IST · 41.01° N · 28.95° E · Türkiye
The city on the Bosphorus, between Europe and Asia, with Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks, busy bazaars and ferries across the strait.
Istanbul is a city of two continents. It sits on both shores of the Bosphorus, the strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, so its European and Asian sides face each other across the water.
As Byzantium and then Constantinople, it was the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and its historic areas have been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1985. Hagia Sophia dates from the reign of Justinian I. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, was built from 1609 to 1617, and Topkapı Palace was built for Sultan Mehmed II between 1459 and 1465.
Between the monuments, leave time for the bazaars, the food and a ferry across the Bosphorus.
Our four nights at the Pera Palace Hotel put you in Beyoğlu, across the Golden Horn from the old city. Turkish Airlines and British Airways fly direct from Heathrow, and our London team can help you plan which sights to see on which day.
The mild months are April to June and September to October, with average highs of about 16 to 26°C. July and August average about 28°C and feel humid. Winter is cool and wet, and in most years snow settles.
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From London Heathrow Airport · Four nights at the Pera Palace Hotel, opened in 1895 for Orient Express passengers, with direct flights from Heathrow. Istanbul's old city lies just across the Golden Horn.
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