. Istanbul is really one of the very well-known cities on the planet. This guide gives some of the history of the city and in addition outlines some of its most exciting features.

History

The first known name of Istanbul is Byzantium as it was founded in 660 BC by King Byzas and his colony. In 330 AD it was made the capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great and he gave it the name Constantinople. As this time the city had been given many different names and some believe the name Istanbul came from the word 'Islambol' which means 'city of Islam', however the name Istanbul comes from a Medieval Greek phrase which translates to 'in the city' and this reflects the reality that Istanbul was the only major city within a considerable area of Turkey. This name became the official name of the city in 1930.

Geography

Istanbul could be the largest city in Turkey with a total area of 5,343 square kilometers, and with a population of just under 14 million it really is regarded as among the biggest cities on the planet with regard to population to area.

The city lies over either side of the Bosphorus that's a river linking the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, and it is this river which divides the European side and the Asian side of Istanbul.

Meteo Istanbul

As a generalisation, Istanbul has cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers and regularly has fog on account of the high humidity. Nevertheless because of the extensive size of the city the Météo Istanbul changes between the various areas. Istanbul Meteo.

What to do

This is undoubtedly the largest element of this article. There are numerous items to determine and do in Istanbul that it could likely take a whole book to say everything in detail, plus it could take a great few weeks holiday to be able to cover everything in town. However we are going to briefly summarize the most famous tourist spots so that you aren't going to pass up on something that is just a must see or possibly a mustdo.

The blue mosque is one of probably the very most memorable pieces of buildings in Istanbul and is seen on most publications, leaflets, brochures, ads and pictures of Istanbul. Though it still runs as a mosque it really is open for the public to view it really is awesome interior.

Following this in breathtaking architecture may be the Hagia Sophia (in Turkish Ayasofya) is a former church, and later mosque, which now runs as a museum.

Topkapi Palace is just just another major tourist feature and can be a museum of what once was the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Out of these 624 reigning years, they lived there for 400 years.

Moving on from the incredible historical attractions of Istanbul, there was of course an array of shopping experiences. In the famous Grand Bazaar, where shopping meets real Turkish style as well as culture, to the ultra modern malls including the Istanbul Cevahir Mall that's one of the biggest malls in Europe.

These two extremes of shopping sites reflect the overall draw of Istanbul, which is the blend of old and new, conventional Turkish past-times as well as experiences of nationalities all round the world such as the small Parisian town. Wherever you go in Istanbul you are ensured to find a large variety of restaurants and cafes offering delicious cuisine, all in different styles and again where the traditional meets the modern click here.