Istanbul, A Perfect August Destination

                    Our stay at The Magnaura Palace Hotel was the ideal choice.  A superb experience 

             made all the finer through the hospitality of Mehmet Atas and his staff.  The hotel was 

             perfectly located within walking distance of the Blue Mosque, the Haji Sofia, Topaki 

             Palace, Sultanahmet Square, the Basilica Cistern, Kaiser Wilhelm’s fountain, Column

             Constantine and the many restaurants and cafes.  We started each day with a buffet 

             breakfast on the hotel’s rooftop restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus, where we were

             greeted by an early fog and a pleasing sunrise to start our day.

            

                   Oh, let’s not forget our favorite, the Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus, which expanded 

           our travels to the European side of Istanbul, across the Galata Bridge, over the Golden 

           Horn, to see the Galata Tower, Taksim Square, Dolmabahce Palace and Mosque, and

           more.  Onward travel over the Bosphorus Bridge to the Asian side of Istanbul, took us 

           to see the Ortakoy Mosque and the Beylerbeyi Palace.

                        One of the most impressive sights in Istanbul is the Dolmabahce Palace with its 

                splendid interior décor and luxurious furnishings. The grand façade is complimented 

                by the surrounding gardens and the adjoining view of the scenic Bosphorus.

                        To add to our enjoyment, the weather was wonderful allowing us to walk 

            all over Istanbul, to see the Aqueduct of Valens, Fatih Mosque, the Chora Church, 

            Suleymaniye Mosque and the many outdoor markets.  We trekked from Taksim 

            Square through the busy shops and markets of Istikal Street to Galata Tower and 

            beyond.

 

                   We went to the Basilicia Cistern, an ancient underground cistern, of enormous 

          cavernous size, capable of holding 100,000 tons of water.  Its usage dates back to the

         Byzantine period, 527 to 565 BC.  Visitors walk on elevated platforms with accented 

         lighting to view its ancient architectural elements.

 

 
                     We were able to enjoy a panoramic view of Istanbul, have a leisure lunch at an 
               outdoor cafe and then returned by cable car to continue our day with a scenic boat 
               cruise on the historic Bosphorus, an important waterway through-out the centuries, 
               and still remains so to this day.

THREE WORDS:  NEXT STOP CAIRO!