January 5, 2008, 8:25 am
Istanbul is such a diverse city that it’s almost impossible to split it up into definable districts. The only real distinction that can be made is between the European and Asian sides, which are separated by the Bosphorus Strait. Stretching from the Black Sea, straddling across the Bosphorus, touching the Sea of Marmara, Istanbul, with an estimated population of between 10-13 million, has become a city of unlimited scope.
Sultanahmet
Most people who come to Istanbul land feet first in Sultanahmet. This peninsula (known as Sarayburnu) juts out into the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. Rich in history, it’s a natural magnet to millions of tourists every year. The home of Topkap? Saray? (Topkap? Palace), Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia), the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Yerebatan Saray? (Yerebatan Basilica Cistern), and the At Meydan? (Hippodrome), Sultanahmet is filled to the brim with hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, rug stores and cheesy souvenir shops, as well as a plethora of fascinating museums, mosques, markets and historical sites. The main drag, Divan Yolu, is the heartbeat of the area, and there are hundreds of tiny back streets and alleyways to explore the history of the old city. The labyrinthine Kapal?çar?? (Grand Bazaar / Covered Bazaar) near Beyaz?t University is also on this street. Sultanahmet can be a little intimidating as it is truly catered to only tourists. (Read: you’ll have to learn quickly not to respond to “Hey! Are you American / English / German / Spanish / Italian / French?”) One impressive thing about Sultanahmet is that the businessmen each seem to speak every major European language, so if your Turkish isn’t up to par, don’t fret.
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