About Blue Mosque

With 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops selling everything from bracelets to lanterns, carpets to leather goods, the Grand Bazaar is not to be missed - if not for the shopping, then for the sheer spectacle of the venue itself. Either way you won't be disappointed. For those intent on picking up a souvenir or two, keep in mind that, in anticipation of a lower offer vendors often start the bidding quite high, so you might want to learn the basics of bargaining before attempting a purchase. Once you've completed the transaction try out the local fare at one of the many restaurants located inside the bazaar.

Topkapi Palace was the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Hundreds of rooms and chambers comprise the palace complex, which was once home to as many as 4,000 people. Among the collection of Ottoman relics housed in the palace are porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, calligraphic manuscripts and murals, many of which can now be viewed as part of the museum's permanent exhibit in the Imperial Treasury. Other areas of exceptional beauty include the Imperial Hall, Apartments of the Queen Mother, and the Privy Chamber of Murat III.