"There, God and human, nature and art are together, they have created such a perfect place that it is valuable to see." Lamartine's famous poetic line reveals his love for Istanbul, describing the embracing of two continents, with one arm reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe.
Istanbul, once known as the capital of capital cities, has many unique features. It is the only city in the world to straddle two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two consecutive empires - Christian and Islamic. Once capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul still remains the commercial, historical and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to embrace its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and secular, Asia and Europe, mystical and earthly all co-exist here.
Its variety is one of Istanbul's greatest attractions: The ancient mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars reflect its diverse history. The thriving shopping area of Taksim buzzes with life and entertainment. And the serene beauty of the Bosphorus, Princes Islands and parks bring a touch of peace to the otherwise chaotic metropolis.

Changa
Under the direction of the renowned New Zealand chef, Peter Gordon, Changa presents a modern cuisine that fuses old with new, reinterpreting rich, traditional Turkish dishes. This chef, who won the Best Restaurant award in the 2007 Wallpaper Design Awards, has established himself in an old building of the Art Nouveau period close to the Taskim area.

360 Istanbul
This restaurant-club is perched up in the attic of a block of 19th century apartments. Despite the few directions available, it is one of the city’s landmarks. You can find typical Turkish cuisine, fused with oriental touches. The food makes the visit worthwhile, but above all, the impressive vistas of the skyline of the mosques and palaces of old Istanbul give it the finishing touch.

Reina
This club is one of the great discoveries in Istanbul. Situated in the Ortaköy district, the Reina is a restaurant that becomes a disco at night, with different ambiances and a crazy rhythm, where the most beautiful women in the city can be seen.

Supperclub
A design restaurant situated in the Ortaköy district, close to the Reina, where one can eat stretched out and drink Munislannor Special, their speciality. There are usually shows at night-time and it is often frequented by celebrities.

Gethhois
This music lounge is located in the historical heart of Beyoglu. It has become a household name in Istanbul since 2007, thanks to a unique musical vision and the contribution of a wide selection of local and international artistes. It is currently the city’s leading live music showcase.

Babylon
Established at the end of the 80s, Babylon is a place created by and for music, dedicated to the development of a musical culture by means of concerts, festivals and artistes who play all kinds of music, from the purest jazz, through rock and roll and electronics.

The Grand Bazaar
An area comprising 80 streets, more than 4,000 shops, bars, cafés and restaurants where one can buy everything imaginable: clothes, all kinds of jewellery, silks, watches, carpets, souvenirs… It is original in that the streets bear the names of the articles sold in the shops, so one can guess what sort of shops are to be found by looking at the name of the street. Bargaining in the Grand Bazaar is obligatory, as the prices given by the vendors are far above their real value, knowing that the customer is going to reduce the price. A famous part of the Bazaar is the Koylu Pazari, meaning “the people’s marketplace”, where throughout history craftsmen have been selling their silks and fabrics to the sultanas.

Istiklal Caddesi
The main thoroughfare of Taksim is Istiklal Caddesi. A street formed by 19th century buildings that is worth strolling through. The street, a pedestrian area, is crossed only by a tram that connects the Mevlevi Monastery with Taksim  

Square
We will find a street closed to traffic, busy and bustling, lined with shops selling fashion clothing. The street is a hive of activity, with street vendors on every corner selling all kinds of merchandise. We can also find some of the best kebab restaurants in the city. This is the ideal place to buy clothes in European style stores, without the bargaining and pressure of the bazaar.

Beymen
Beymen introduced the concept of the exclusive boutique in Turkey, bringing in designs by the main international brands, entering the Turkish market for the first time. Beymen is a fashion and design trend-marker in Istanbul. Some of the designers to be found here are Allesandro dell´Acqua. Armani, D&G, Balenciaga, Givenchi, Kenzo o Marc Jacobs.

St. Sophia
The Church of the Sacred Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) is one of the most important religious monuments in the world. The building rises on the same site as earlier edifices from the Byzantine period. It was inaugurated by Emperor Justiniano in 537, becoming the most important place of worship in the Byzantine era. The Moslems converted it into a mosque and it is from this period that the minarets, graves and fountains for the traditional ablutions date back. It is not now a place of worship but a monument. The dimensions of the nave and cupola impress visitors as it reaches a height of 56 metres. This cupola gives such a sensation of the grandiose that, together with the decoration, the visitor is transported back to the 6th century.

The Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque is, together with St. Sophia, one of Istanbul’s great monuments, set in Sultanahmet. It is called the Blue Mosque on account of the rich, Iznik tiling to be found inside. This mosque, one of the most important places of worship in the world, is noteworthy for its majestic aspect that is only disturbed by the cry of the seagulls that fly to its minarets.
The Blue Mosque was built between 609 y1616 and provoked great controversy in Mecca, the only mosque that, at the time, was adorned with six minarets. All was solved when Mecca built a seventh minaret and thus recovered its former hierarchical superiority.

The Palace of Topkapi
Between 1459 and 1465 Mehmet II built the Topkapi Palace to use it as his normal residence. The Palace was built in the form of a series of pavilions joined by gardens and courtyards. Each pavilion was used for a different purpose: the kitchens, the concubines’ residence, the eunuchs’ living quarters… Many of the pavilions now display exhibitions of utensils used by the Turks of the period.

The Galata Tower
The most characteristic building in the Taksim area is the Galata Tower. It is a circular tower built in 1348, 62 metres in height. Despite its great height, it is a little difficult to locate as it is set in a veritable labyrinth of narrow, almost deserted alleys. The effort made to walk up the 62 metres of winding staircase is worthwhile because, once one has reached the top one can see practically the whole city. It is a splendid place for taking panoramic photos. From this vantage point, one can see the most important mosques, the Bosphorus or the busy comings-and-goings on the bridges leading from Eminönu to Taksim.