Istanbul

Built in the early 17th century, this Ottoman mosque is named for the blue İznik tiles that cover its interior walls and dome.

Completed in 537 CE, this Byzantine cathedral was the largest domed structure in the world for over a thousand years.

Residence of Ottoman sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, this sprawling palace complex overlooks the Golden Horn and contains courtyards, gardens, and pavilions.

This UNESCO World Heritage plaza is bounded by the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cistern.

An underground Byzantine water reservoir built in the 6th century, this subterranean hall holds 336 columns reflected in shallow water.

One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, dating to the 15th century, with over 4,000 shops arranged in vaulted corridors.

Commissioned by Süleyman the Magnificent and completed in 1557, this grand mosque dominates the skyline above the Golden Horn.

The narrow waterway separating Europe and Asia, lined with palaces, fortresses, and fishing villages.

Two adjacent historic quarters along the Golden Horn, known for steep cobbled lanes, pastel-painted houses, and layered religious heritage.

This three-building complex houses one of the world's richest collections of ancient artefacts, spanning Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, and Anatolian civilizations.

A 15th-century Ottoman fortress on the European shore of the Bosphorus, built by Mehmed II before the conquest of Constantinople.

Historic neighbourhood on the Golden Horn's western shore, home to Ottoman-era wooden houses painted in pastel yellows, blues, and pinks.

A Byzantine church dating to the 4th century, later expanded and decorated with remarkable mosaics and frescoes during the 14th century.

A small archipelago in the Sea of Marmara, reached by ferry from the European shore.

Built in the 17th century, this L-shaped market near the Galata Bridge specialises in spices, dried fruits, nuts, and Turkish sweets.

An industrial museum in a restored foundry and shipyard on the Golden Horn.

A working Ottoman bathhouse built in 1584 by Mimar Sinan's student Mehmet Ağa.

A district on the Asian shore known for its produce market, street food, and residential streets lined with cafés and independent bookshops.

A Mimar Sinan mosque from 1562, built for Süleyman the Magnificent's daughter.

A hilltop café in Eyüp overlooking the Golden Horn, named after the French novelist who frequented the area.

The outer gardens of Topkapı Palace, opened to the public in 1912.