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Welcome to beautiful Istanbul: The city opens its arms to the global tourists

Istanbul owes its historical importance and its incredible cultural and architectural heritage to its strategic location, straddling the Bosphorus Strait that separates Europe from Asia Minor.

Through most of its 2,500 year-long histories, the Istanbul city (known first as Byzantium, then Constantinople, and since 1930 as Istanbul) was a melting pot of cultures. Today, its population of more than 13 million is almost exclusively from Turkey, and many of its inhabitants are recent immigrants from Turkish villages, drawn by the promise of jobs and careers in this vibrant city. Istanbul is no longer the capital of the country, but it is the economic and cultural engine of Turkey, the city was a European City of Culture in 2010 and most of its monuments are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

How to reach Istanbul from Canada?

Vancouver to Istanbul, Toronto to Istanbul, and Prince George to Istanbul is the most popular Flights to Istanbul routes from Canada to Istanbul.

Toronto to Istanbul is the cheapest Istanbul flights from Canada to Istanbul, with prices beginning at INR 42361.68.

With an average travel length of 10h 35m, the fastest trip from Canada to Istanbul flights is from Toronto to Istanbul.

Delta Air Lines, Turkish Carriers, and Swiss International Airlines are the most popular airlines operating from Canada to Istanbul.

Spice Bazaar

Just two steps from the famous Galata Bridge is one of the oldest and most authentic markets. This you must see in Istanbul: the Spice Bazaar. A universe of intense smells and colors in which to take the pulse of a city. This city is as chaotic as this one. The shopkeepers shout the prices at the top of their voice, the locals buy and buy incessantly, and the tourists simply limit themselves to advancing as best they can between streams of people, trying to impress every moment lived inside in their mind. The market is L-shaped and has six different doors to access. In it, you can taste and buy all kinds of typical products: from spices to cheeses and traditional sweets. A place to see in Istanbul, without fail.

The Blue Mosque

The cascade of domes that make up its spectacular façade is one of the reasons why everyone who visits the city ends up falling in love with this temple. It is built at the beginning of the seventeenth century. It was done by order of Sultan Ahmet I. In its day it was controversial. This was because it happened to be the only mosque in the world that risked building six minarets. It was the similar ones that Mecca had.

Boat trip on the Bosphorus

A different perspective is what the body asks of us, and for that, what better plan than to get on board one of the boats that make a tour of the beautiful Bosphorus. This strait where two seas meet, the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Marmara, is also the symbol of union-separation between the two areas of Turkey: the Asian and the European.

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is a veritable labyrinth of corridors and shops where you can lose yourself until you get bored. Souvenir shops, typical products, cafes, restaurants, Turkish baths are some essential visiting points. Moreover, the mosques, exchange houses, and even homes are there to feel the essence of the largest market in Istanbul. So, you have to let yourself go, chat with the shopkeepers, and be patient. And, of course, if you are willing to take something home, get the training in the art of haggling. This is something absolutely necessary in this immense bazaar. One of the places to visit in Istanbul before returning home.

So, now, go, haggle, shop, and take a break with a good tea and a snack. Ah! And go beyond the doner you know. Turkish food is delicious and in Istanbul, you have it all.