Istanbul, made for seeing.

Silent witness of 1500 years of empires. Byzantine cathedral, Ottoman mosque, museum, mosque again — history under one dome.

Imperial mosque with six minarets. The interior is covered in 20,000 İznik tiles — that's where the name 'Blue Mosque' comes from.

Palace that housed Ottoman sultans for 400 years. Gardens overlooking the Bosphorus, the Harem, the treasury.

Underground water cistern from the Byzantine era. 336 columns, Medusa heads, an eerie atmosphere with light and music.

One of the world's oldest covered markets. 4,000 shops, 61 streets, 600 years of trade.

400-year-old address for spices, Turkish delight, dried fruit and traditional flavors. Right next to Galata Bridge.

Mimar Sinan's masterpiece. On a hill overlooking the Golden Horn, an austere grandeur as an answer to Hagia Sophia.

One of Turkey's most sacred mosques. Along with the tomb of Halid bin Zeyd — the spiritual heart of the city.

The richest Byzantine mosaics and frescoes after Hagia Sophia. 14th century, small in scale but a treasure inside.

Two-level historic bridge across the Golden Horn. Anglers on top, meyhanes below — where the city's pulse beats.

Colorful houses, steep lanes, churches, synagogues — historic minority neighborhoods, now viral on Instagram.

Public park that was once Topkapı Palace's outer garden. Tulip Festival, ancient trees, Bosphorus view.

The Byzantine chariot stadium, the Ottoman At Meydanı. Obelisk, Serpent Column, German Fountain — an open-air museum.

9-century-old stone tower with 360° panoramic views of Istanbul. A Genoese legacy, the symbol of Beyoğlu.

1.4 km pedestrian avenue along an old tram line. Shops, restaurants, historic arcades — the spine of Beyoğlu.

The heart of modern Istanbul. Republic Monument, Taksim Mosque, the start of İstiklal — where all roads cross.

Imperial palace on the Bosphorus shore, decorated with 14 tons of gold leaf. The Ottoman center after Topkapı.

A delicate waterside mosque right under the Bosphorus Bridge. One of Istanbul's most photographed scenes.

Walls built by Mehmet the Conqueror at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus before the conquest of Istanbul — finished in just 4 months.

A historic café atop a hill overlooking the Golden Horn, named after the French author Pierre Loti. Reached by cable car from Eyüp Sultan.

A small tower on a tiny islet in the middle of the Bosphorus, the subject of legends. Reached by ferry from Üsküdar shore.

Istanbul's highest hill. Turkey's largest mosque and a 360° city view.

19th-century Ottoman summer palace on the Asian-side Bosphorus shore. The more compact sibling of Dolmabahçe.

A car-free, peaceful Marmara island full of wooden mansions. 90 minutes by ferry — the city's escape.

The smaller, older sibling of Rumeli Fortress, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Built in 1394 by Bayezid the Thunderbolt.