Istanbul, Byzantium or Constantinople - dream vacations in Turkey

Today I'll be giving wings to my vacation and travel wishes so instead of a place I already know, I'll be writing about a place that I'm sure I would love to visit! As you may know, I'm much fond of Italy and Greece so, staying in Europe, I would definitively had to dream with the other country in the South Eastern side, Turkey. Much like Italy and Greece, the Republic of Turkey is another one of those countries that breaths history everywhere, in it's case the Ottoman Empire history.


Speaking of Turkish history is of course speaking of Istanbul. In it's earlier days a Greek city called Byzantium, later renamed to Constantinople and made capital of the Roman Eastern Empire. In 1453, after a long siege, the city was conquered by the Sultan Mehmed II and made again capital but this time of the Ottoman Empire. A very well known symbol of this last conquest (know in history books as the Fall of Constantinople) is the Hagia Sophia Mosque (photo above), a former Roman/Greek Orthodox Basilica that was converted to a Mosque in the very first day after the Ottoman victory.


Speaking of Mosques, what to say about the beauty of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (above) locally know as the Blue Mosque. It's in fact very hard to find words that accurately describe the uniqueness of the architecture of this structure. The numerous cupolas and domes accompanied by the six minarates seen from the Courtyard are absolutely amazing.


Another fine example of the Ottoman architecture is the Dolmabahçe Palace with it's Baroque decorated facade, beautiful. This palace is located on the margins of the Bosphorus, also know as the Istanbul Strait, the Strait that separates the city in two and that also serves as boundary between Europe and Asia.


As if Istambul's historical side wasn't enough to convince me, I must also say that the city streets appear to be filled of life and activity. Above, a view from the İstiklal Avenue in the historical center. For me a reminder of how much I liked the busy streets of Heraklion, the capital of the Greek island of Crete.

Most definitively I'm certain that as soon as I can I'll be making a vacation in Turkey. For now, Istanbul has for sure assured a higher place on my dream vacations wishlist!