Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul

Friendly, welcoming and packed full of epic historical sites, Istanbul provides all that you could wish for from a grand city, with the atmosphere and warmth of a small, local town.

Turkey’s most recognisable city, Istanbul, lies in the western corner of the country, and is where East meets West and the traditional and modern live side by side.

With the Western half of Istanbul in Europe and the Eastern in Asia – with the Bosphorus Strait flowing between them – it is the only metropolis in the world situated on two continents.

nomadic games, Central Asia
Nomadic Games, Turkey

2020 Nomad Games

Dubbed the Olympics for nomads, the 4th World Nomad Games will be held in Bursa, the 1st capital city of the Ottoman Empire, located two and half hours from Istanbul. Kyrgyzstan has hosted this extraordinary spectacle for the previous three years with traditional nomad sports including wrestling, hunting with eagles and equestrian events. The participants are made up of the member countries of the Turkic Council. We can arrange an interesting and authentic experience for you during your visit to Istanbul.

Experiences

It’s all here. Things to see and do, places to explore and moments to discover.

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey

Topkapi Palace

Feel like Ottoman Royalty whilst wandering through the opulence of Topkapi Palace.

Bosphorus River, Istanbul, Turkey

Cruise the Bosphorus

Take a boat out on the Bosphorus for a different view of the bustling city.

Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Blue Mosque

Visit the famous Blue Mosque, staggeringly beautiful inside and out.

Gallipoli, Turkey

Gallipoli Peninsula

Visit the resting place for the fallen of WWI on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Where to Stay

Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.

More luxury accommodation

Chora Church, Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey

Corner-to-corner beauty

Visit some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, barter your way through the labyrinthine grand bazaar, wander the cobbled streets of the ancient Jewish, Greek and Armenian neighbourhoods, take a ferry trip on the Bosphorus or just relax and enjoy the skyline from one of the rooftop bars.

Bursa, Turkey
Bursa, Turkey

Away from the bustle

On the Gallipoli peninsula, visit now peaceful cemeteries, resting place for the fallen of WWI. South of the Sea of Marmara, beneath the slopes of Uludag (Great Mountain), lies the energetic and modern city of Bursa, often referred to as ‘Green Bursa’ due to its numerous parks, gardens and the lush forests. Bursa is also rich in Ottoman architecture as well as being known for its famous Turkish dishes, in particular, candied chestnuts and Ishkender kebab.

Need Inspiration?
Browse our Turkey holiday ideas.

Our Turkey experts have created and curated these holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something to spark ideas for a unique adventure.

Meet our experts

A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.

Kate Hitchen

My travels were first inspired by my love of the UK, which I take as much pleasure in exploring as countries far and wide. For me, travel is all about the adventure, the people I meet and the food I sample along the way.

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