The Hagia Sophia, the Church of Holy Wisdom, probably Istanbul´s most famous landmark is an amazing architectural beauty and an important monument both for Byzantine and for Ottoman Empires.
Blue Mosque, which was built in 1616 is one of the most beautiful mosques in the world and one of very few to have six minarets. The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Mosque dominate the skyline of Istanbul. The Sultanahmet Mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.
Underground Cistern, also known as the Basilica Cistern, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. Do you remember the old James Bond movie From Russia With Love where Bond is rowing in a small boat through a forest of marble columns? The scene was filmed in Underground Cistern.
Old Hippodrom, was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. It was built in 200 ad. Hippodrome was lined once with large impressive columns. Still we can see three of them; Egyptian Obelisk, the Spiral Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine Porphyrogenitus.
Topkapi Palace, was the hearth of the vast Ottoman Empire and home for the Ottoman Sultans for nearly 400 years. Palace is now a museum and the treasures of the museum are considered one of the most famous treasures in the world. Apart from the harem, the courtyard gardens and the architecture, highlights of the courtyard museums, of which there are more than dozen, include: the imperial porcelain collection, the Relic collection, the costume collection and the imperial treasury with its collection of gold and jewellery.
Grand Bazaar, was built in 15thcentury, is the one of the biggest covered bazaar in the world, all kind of shops like ceramic, leather, rugs, jewelry,silver, antiques, blue eye (good luck) and much more. More than 3000 shops, must see, to get best price ,smile and bargain.