| Istanbul the best known city in Turkey is without | | | | within close walking distance, or at worst a two or |
| doubt Europe's most exotic city, and is the ideal place | | | | three stop tram ride. |
| to escape to for a weekend city break, or a | | | | Your second day of your weekend city break should |
| romantic weekend getaway. | | | | include Topkapi Palace which is right on your |
| Istanbul may be in Europe, but it has the greatest | | | | doorstep, and the Grand Bazaar. |
| Mosque you may ever see. It is split by huge | | | | You need to be at the Topkapi Palace before it |
| expanses of the Bosphorus where Asia and Europe | | | | opens and go to the Harem to book your place on |
| meet, and it isn't expensive so is ideal for a cheap | | | | the escorted tour, before exploring the rest of the |
| getaway. | | | | Palace. Lunch in the Konyali Restaurant overlooking |
| It is important to see all the sights in Istanbul, and so | | | | the Bosphorous and the Sea of Marmara is the ideal |
| your weekend Istanbul vacation needs careful | | | | mid day break, after which you can take the short |
| planning, and you should plan to arrive in Istanbul as | | | | tram trip to the Grand Bazaar for an unforgettable |
| early as you can on a Friday, leaving as late as | | | | shopping experience. A firm no thank you does work, |
| possible on a Monday, because you really need four | | | | but be fair to the traders by not pretending interest |
| days to see the sights whether it is for a weekend | | | | when no interest is there. |
| getaway or a romantic city break. | | | | You could take a taxi to the Church of the Holy |
| On day one of your weekend getaway to Istanbul | | | | Saviour in Chora, the Kariye Muzesi, where there are |
| should take in the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the | | | | outstanding Byzantine mosaics. |
| Hippodrome after checking into your Istanbul | | | | Walk drink and dine in the evening along the Istiklal |
| accommodation, and your Istanbul hotel need not be | | | | Caddesi otherwise known as La Grande Rue de Pera, |
| expensive. There is a great deal of sense in booking | | | | provoding it is a Friday or Saturday and you will find |
| a hotel in the heart of historic old Istanbul, called the | | | | plenty of small family run Tavernas, Cafes, and Bars. |
| Sultanahmet, so when you are planning your | | | | Your third day could be a Cruise on the Bosphorous |
| weekend getaway then this is where you should look | | | | assuming it is a Saturday or a Sunday, and on your |
| for your accommodation. The Four Seasons would be | | | | last day visit the Archaelogical Museums, the Museum |
| a top class Istanbul Hotel especially for a weekend | | | | of Turkish and Islamic Arts, the Egyptian market or |
| break. | | | | take the ferry over the Bosphorous and back again |
| Your first afternoon after lunching in one of the | | | | allowing you to say you have been on two different |
| many restaurants in this part of Istanbul, should be | | | | continents on the same day!! |
| on foot, with a walking tour of Sultanahmet, but | | | | Istanbul is like that, being two quite different |
| restricting yourself to the above mentioned Blue | | | | continents in one, and just a perfect choice for a |
| Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Hippodrome, and | | | | romantic weekend city break getaway. |
| possibly the Sunken Palace Cistern, which are all | | | | |