Sultan Abdulmejid I began work on Dolmabahçe Palace in 1843 on a new luxurious palace overlooking the Bosphorus on the site of a prior palace. It is estimated that the cost of construction and furnishing the Dolmabahçe Palace was close to US $2 billion. After the Turkish revolution and the official dissolution of the Ottoman empire by decree of the new Turkish government in 1924, the ownership of the palace devolved to the Turkish state and it is operated as a museum today.
Most major metropolitan areas have one special pedestrian-only thoroughfares that are the hub of tourist activity in the city. In Istanbul that spot is İstiklal Caddesi. It’s the best place in Istanbul to walk and people watch, to shop, to soak in the culture, and to lounge around in a café sipping a Turkish coffee and enjoying a sweet Turkish delight.
The historic building at this location used to serve as a busy textiles and spice bazaar. The recently remodeled building now primarily contains kiosks selling spices and candy. It’s a paradise for both cooks and candy lovers.
City’s Nisantasi is Istanbul’s most prestigious shopping mall, situated in the posh shopping district of Nisantasi and housing over 150 stores, cafes, and restaurants. The multi-storied mall also boasts a large cinema and is within walking distance of two 5-star hotels.
Galata Tower, originally erected in the fourth century, was destroyed during the Fourth Crusade, but later rebuilt in 1348 in the Genoese colony of Istanbul known as Galata. Although it originally was constructed for military defense purposes, it was used after the fall of Constantinople as a watchtower for fires and today is open to the public as a museum. It provides a 360 degree view of Istanbul.
Restaurant chain Develi, with a dozen restaurants located throughout Turkey, mostly in affluent suburbs, has built the city’s most successful restaurant dynasty. Develi has made its mark by serving traditional Turkish cuisine in an upscale ambience, albeit one that’s a bit tacky and gaudy by western standards.