Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Atatürk Cultural Centre , home
to various festivals of music,
dance and theatre, dominates the
area, while the nearby Yildiz Parki
is popular with locals and visitors
alike. A large green park full of
lakes and pavilions, it is a great
place to visit for a walk, jog or to
let the youngsters let off some
steam. A short walk away - or
hop on a city sightseeing tour or
bus - is the great Dolmabahçe
Palace (see p. 70), which lies on
the banks of the Bosphorus. See
the unmoving uniformed guard at
the entrance. Your little ones will
be sure to want their photograph
taken beside him. Along the river
at Ortakoy , once a small fishing
harbour and now a major inter-
section of shops and restaurants,
are the Military Museum and the
Naval Museum (see p. 73).
dominate the skyline of the
Grand Bazaar (see p. 64) district,
but it is the 4,000 or so shopkeep-
ers, all vying for trade and encour-
aging you to haggle, that give it its
unique atmosphere. The Book
Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar ,
the latter a short walk away from
the Eminönü ferry terminal and
tram stop, are two of the notable
areas within the bazaar district.
However, it isn't only topics and
spices to be found here. In fact,
you'll see everything from local
crafts and leatherware to jewellery.
The Grand Bazaar itself is a
labyrinth of alleyways, bursting
with colour from the lamps,
ceramics, clothing and beads that
are displayed at every turn. A trip
around this area of Istanbul will
become a memory that will last
forever. Don't forget to visit
Sirkeci Station (see p. 57), too, if
you're not already travelling
through it. Not only does it
display the interior-design con-
cept of a bygone era, but has a
The Grand Bazaar
The Süleymaniye Mosque (see
p. 71) and the Galata Bridge
The Grand Bazaar
64
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