Ä°stanbul Hotel Guide
Istanbul, Turkey!
Istanbul, spanning a narrow channel called the Bosphorous, is the world’s only city embracing shores of two continents, one side reaching into Asia, the other into Europe. Palaces, museums, mosques, donkey carts and open-air markets reflect a legacy stretching back some 8,000 years, while modern amenities grandly showcase luxurious hotels, restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Europe features the old, while Asia boasts much of the new. From Galata Bridge, crossing the Golden Horn, lies the new town of Beyoglu. To the south is the old, walled city with Topkapi Palace. Among Istanbul’s wonders are the Grand Bazaar (with some 4,000 tiny shops all buzzing under one roof), the Blue Mosque (with some 20,000 blue Iznik tiles), and traces of the Hippodrome, once a Byzantine stadium for public fare including circuses and chariot races where 30,000 died during the Nike riots of 531 AD. With war playing a pivotal role in culture and development of Turkey, visitors often head for the Military Museum where exhibits include artifacts of warfare from the Ottoman era through World War II, including chain mail and bronze armor for both cavalry and horses, swords engraved with Islamic inscriptions, elaborately embroidered silk encampment tents used in war expeditions and even a petroleum-driven rifle. Istanbul’s wide array of lodging options, from budget to high-end, include new designer suite properties and palace hotels within residences of the last ottoman sultans.
We have organized our listings of Istanbul’s local hotel accommodations into several geographic areas and alphabetically. You can begin browsing for hotels in the Greater Istanbul area by selecting one of the links shown below.
