A Turkish Vacation Will Never Be Complete Without Visiting Istanbul As any Istanbul vacation guide will tell a traveler who wants a taste of Europe and Asia all at once, the Turkish city is the best way to go.  Istanbul is 95 kilometers from end to end, a city that looks overwhelmed by a 14-million population.  Looking up the city on the map from the right north orientation, on the left is Europe and on the right is Asia.  Istanbul has been called Byzantium and Constantinople in the past.  So enamored were conquerors and emperors alike with the city that it had been the seat of the Roman Empire, Christianity and later on, the Ottoman Empire.

Today, the Turkish metropolis has a predominantly Muslim population.  It remains an important gateway to Europe and Asia, and the world’s third largest city in terms of population.  Its history, marked by Greek, Persian, Roman, Christian, and Islamic influences, is at once vibrant and supremely intricate.  Most locals do not recommend a short visit of say, two days, unless the individual only wants to savor the Turkish baths.  In order to experience more of what Turkey’s showcase has to offer, a trip of between five days to two weeks would be highly recommended.

Expect mind-boggling traffic, seemingly endless line-ups, and bumping on the streets with pedestrians or street peddlers hawking their merchandise.  The city is best traversed by foot or by tram if the first and major obstacle is to be avoided.  As for the eternal queuing, waiting an hour in advance for a boat cruise or before the bazaars or markets open is a vital prescription for preserving one’s sanity and temper.  As any Istanbul vacation guide can attest, there is no other place on Earth where shopping is enormously labyrinthine.

This unique shopping experience snakes through eight key historical landmarks of the urban center representing all kinds of goods that money can buy.  People who tend to shop until they drop and who enjoy the most complicated game of maze, are the best candidates for survival on Istanbul sidewalks.

As for getting the goods at the right price and keeping oneself safe on the streets, hiring a city travel guide is probably one of the most prudent decisions that a first-time Istanbul tourist will ever make, unless one happens to have a good friend who resides in the area.  It is not only easy to get lost in the streets of the most famous Turkish metropolis, the chance of getting mugged, abused or duped is also very high.  Despite the stakes involved, it is still worth the risk; however, be sure to take a calculated one by reading between the lines of an Istanbul vacation guide or guides.

In summary, the city of Istanbul in Turkey should perhaps be considered the Eternal City instead of Rome, by virtue of the major empires of the world that had camped out here and chosen this place as their seat of power through major chapters in human history.  Even if it is the only city that one gets to travel to in one’s lifetime, it would still be well worth it.  Without an Istanbul vacation guide, however, getting lost is a certainty and a major time waster since there are simply too many churches, mosques, other famous landmarks, and shops to visit.

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