yes in it hint ...
And so, after the tank of the St. Basilica, it is worth going to Eminon, along the tram line will stroll past the sirkeggings, souvenir shops and benches with Kram for tourists. There is another huge mosque on Eminon and is not far from her entrance to the Egyptian market, where you can buy seasonings and sweets. Not on the market itself, but to the right of his entrance there are also trays with dried fruits, there is much cheaper than on the market you can buy different dried fruits, nuts and halvah.
You will not be fed by one nuts, so it's time to lift. Near the descent to the water you will see a lot of tiny restaurants and feel the smell of fish. Here they sell "Balyk Ekmei", i eat bread with fish. If you do not disgust, love a bow (more precisely a lot of onions) and do not mind trying street food, you can order in any such floating restaurant! Bread with fish is half a baguette with fried mackerel lettuce and onions inside.
And so, having a snack, who nuts, and who bread with fish can be moved on. Now you can sit on the tram that goes to the side of the Cabatas and go to the end. Coming out of the tram, you will see the "Funicular" pointers, go down to the transition to the funicular, which goes to Taksim. The passage costs 2 lira, and the funicular itself is similar to an underground submarine. So you get to the central street of the city - Istiklal. Here is full stores, for every taste and wallet, but the most important of them is a four-storey stock store mango! Oh yes, Paradise for any woman, to circumvent it is not possible, it is also a kind of sight. At the end of the street Istiklal will be waiting for the Galata tower, or rather Galata Kulesi. From the previous historical tower there is probably only the name. Now inside you will see the expensive souvenirs (magnets are cheaper to buy on the street), the entrance to the tower is 10 lir, climb up in a chic elevator, and there is a restaurant! Go through the restaurant and here it is a chic view of the city from a tiny balcony, which will crowded another 50 tourists :). Dining in that restaurant, hardly you want ... Lunch with a view of the priests of tourists, how romantic! Although the view from the balcony to the city is simply chic.
If you didn't see everything from the towers, I propose to go to a miniature, it is a small, more precisely a big peculiar park, where all the sights of Turkey in miniature are collected. You can get here by bus from Takim, unfortunately I do not remember the number, but it will be written on it "Miniature", in the extreme case you can ask :) And so, go here is better in the morning, so as not so hot, because there is no tank And I want to see everything. The entrance costs 25 lire, with a ticket to you will be given a card, you can apply it to special readers from each miniature and hear information about the attractions on your (Russian) language.
After examining the miniature, it is worth thinking about rest in nature. The next day you can and even need to go on a trip to the princesses of the island. This is a chain of five islands in the Marmara Sea. A trip back and back (you will be taken there in the morning, and back will be taken in the evening at 6 o'clock) you can buy from any berth, it costs 25 lire per person. You will be asked to go away on any of the islands, but I advise you to choose a bubyuk hell, because there is nothing to do with the rest, there are only expensive private villas, restaurants and paid beaches. There are no transport on the islands, you can move on foot, on a bike (it can be hire for 10 lire) or in Phaeton, harnessed horses. There are a lot of horses here, be prepared for the smell of their excrement. And it will not hurt to take to eat with you, because restaurants are mostly only along the coastline. On the island it is necessary to visit the Orthodox church, the path to which is very ternist, just like on Calvary, and you need to walk, on bikes and in the phatexti it is impossible here, and this is not safe on such a path. Along the track you can see the threads, many believe that if you unwind the thread on letting and it is enough to the church, then the most cherished desire will surely come true! Prayers in this church will be heard, people of different confessions come here, but only praying must be sincerely and ask the most necessary.
From a hill where the church is located a very picturesque view of the sea and islands.
After that, you can shoot a little and sunbathe on the island beach for 25 lir, and in the evening at 6 o'clock go back, rest!
And for a snack, if you are not yet tired of Istanbul, you can go to the aquarium, which is located in the area of the Floria. You can take there, but difficult. For those who love adventures: on a tram that rides Bathozhilara (Bagcilar) to stay to the stop of Gevizlibaa (Cevizlibag) and transplane on the metrbus, which goes to the side of Baylikduzu (Beylikduzu), reach the Floria stop (Florya), but from This is just on a taxi, urban transport does not go there. The entrance to the aquarium costs 25 lire. Here you will see probably all possible representatives of the sea flora and fauna, there is even a capibility! In general, both children are so and adults will be admitted here - from sharks, huge sturgeon and skates to shrimp! There is a small shop with very bright and colorful magnets.
