For the Landlubber in You – Don’t Miss Istanbul

Beautiful St Sofias

Istanbul sits on the junction of the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmaara and the Golden Horn.  It reminds me of San Francisco – surrounded on 260 degrees by water.   Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, is a treasure trove of places and things to see.  We stayed 3 days and that wasn’t nearly enough time.  After a day of wandering around streets, mosques and ruins where empires have risen and fallen you realize what makes this city so special.

Istanbul was the Keeper of European Civilization

It was here, five centuries ago the final remnants of the Roman Empire crumbled and through Europe’s Dark Ages, this city carried European civilization on from its Greek and Roman origins.  In 2^nd century, Rome conquered the small city-state of Byzantium and in 330 AD Emperor Constantine moved his capital from Rome to this city and renamed it Constantinople.  The city walls kept out barbarians for centuries as the western part of the Roman Empire collapsed before the Goths, Vandals and Huns.  When Constantinople fell for the first time it was to the misguide Fifth Crusade in 1204.  The crusaders ravaged Constantinople’s churches, shipping out the art and melting down the silver and gold.  The Ottoman Turks laid siege in 1314 and finally in 1453 the walls were breached and Mehmet II marched in and converted the church (St Sofia’s) to a mosque and the Byzantine Empire had ended.

This Capital of the Ottoman Empire Entered new Golden Age

The Blue Mosque

St Sofia, which was built under Emperor Justinian in 532 AD was the grandest and finest church in the world. For a thousand years it was also the largest church in the world and it is stunning even today.  The Blue Mosque is just south of St Sofia’s built in the 1600’s and is beautiful.  The Topkapi Palace, home of the Sultans, is amazing with it’s 400 room harem (the “family quarters”) and Treasury with all the wealth of the sultans, gold, silver and gems as well as the cloak of Profit Muhammad.   The Grand Bazaar is a labyrinth medieval shopping mall.  Many of the old stalls have been turned into glass shops and it is so much fun wandering the 65 streets and 4400 shops.

Make Sure you go to Sea – Think Jason, the Argo and the Golden Fleece

When you need to stop moving your feet and just be moved, take the ferry!  For 30 cents (in 1996) we took a ferry trip up the Bosporus towards the Black Sea,  past the new Sultan’s palace, the Dolmabahce Palace, the then President of Turkey’s home as well as many beautiful Ottoman buildings. Not to be missed.  Make sure you eat the yogurt and powered sugar treat they serve on board.  Istanbul will always be on my top 5 most amazing cities in the world!