Ready to go Istanbul but what to see in there?

You just read Dan Brown's Inferno, or watched Ben Affleck's Argo or James Bond "Skyfall" in which he destroys the market place with a motorcycle. You booked the plane ticket, reserved your hotel in Sultanahmet but have no idea about what to see? 

If its your first time in Istanbul, don't rush yourself to see everything, you cant! Do it easy and enjoy Istanbul in peace. Begin your trip with visits to the highlights of the city.

The Hagia Sophia Museum: Originally built as a Christian church between 532 and 537 AD by the emperor Justinian, it became a mosque in 1453 when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople. It remained as such until 1935, when it became a museum. For 1,000 years, its dome was the world’s largest – 98ft in diameter, surpassed only in the 16th century with the construction of St. Peter’s in Rome.

Interior of St Sophia

Topkapi Palace and the Spoon makers Diamond: The world’s seventh largest diamond was allegedly found on a rubbish heap in 1669 and bartered to a spoon maker who, in turn, sold it to a jeweler. It sits in the Topkapi Palace that was completed during the 15th century and home of Ottoman sultans for centuries.

Topkapi Palace

Kariye (Chora) Church : An extraordinary Byzantine church dating from the 11th Century. Inside are truly unparralelled mosaics and frescoes depicting the lives of Christ and Mary.

Suleymaniye Mosque: Often mistaken for the Blue Mosque by first time visitors, Suleymaniye Mosque dominates the Istanbul skyline and provides a magnificent landmark for the entire city.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts : A must-see place if you have a passion for textiles and calligraphy. The floor-to-ceiling Usak carpets and beautifully illuminated Qurans are housed in a building that was originally the palace of Ibrahim Pasha,Grand Vizier to Suleiman the magnificent.

Istanbul Archaeological Museum : Didvided into three buildings, this museum contains artefacts from the Hittite empire,Pre-islamic Ottoman relics ,Egyptian and Lycian sarcophagi and galleries of statues.

Istanbul Archaeological Museum