Shopping, visiting or just having fun? Then Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey is the place to travel to. Being the only metropolis in the world on two continents, placed both on European and Asian grounds, it is an oasis of historical sites, amazing Turkish shopping and rich nightlife.

There are 45 major mosques in Istanbul. The topmost, visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year is the Hagia Sophia, now hosting a museum. Construction started in 532 and workers finished it in just 7 years. The central dome is 55.6 meters above the floor level, having a diameter of 31 meters length.

The Grand Bazaar is a huge market place, a shopaholics paradise. The variety of products are staggering. You can find nearly anything, from clothes and shoes, food and drinks, gold and jewelery, to souvenirs and great Arabic ornamental objects. Beware: bargaining is a must when buying from a Turkish street vendor, especially in Istanbul. You can find it just in the middle of the city, by asking anyone, because locals are very helpful and pleasant. The Bazaar is visited by 250.000 to half a million people every day.

A lot of professional photographers visit Istanbul, because there are a lot of beautiful landscapes to get on film and also a dozen of photographic festivals around the year that they may participate to.

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