Tourist Protection and Support Insurance

For a more joyous and safer holiday in Türkiye, a tourism center with its history, nature and culture, you can get the Tourist Protection and Support Insurance with Covid-19 coverage.

With this project implemented by Türkiye Sigorta under the leadership of the Republic of Türkiye, guests who want to spend a holiday with a peace of mind at the heavenly destinations of Türkiye, leave fatigue and stress of many months behind without worrying about Covid-19.

İstanbul, Bodrum, Cappadocia, Marmaris, Nemrut, Antalya and other wonders of Türkiye… Guests exploring the unique beauties of Türkiye in its azure blue waters, lush green highlands, wide canyons and open air museums, enjoy their holiday with the Tourist Protection and Support Insurance whilst leaving the fear of Covid-19 that took over the whole world behind.

Please visit http://www.covidinsurance4turkey.com/ to apply and get detailed information.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the policy and what does it cover?

The policy pays the medical expenses of the patients who are treated in the hospital with a confirmed Covid-19 diagnosis. If the patient is hospitalized in one of the in-network providers, the payment is made through the Türkiye Sigorta authorization system.

The payment for out-of-network providers is made by the person.

The scope of insurance is determined by the coverages listed in the policy. We kindly advise you to review your policy in order to learn the advantages provided to you with the insurance.

What is the duration of the policy?

Up to maximum 30 days depending on the duration of travel of the insured.

Does the policy have a day limit for hospitalization?

In the event that the insured is hosptalized in intensive care before the policy expires, the treatment will continue for 10 days, even if it expires within this period.

Is there a waiting period?

There is no waiting period for the Covid-19 Tourist Protection and Support Insurance.

Is there an age limit for this policy?

Anyone between 0 and 65 years of age can benefit from Covid-19 Tourist Protection and Support Insurance.

What is covered by the Covid-19 Private Health Insurance Coverage Expenses Insurance?

All health expenses of tourists that may occur in any of the pandemic hospitals, whether private or public, arising from hospitalization due to Covid-19 during their travels in our country are covered by this product including the intensive care costs. The payment process starts as soon as the authorization department of Türkiye Sigorta is contacted during the admission to the hospital.

Under which conditions the claims are paid?

In order for the person to be admitted to the hospital or to the intensive care with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 and for the payment of claims, the hospital should contact the authorization department of Türkiye Sigorta and submit a request. If the hospital is a pandemic hospital but an out-of-network provider, payment is made by the person.

What is required for payments to be made for out-of-network providers?

Copies of entrance and exit stamps in the passport, copy of the first page of the passport, discharge report, doctor’s follow-up forms, detailed list of items listed in the invoice and examination results are required for taking the invoices issued by out-of-network providers into consideration.

Accommodation Support Insurance

The Covid-19 Accommodation Support Insurance guarantees the extra accommodation expenses that may be incurred by the tourists visiting Türkiye for travel, following the issuance of a medical report requiring them to be kept under custody at the hotel where they stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the product content and coverage?

This policy is valid on the condition of accommodating at the Safe Tourism certified hotels since the beginning of the accommodation of the Foreign Tourist. If surveillance decision is taken by public pandemic hospitals because of Covid-19 within the scope and duration of the policy, and if the insure has to prolong their accommodation duration at the hotel, daily compensation amount within the coverage scope of the package chosen will be paid to the insure.

Is the coverage chosen within the package scope paid to the hotel or insured?

Compensation payments Health Insurances are made to the right owner. Therefore, the payments in the related policies will be made to the insured, the right owner.

What is the compensation duration?

Maximum compensation duration to be paid during the policy period is 15 days.

Does it matter if the hospital which decides for surveillance is private of public hospital?

The hospital which decides for supervisory should be public hospital.

Is there any waiting period?

No, there is not any waiting period.

Is there any age limitation?

Tourists between the ages of 0-65 who visit our country can benefit from this product.

Is there any special clause for policy coverage commencement?

The coverage will be valid on the insurance commencement date; policy coverage commencement date cannot be before the date of entry to the boundaries of Turkish Republic. As the commencement date, the date specified on the passport will be taken as basis. Even if the policy expiry date is future dated, coverage expires when it is detected that the insured go outside of the Turkish boundaries based on the passport.

Does any compensation payment made if the supervisory decision is taken during the tour period after Covid-19 diagnosis within the tour scope?

Even though the insurance coverage expires at the end of the tour, if the surveillance decision is made during the tour, compensation is paid during the maximum compensation period even if the tour duration ends. For example, In a 7-day tour, if a surveillance decision is made on the 5th day,  13 days of compensation will be paid in case of an extra stay at the hotel for 15 days.

What is the daily coverage limit?

The maximum compensation period to be paid during the policy shall be limited to the outcome obtained by multiplying the daily hotel accommodation fee for one with 15 days and and limited to maximum 1500€. Our product is arranged on the basis of compensation and the daily amount of compensation specified in the scope of the guarantee is paid to the insuree. The daily compensation fee payable might not be higher than the daily hotel room fee.

COVID-19 Accommodation

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While different street food is popular in different regions, the most popular street food, like simit, can be found nearly everywhere in Türkiye. So, if you are in a rush, or just want to enjoy the vibrant street life in the cities across Türkiye, stop and grab a delicious local snack!

Here is a quick guide to the most popular street eats in Türkiye. 

Simit is a crunchy, circular bread covered with sesame seeds and a true legend among Türkiye’s favorite flavors. The taste of a freshly baked simit is something to savor and cherish. It is a known fact that the locals have a hard time resisting the delicious aroma of this street delight. It can be eaten on its own or with cheese and a cup of tea. Many enjoy it with a glass of ayran, a very popular salted yoğurt drink, in the afternoons. It’s also popular as it is budget- and vegan-friendly. In İstanbul, many people share this delicious snack with seagulls as they cross the Bosphorus on the ferry.

Balık-ekmek is a popular fish sandwich and one of the most popular street foods in Türkiye, best enjoyed on the coasts of Karaköy or Eminönü in İstanbul. The appealing smell of a fresh loaf of bread with warm, grilled fish, fresh greens, and onions invites passersby. It’s very affordable, nutritional, and tasty – and its taste lingers in your mouth!

Kumpir is the ultimate baked potato with a great variety of toppings. Without a doubt, this delicious snack is a major contribution to the many ways of eating potatoes. Following the addition of butter, you are faced with a mountain of choices for further toppings. There’s no limit to how many you can pile on top! Toppings range from sausage to pickles, sweetcorn to olives. It’s guaranteed you’ll come back, time and time again, to try a different combination of flavors. In Istanbul, Ortaköy is the most popular area in the city to enjoy this delicacy.

Döner is one of the most well-known Turkish foods in the world. Pieces of meat are seasoned with suet, local herbs, and spices, skewered on a spit and grilled vertically, served as dürüm (wrap) or as a sandwich. Originally the meat used for döner kebap was lamb. Today, it is made using a mixture of lamb and beef, only beef, or even only chicken.

Kestane kebap, or roasted chestnuts, are delicious street delights that herald the beginning of winter. Their smell is strong enough to make you turn and head straight for the chestnuts being slowly roasted over the embers. When winter comes, it’s possible to find a chestnut seller on every corner in almost every city of Türkiye.

Midye dolma are stuffed mussels, and are another irresistible street food that you can often find in coastal areas, especially in İstanbul and İzmir. The mussels are filled with a special kind of rice, chopped onions, currants, and spices. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself at the side of a counter in the street, squeezing a lot of lemon on the mussel in your hand. Once you start, you might not be able to stop! The flavors are addictive. Many locals have been known to eat as many as 100 in one go!

Kokoreç is chargrilled skewered sheep’s intestines, served in either half or a quarter of a bread loaf with plenty of fat and salt. It’s the street food most enjoyed by dedicated offal lovers!

Tavuklu pilav can be a great option, if you are in a hurry and looking for a grab-and-go. It is simply made by putting boiled chicken pieces on top of plain rice pilaf, an indispensable side dish in classical Turkish cuisine. Boiled chickpeas are also added to this unique duo. A great accompaniment is a glass of ayran and a plate of pickles. It’s easy to spot vendors selling tavuklu pilav in glass-covered carts around town.

Turşu suyu (pickle juice) is delicious with its bold flavor, and is sold in glasses with small pieces of chopped pickles. This unique taste will get you addicted fast! It has a salty and sour taste, and can be found easily at mobile stalls, in bazaars, and markets.

Çiğ köfte dürüm is comprised of bulgur patties wrapped in paper-thin lavaş bread with fresh greens. Aficionados often add lots of lemon and pomegranate syrup, and accompany it with ayran. Çiğ köfte can be found almost everywhere in Türkiye. Traditionally, this dish used to be prepared with raw meat, but this is rarely the case any longer. However, if you are concerned, don’t hesitate to ask!

Lahmacun is a thin, crispy flatbread that has been spread with spicy minced lamb and baked in a stone oven. It is often eaten with parsley and lemon as a wrap. 

Tantuni is originally from Mersin but it is possible to come across this super tasty snack just about everywhere in Türkiye. It is made from a unique combination of chopped meat and parsley, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions, wrapped into a warm flatbread or sandwiched between half a loaf of fresh white bread. Tantuni is the perfect way to fill up your belly fast! Many like to accompany tantuni with şalgam, a spicy fermented purple carrot and turnip drink and a side order of pickles.

Islak hamburger is a simple burger, packed with garlicky flavor, and covered in buttery tomato sauce which accounts for the succulent texture and the sponginess of the bun.

Mısır (corn) is a travel-friendly snack sold by street vendors, and is often a summer staple coinciding with the region’s growing season. Köz mısır is corn on the cob that is grilled and süt mısır is boiled corn kernels – both are presented sprinkled with salt. 

Börek is a flaky pastry, usually filled with cheese, and provides a quick and delicious breakfast when you are on the go.

Sokak poğaçası is a palm-sized bun with or without filling. It can also be found in bakeries.

Kağıt helva is a crispy wafer with a sweet filling made of condensed milk.

Buzlu badem (fresh almonds on ice) is one of the best and most refreshing street snacks, especially in the overwhelming summer heat. Fresh almonds are boiled or blanched in hot water, then peeled and served on ice. Vendors usually stop and offer their wares to customers at tables in bars and restaurants. This fresh snack is a street food you will encounter while walking along the city streets in the evening.

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The importance of serpme kahvaltı is to share the food, which is literally spread across the entire table, and altogether to enjoy the experience with family, friends, neighbors, loved ones, or whoever is hungry! This is a highly traditional way to enjoy breakfast for long hours. Turkish people go out on weekends to have breakfast with family and friends at popular cafés and restaurants, or go to the countryside for a rustic breakfast experience.  

The breakfast usually starts with drinking a cup of Turkish tea and at the end, Turkish coffee is served to aid digestion. Turkish coffee is usually served with a lokum (Turkish delight) in the traditional way. Actually, the word “breakfast” in Turkish, namely kahvaltı, is a combination of the words “coffee” (kahve) and under or before (altı). This is because Turkish coffee is strong to drink on an empty stomach, and you need to eat something before enjoying it – thus, the word kahvaltı can be literally translated as “before-coffee.”

As breakfast takes long hours and is bountiful enough to fill you up, the other meals of the day can be skipped or a simple, light dinner might be adequate.

Thanks to its diverse fauna, rich culinary heritage, and abundant landscape, numerous breakfast options in Türkiye are enriched with local, artisanal products that can be found nowhere else. This stunning diversity actually reveals why breakfast means so much to Turkish people. Let’s discover together some of Türkiye’s most tempting regional breakfasts!

Aegean Türkiye’s Regional Breakfast

The breakfasts of Aegean Türkiye are abundant in lush greens, olives, and extra virgin olive oil.  The fresh herbs and olives of the region are paired with Ezine beyaz peyniri (full-fat white cheese from the district of Ezine) or Bergama tulumu (traditional cheese mostly made of ewe’s milk and aged in sheepskin sack) and boyoz, and make for an incredible meal! You can find the best tulum in Bergama District – make sure to enjoy it at breakfast alongside fresh vegetables and herbs, and a hot cup of Turkish tea! Aegean Türkiye’s breakfast also offers all kind of jams which are mostly homemade with fresh ingredients such as apricots, all kinds of berries, roses, citrus fruits, figs, quince, eggplants, pomegranates, herbs, walnuts, mastic, and even mandarin peels!

Gaziantep’s Regional Breakfast

Gaziantep, which has a worldwide reputation for its cuisine, has a very special breakfast. Beyran (a hearty soup made with rendered lamb fat that’s topped with rice and shredded lamb meat) is one of the most popular and preferred breakfast dishes in the region, and is accompanied by katmer (thin phyllo dough, lots of pistachios, sugar, and butter served with clotted cream), nohut dürüm (chickpea wrap), ciğer dürüm (liver wrap), sahan kaymağı (milk cream), muhammara (roasted spicy red pepper dip with walnuts), yumurta piyazı (egg salad), and much more.

Van’s Regional Breakfast

Van’s breakfast spread is the richest in Türkiye. Van and breakfast are, in fact, synonymous in Türkiye, and Van-style breakfast restaurants have opened to fanfare in major cities like İstanbul and Ankara. The Van breakfast table is famous for its rich selection and offers a menu consisting of completely natural products. Restaurants that specialize in Van breakfasts serve regional delicacies such as the famous otlu peynir (herbed cheese), a slightly crumbly, potent cheese spiked with an herb called sirmo, locally referred to as “wild garlic.” Traditional Van çöreği (a special kind of pastry baked in stone ovens), murtuğa (eggs with flour and butter), and kavut (a very old halva recipe) are also served for breakfast, accompanied by cups of freshly brewed Turkish tea.

And while some of these establishments may be representing the city well, to truly experience the famous breakfast, you need to travel to the source!

Black Sea Türkiye’s Regional Breakfast

In each province of the Black Sea region, a typical breakfast offers different delicious and natural products. Mıhlama, also known as muhlama or kuymak, is the most renowned specialty. It is made by slowly cooking corn flour, butter, and melted kolot (also known as koleti) cheese, and resembles fondue. It is eaten by dipping pieces of fresh, crispy bread into the mixture – be careful not to get cheese on your clothes as the cheese is very stringy! Other unique regional flavors are kaygana (local omelet made using flour), turşu kavurması (fried pickles), mısır ekmeği (corn bread) and a variety of pides (flatbreads). Your breakfast in the fresh air and lush nature of the Black Sea will probably be one of the best breakfasts of your life! Also, make sure to try a slice of warm local Vakfıkebir bread with a generous dollop of local butter and the world-famous Anzer honey, produced in the high plateaus of the Black Sea that are full with wild endemic flowers.

Staples of Turkish Breakfast

A Turkish breakfast is the best way to get your day started anywhere in the world. It’s filling, giving you all the energy you need, but light so you’re not weighed down all day. It offers lots of variety, so the picky eaters can choose what they like. It’s also vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, but still with some lovely meat products for the carnivores. In short, it can please any palate. Let’s take a closer look into the staples of a typical Turkish breakfast.

Please note that regional differences are broad, with various products and tastes served in different spots across the country. The items below, however, are generally included in a standard Turkish breakfast, while different places will add a local flavor to the staples.

Turkish Tea Culture

More tea is consumed in Türkiye than any other country in the world, and it starts at breakfast. In Türkiye, black tea is much more common than any other kind of tea and çay (Turkish Black tea) is made in a teapot called çaydanlık, consisting of two parts. The bigger part is used to boil the water. A portion of that boiled water is then added to the second, smaller pot on the top, filled with spoonfuls of tea leaves. Turkish tea has a strong taste but is never bitter, and is served in beautiful fluted glass cups, adding to the aesthetics of breakfast. Although it was late to become an integral part of Turkish life, tea has a history of 5,000 years and has now become an indispensable part of Turkish culture. Turkish brewing techniques and presentation have a significant share in this success. Tea is consumed at all hours of the day and is a must at breakfast. All you need is a nice cup of Turkish tea to complete your incredible morning feast.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Peppers are often added, but tomatoes and cucumbers are essential to any Turkish breakfast, particularly Çengelköy cucumbers, which are smaller and tastier than normal cucumbers. Obviously, this salad is typically served with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor. 

Cheese

Beyaz peynir (white cheese) is an absolute must at any Turkish breakfast table, and typically there’s a variety of different types of cheese at breakfast. The options are numerous: Kars kaşarı (aged kaşar cheese from Kars Province), Kars gravyeri (local gruyere from Kars Province), Van otlu peyniri (herbed cheese from Van Province), lor (low-salt, low-fat cheese curd), dil peyniri (stringy fresh milk cheese) and many more. Tulum cheese (cheese aged in goatskin casing) is popular all around Central Türkiye, and is a crumbly sharp cheese that goes wonderfully well with walnuts and freshly baked bread. Çökelek (curd cheese made from yoğurt) is excellent in pastries and is often seasoned to give in an extra bit of flavor. If it is served on its own, it’s often presented with a drizzle of olive oil and black cumin seeds. Mihaliç cheese from the Marmara region of Türkiye is the perfect choice for delicious grilled cheese sandwiches with its salty and sharp taste.

Olives

Usually both black and green olives will be served. Be prepared for delicious Turkish olives to be better and more flavorful than any you’ve ever had before!

Eggs

You’ll find some form of cooked eggs at almost every Turkish breakfast. Probably the most common egg dish is called menemen, a popular breakfast staple made of scrambled eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices. Cheese or meat can be added – it’s sweet and delicious regardless of how you have it!

If menemen doesn’t sound to your taste, boiled eggs and sucuklu yumurta, fried eggs with beef sausage called sucuk, are also very common at a Turkish breakfast table.

Breads

Bread is another critical part of Turkish breakfast. Standard Turkish white bread, called ekmek, with a crispy crust and a light fluffy inside, is always hot and freshly baked. A sesame seed-covered, round, crispy bread called simit is also present at just about every Turkish breakfast. From there, açma and poğaça breakfast rolls, often stuffed with anything from cheese to meat to olive paste, are commonly served. The bread is used to eat with the salad and to soak up any sauce from a menemen, olive oil, or some of the other tasty dips on the breakfast menu.

Bal-Kaymak (Honey and Clotted Cream)

This is a luxury at most breakfasts, but it’s an absolute must. The unique clotted cream known as kaymak is rich, and Turkish honey, bal, is also famed to be amongst the best, with hundreds of different types to offer. The variety depends on the local fauna and all honey is 100% natural. In fact, honey straight off the comb is also very common in Türkiye, with locals heading to the store and buying an entire honeycomb rather than a jar.

Butter

Butter is produced from two different materials in Türkiye, cream and yoğurt. The butter produced from fresh or strained yoğurt is called yayık tereyağı (yayık butter) and has been traditionally produced in Türkiye for centuries.

Acuka

This varies from region to region, but acuka is basically a spread made of tomato and/or red pepper paste, walnuts, and spices, and is part of breakfast all over the country. It’s often got a bit of a kick to it, so watch out!

Jams and Marmalades

Turkish cuisine has an extraordinary jam culture and most regions have a variety of jam for which they’re most famous. You’ll find different locally made products wherever you happen to be, and they’ll all be equally 100% natural and delicious. Oftentimes, sugar isn’t even added, allowing the flavor of the fruits to stand on its own!

Jam culture in Turkish cuisine has come down to the present day from the time of the Ottoman Empire, where jam was a luxurious and indispensable food. A part of the imperial kitchen was reserved for jam-making and there the cooks made jams full time. Jam was also considered a healing food in Ottoman cuisine. Sugar was first used by pharmacists in Ottoman times. At that time, the health benefits of fruit tree flowers were identified by Ottoman physicians. In Ottoman cuisine, jam was produced from many plants: melons, watermelons, eggplants, green lemons, almonds, hazelnuts, Erguvan (Judas tree) flowers, lotus flowers, etc. Special gardens were designed for the cultivation of products that were used for jams. For rose jam, known as the “sultan of jams,” special roses were grown in the garden of the Edirne Palace. The way the jam was presented was also very important. There were special jam jars, and guests were given jam before being served Turkish coffee. After a big dinner banquet at the palace, jam was always served. The stylish and sparkling jam jars imported from Europe stood out during these presentations.

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With one arm reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe, İstanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents. The Bosphorus courses the waters of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Golden Horn through the city’s heart.

İstanbul’s fate has been sealed by its strategic location and its enchanting natural beauty. For more than 1,500 years it was the capital of three empires: The Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. It was adorned as befitted its importance with magnificent monuments and became a metropolis where diverse cultures, nations, and religions mingled. These cultures, nations, and religions are the small colored stones that form the mosaic of İstanbul.

Striking Multireligious Identity

İstanbul’s identity began to take shape with the Byzantines and gained momentum during the period of the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror declared İstanbul the capital of Ottoman Empire after he conquered the city in 1453. Over the next 450 years the city was adorned with superb Ottoman monuments. Building works after the conquest gathered apace during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, with the finest works built by Mimar Sinan, the Chief Royal Architect. This world-famous architect put his signature on the silhouette of İstanbul with a number of masterpieces.

The Ottomans were tolerant towards all religions and dedicated many places of worship to the Christian and Jewish communities so that they could practice their religion undisturbed. Thus, in İstanbul mosques, churches, and synagogues stood and still stand side by side as the physical evidence of İstanbul as a center and symbol of tolerance and the fraternity of religions. 

Glorious Treasures

As an imperial capital of 1,500 years, İstanbul is rich in architectural monuments reflecting its past splendor.

At every turn in the city one can happen upon Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman palaces, mosques, churches, monasteries, monuments, walls, and ruins. The old city center, with its places of worship, government, trade and entertainment, was where the citizens mingled, enjoying the benefits of the security and bounty of the state while maintaining their culture and way of life.

The most magnificent of İstanbul’s monuments are clustered on the Historical Peninsula, the triangular piece of land surrounded by the Sea of Marmara to the east and south, by the Golden Horn to the north, and by the city walls to the west. This group of sites, known as the Historic Areas of İstanbul, were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, and continue to this day to impress visitors with their history and importance. Sultanahmet Square is the heart of the Historical Peninsula and in its vicinity one can find the most prominent examples of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture.

Living Heritage of the Byzantines

During the Byzantine period the center of the city was the Hippodrome and its environs. The palace was the center of power and Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque) was the most spectacular religious building. The hippodrome served as an entertainment center for the people and the Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Basilica Cistern) supplied most of the city’s water. All these structures can be found in the center of the city. During Ottoman times, the square where the hippodrome once stood became the site for the circumcision ceremonies of the sultans’ sons.

Great Mystic Symbols

The most glorious architectural heritage of the Byzantine Empire is Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque) which is referred to as the “8th Wonder of the World.” With a history of more than 1,500 years, it is one of the great symbols of İstanbul. The mosaics of Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque), which were uncovered after it became a museum, are the foremost examples of Byzantine art of the 9th to 12th centuries. The Kariye Mosque (former Chora Church) is another Byzantine monument famous for its fine mosaics and frescoes. The Neve Shalom, Ahrida, and Aşkenazi Synagogues are three of the most important sacred places for Judaism in İstanbul.

The Topkapı Palace is particularly important for the Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi (Chamber of Holy Relics) where Prophet Muhammed’s Hırka-i Saadet (Blessed Mantle) and Sancak-ı Şerif (Holy Banner) are kept in their golden chests. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, was built between 1609 and 1616, and houses the tomb of its founder, Sultan Ahmed I, a madrasah, and a hospice.

Historic Areas of İstanbul

The Historic Areas of İstanbul, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985, cover four main areas: The Archaeological Park, the Süleymaniye Mosque and its associated conservation area, Zeyrek Mosque and its associated conservation area, and the City Walls of İstanbul. In its evaluation report, the International Council on Monuments and Sites has stated that one cannot conceive of the UNESCO World Heritage List without İstanbul, which has been associated with the world’s major political, religious, and artistic events for over 2,000 years. The cultural property in this area includes unique monuments and masterpieces of universal architecture. Two of these monuments are Ayasofya-i Kebîr Cami-i Şerîfi (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque) , built by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus in AD 532-537, and the Süleymaniye Mosque, a masterpiece of Mimar Sinan (“Architect Sinan”) or Mimar Koca Sinan (“Great Architect Sinan”). The 6,650-meter-long city walls of Theodosius II, with its second line of defenses created in AD 447, has been one of the world’s leading references in military architecture.

The Other Shore

Another historical area of İstanbul, on the opposite shore of the Golden Horn, is the former district of Pera, meaning “the other shore.” Settled by Genoese and Venetians in the 12th century, this quarter was inhabited mostly by Levantines and represented the city’s Western face. The cosmopolitan character of ancient İstanbul is reflected in the following buildings in Pera: the Galata Tower built by the Genoese, stately consulates which were embassies before the capital was moved to Ankara, and the Art Nouveau buildings of İstiklal Avenue. Church of St. Anthony of Padua, a silent and tranquil spot on this avenue, is visited frequently by devout visitors of every religion. Palaces, summer palaces, castles, and large mansions built by the Ottomans continue to adorn İstanbul. After Topkapı Palace, Yıldız Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace on the shores of the Bosphorus became the residences of the Ottoman sultans. İstanbul is also famous for the elegant wooden houses, known as yalıs, built along the shores of the strait.

Haliç, The Golden Horn

This horn-shaped estuary known as the Golden Horn divides European İstanbul in two. As one of the world’s best natural harbors, the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and their commercial shipping interests were centered here. Today, lovely parks and promenades line the shores where the setting sun casts a golden hue on the water. At Fener and Balat, neighborhoods midway up the Golden Horn, whole streets full of old wooden houses, churches, and synagogues date from Byzantine and Ottoman times, while the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople resides at Fener. Eyüp, a little further up, is full of Ottoman architecture, much of it restored, and cemeteries dotted with dark cypress trees covering the hillsides. Many believers come to the Tomb of Eyüp in the hope that their prayers will be granted. The Pierre Loti Café, atop the hill overlooking the shrine, is a wonderful place to enjoy an alternative view of İstanbul.

The Bosphorus

A stay in İstanbul is not complete without a traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, the strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendors and simple beauty.

Modern hotels stand next to yalıs (waterfront wooden villas), marble palaces abut on rustic stone fortresses, and elegant compounds neighbor small fishing villages.

The best way to see the Bosphorus is to board one of the passenger boats that regularly zigzag along the shores. Embark at Eminönü and stop alternately on the Asian and European sides of the strait! The round-trip excursion, very reasonably priced, takes about six hours. For those who want a private voyage, there are agencies that specialize in organizing daytime or nighttime mini-cruises.

During the trip you will go past the magnificent Dolmabahçe Palace, while further along you will encounter the green parks and imperial pavilions of Yıldız Palace. Built on the waterfront with parks extending behind it, Çırağan Palace was refurbished in 1874 by Sultan Abdülaziz, and is now restored as a grand hotel. For 300 meters along the Bosphorus shore, its ornate marble facades reflect the swiftly moving water. At Ortaköy, the next stop, every Sunday artists gather to exhibit their work in a street-side gallery where the variety of people create a lively scene. While in Ortaköy, you should sample a tasty kumpir (baked potato) from one of the street vendors. And also note its church, mosque, and synagogue that have existed side by side for hundreds of years – a tribute to Türkiye’s tolerance at grassroots level. Overshadowing İstanbul’s traditional architecture at Ortaköy is one of the world’s largest suspension bridges, the Boğaziçi Bridge, linking Europe and Asia.

Shore Excursion

The beautiful Beylerbeyi Palace lies just past the bridge on the Asian side and behind the palace rises Çamlıca Hill, the highest point in İstanbul. You can drive here to admire the magnificent panorama of İstanbul and the beautiful, landscaped gardens. On the opposite shore, the wooden Ottoman villas of Arnavutköy create a contrast with the luxurious modern apartments of neighboring Bebek. A few kilometers further along the Bosphorus stand the fortresses of Rumeli Hisarı (Rumeli Fortress) and Anadolu Hisarı (Anatolian Fortress) facing each other across the strait like watchful protectors. Göksu Palace, sometimes known as Küçüksu Palace, graces the Asian shore next to Anadolu Hisarı. As the second link between the two continents, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge straddles the waterway just past these two fortresses.

From Duatepe Hill on the European side you can admire the magnificent panorama of the bridge and the Bosphorus. Below Duatepe, beautiful Emirgan Park bursts with color when its tulips bloom in the spring. On the Asian shore is Kanlıca, a fishing village that is now a favored suburb for affluent İstanbul residents. Crowds gather in the restaurants and cafés along its shores to sample its famous yogurt.

Shortly after Kanlıca and Çubuklu is Beykoz Korusu (İbrahim Paşa Woods), a popular retreat. In its cafés and restaurants, you can enjoy the delightful scenery and clean, fresh air. Back on the European side, at Tarabya Bay, yachts seem to dance at the moorings. The coastal road then bustles with taverns and fish restaurants from Tarabya to the charming suburbs of Sarıyer and Büyükdere. Sarıyer has one of the largest fish markets in İstanbul and is also famous for its delicious varieties of milk puddings and börek (pastries). After Sarıyer, the narrow strait widens and opens into the Black Sea.

Around İstanbul?

The Princes’ Islands, an archipelago of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, were places of exile for Byzantine princes. Today, during the summer months, İstanbul residents escape to the islands’ cool sea breeze and elegant 19th-century houses.

Büyükada is the largest of the islands. Here you can enjoy a ride e-cart among the pine trees or relax on a beach in one of the numerous coves that ring the island. The other popular islands are Kınalı, Sedef, Burgaz, and Heybeliada. Regular ferryboats connect the islands with both the European and Asian shores, and a faster sea bus service operates from Kabataş in the summer.

Istanbul – Turkey yazısı ilk önce DMC Turquia - Turquia Travel - Global travel, Global events üzerinde ortaya çıktı.