Have you been dreaming of a vacation to Istanbul, one of the most historic and culturally rich cities in the world? Look no further. We have found flight deals from New York, USA to Istanbul in Turkey from only $443!
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Things to do in Istanbul
Hagia Sophia
The Hagia Sophia, or Ayasofya as it is known among Turks, is Istanbul’s icon. It was constructed between 532 and 537, during Justinian’s reign, and is considered one of Byzantine art’s masterpieces.
Hagia Sophia served as the Pope’s church from 1204 to 1261. After more than 900 years as a synagogue, it was taken over by the Ottoman Empire in 1453 and converted into a mosque. The Ottomans added four minarets, a theological academy, and a public dining room to the church. The temple was transformed into a museum by Atatürk in 1935, but it was newly converted back into a mosque in 2020.
Blue mosque
The most significant mosque in Istanbul is the Blue Mosque. It was designed between 1609 and 1616 by Sultan Ahmed I and is known in Turkish as Sultanahmed Camii or Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It was established in 1617, during Mustafa I’s reign.
While it appears to have identical proportions to Hagia Sophia at first glance, real measurements show that it is roughly half the height. The central dome has a diameter of 23 meters and a height of 43 meters. The Blue Mosque has six minarets, which sparked debate at the time of its completion since Mecca already had six. Later, a seventh minaret was built in Mecca to please the faithful and make a difference.
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapi Palace in Istanbul is the finest representation of imperial times and symbolizes the influence that Constantinople attained as the Ottoman Empire’s seat. Sultans ruled their kingdom from this palace until the mid-nineteenth century.
Shortly after Mehmed II conquered Constantinople, work on the Topkapi Palace began. The first palace was completed in 1465. Various kings extended the palace over the next few decades. Sultan Abdulmecid decided to relocate to the Dolmabahçe Building, a western court palace, in 1856.
Basilica Cistern
One of Istanbul’s many cisterns is the Basilica Cistern, also known as the “Submerged Palace”. The cisterns are reservoirs that were designed to provide water supplies to the city in the event of an attack.
The Basilica Cistern was constructed to supply the Byzantine Palace during the reign of Justinian I (527-565). The location (from which it gets its name) was once the basement of a basilica that no longer exists. The aqueducts of Valente (still in use) and Hadrian were used to fill the cistern. The Belgrade Forests, some 20 kilometers from Constantinople, supplied the water for these aqueducts.
Dolmabahçe Palace
From 1856 to 1924, when the caliphate ended, the Dolmabahçe Palace replaced the Topkapi Palace as the sultans’ residence. The palace’s design is a blend of Western Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical designs, as well as typical Ottoman elements. Sultan Abdülmecid ordered the Dolmabahçe Palace to be constructed between 1843 and 1856. It was designed with the aid of four architects from the Ottoman Empire’s Royal Department of Architecture.
The Dolmabahçe Palace is the country’s largest structure, with a façade of more than 600 meters and a floor space of 15,000 square meters. There are 285 rooms, 43 rooms, 68 bathrooms, and 6 Turkish baths on the premises.
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TRAVEL DATES:
September to December 2021.
SAMPLE ROUTES:
New York – Istanbul – New York
STOPS: Paris Orly Airport
Baggage allowances:
Baggage allowances may vary according to route, cabin class
or fare family – for clarification, please contact the airline
Sample dates:
23. September – 8. October
4. November – 26. November
19. November – 26. November
19. November – 11. December
22. November – 11. December
26. November – 6. December
26. November – 11. December
26. November – 13. December
29. November – 6. December
3. December – 13. December
6. December – 13. December
6. December – 19. December
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