Weekend Getaways
Istanbul
Surely, you must have heard of Istanbul, if from nowhere else, then from Tin Alley’s song, who turned centuries of ethnic and religious struggles into a catchy ditty. "Istanbul was Constantinople... Why did Constantinople get the works, That's nobody's business but the Turks!"
True to the song, Istanbul has always been a settlement area of different people from prehistoric times to present days. Due to its geographical location, the city has been the capital city of Great Empires especially the Byzantium and Ottoman, making it one of the few cities to hold diverse cultures and rich historical values. It is also the bridge to the continents of Europe and Asia, via the Bosphorous Strait, making Istanbul now the center of various cultures. In fact, Istanbul has preserved its features of being a political and even a religious center for both Christianity and Islam. No wonder, it is now ornamented with various great monuments with different functions and religions. Other treasures here are the remains of Paleolithic culture rendered in the Yarimburgaz Cave of Kucukcekmece and the remains Phoenicians in Kadikoy (Chalcedon).
Apart from the historical aspect of Istanbul, like Alley’s song, the catchy beat and rhythm also catches the lively spirit that is famed of Istanbul. It is rich with natural beauties making it a town with high local and international tourism potential. It also has Europe’s largest mall (and the world's second biggest shopping center), the Cevahir Shopping Mall, which is flocked daily with foreign tourists. In fact, there are more than 7,000 tourists here everyday.
Come and explore more of Turkey’s opulence. Welcome to Istanbul!
Back to Weekend Getaways