Golden Horn

The Golden Horn Turkish: Halic is an inlet of the Bosphorus dividing the city of Istanbul and forming the natural harbor that has sheltered Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and other ships for thousands of years. Its Greek and English names mean the same, but the significance of the designation "golden" is obscure, while it’s Turkish name Halic simply means "estuary".  For ‘Golden’ name there are two legends, first one is the Byzantines threw so many valuables into it during the Ottoman Conquest that the waters glistened with gold. The second one is name is given because of the gold light that seemingly comes out of the river when the sun goes down. 

It has witnessed many tumultuous historical incidents, and its dramatic vistas have been the subject of countless works of art..

The Golden Horn is a flooded prehistoric estuary. It is 7.5 kilometers long and is 750 meters across at its widest. It’s maximum depth, where it flows into the Bosphorus, is about 35 meters. It is today spanned by four bridges. Moving downstream, the first is the Halic Bridge, literally Estuary Bridge. The former Galata Bridge was damaged by a fire in 1992; it was moved to the second position in pieces, re-assembled, and restored as the Eski Galata Bridge, literally Old Galata Bridge. The third one is the Ataturk bridge. The current Galata Bridge was completed in 1994. A fifth bridge is currently under construction to connect the subway lines of the Istanbul Metro to the north and south of the Golden Horn.

Until the 1980s the Horn was polluted with industrial waste, but it has since been cleaned. Today its history and beauty make it a popular tourist attraction in Istanbul.

The best places to observe the Golden Horn’s activity and grace are the Galata Bridge if you want ringside seats, and the Topkapi Palace or Pierre Loti Café if you prefer a bird’s-eye view. 

Everywhere in Istanbul smells history and Golden Horn is one of them. When you travel to Turkey, walk around the horn and imagine the history. Stay a hotel which has the view of the horn.

Maiden's Tower

The Maiden's Tower (Turkish: Kız Kulesi), also known as Leander's Tower (Tower of Leandros) since the medieval Byzantine period, is a tower lying on a small islet located at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus strait 200 m (220 yd) from the coast of Uskudar in Istanbul, Turkey.

There are many legends about the construction of the tower and its location. According to the most popular Turkish legend, a sultan had a much beloved daughter. One day, an oracle prophesied that she would be killed by a venomous snake on her 18th birthday. The sultan, in an effort to thwart his daughter's early demise by placing her away from land so as to keep her away from any snakes, had the tower built in the middle of the Bosphorus to protect his daughter until her 18th birthday. The princess was placed in the tower, where she was frequently visited only by her father. On the 18th birthday of the princess, the sultan brought her a basket of exotic sumptuous fruits as a birthday gift, delighted that he was able to prevent the prophecy. Upon reaching into the basket, however, an asp that had been hiding among the fruit bit the young princess and she died in her father's arms, just as the oracle had predicted. Hence the name Maiden's Tower.

The interior of the tower has been transformed into a popular café and restaurant, with an excellent view of the former Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman capital. Private boats make trips to the tower several times a day. In İstanbul, There are travel agencies having private tours to Maiden Tower. 

Cicek Pasaji

Cicek Pasaji (literally Flower Passage in Turkish), originally called the Cité de Péra, is a famous historic passage on İstiklal Avenue in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey.
Opened in 1876, Cicek Pasaji is a covered arcade with rows of historic cafes, winehouses and restaurants.

The site of CicekPasaji was originally occupied by the Naum Theatre, which was severely damaged by the Fire of Pera in 1870. After the fire of 1870, the theatre was purchased by the local Greek banker HristakiZografosEfendi, and architect KleanthisZannos designed the current building, which was called Cité de Péra or Hristaki Pasajı in its early years. In 1908 the Ottoman Grand Vizier SaitPaşa purchased the building, and it became known as the SaitPasa Passage. 

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, many impoverished noble Russian women, including a Baroness, sold flowers here By the 1940s the building was mostly occupied by flower shops, hence the present Turkish name Cicek Pasaji.
After the restoration of the building in 1988, it was reopened as a galleria of pubs and restaurants.

The most recent restoration was made in December 2005. 
When you travel to Turkey, you must visit Cicek Pasaji and breathe the history. Enjoy your meal and drinks and have a warm conversation with your friends.

Camlica Hill

Camlica is split into two hills: Kucuk Camlica (‘Little Pine Hill’) and Buyuk Camlica (‘Big Pine Hill’). Buyuk Camlica is the highest point in Istanbul at 267m above sea level. Big Camlica Hill is located in Uskudar. This hill is one of the hills in Istanbul mentioned as seven hills.

The hill is a touristical place. Camlica hill is surrounded by trees. It presents a fantastic perpective. Hill is preferred by lovers, strollers, those needing some peace. The views from BuyukCamlica are truly amazing, with a panoramic vista of all of Istanbul’s main waterways, the Bosphorus Bridge, the historic Eminonu Peninsula, the Princes’ Islands and even Mount Uludag near Bursa.

The Sofa, Cihannuma, Topkapi and Su pavilions, all of which demonstrate the elegance and detail of Ottoman architecture, are all located within the Kucuk Camlıca Woods. Since ottoman empires used this place as a resting and picnic area.

Camlica Hill which has been always subject to the Turkish cinema, literature and songs is a beautiful place to spend time with your family.

If you travel to Istanbul, you should stop by here and enjoy the theperfectionness of the nature. In Istanbul, there are daily tours and you can contact with a travel agency. 

Agva

Agva

Agva is far 92 km from Istanbul. Agva, a village between rivers-Goksu and Yesilcay, is a crossing area for most of the cultures like Hittites, Romans, Phrygians and Ottaman Empire. Therefore, you can see some ruins of Church, gravestones of Romans, ruins of castle and mountain mill.

Agva presents a unique choice to have beautiful and valuable experience in Turkey. Agva is a meeting point for blue and green.  One side of this small town is blue the other side is every tone of green. Get on a boat by  the river let the nature refresh you and enjoy your vacation in Turkey.

  

‘Brida’s Rock’ is a Open Air Museum in Agva. When you look at it from sea, it’s like a bride with snowwhite veil but when you look at from the land, it is a duck.You can hire a boat to go to ‘brida’sRock’which looks like Norway fiords.

Activities are hunting, beach volleyball, trekking and also the activities are organized by the hotels.

There are lots of hotels and restaurants. But before travelling to Turkey, making reservations is advised since the hotels especially in summer season are full. Also there are daily tours from Istanbul to agva and you can book via a local travel agency in Istanbul.
Before visiting Agva, dont forget to take your photo machine and make your memories immortalize.

Agva

Agva

Agva

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Umraniye, on the southeast by Atasehir, on the south by Kadikoy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Besiktas, Beyoglu, and Eminonu on the opposite shore. It is home to about half a million people.

Uskudar is also the usual name for the historic center of the municipality. Uskudar was a city in Bithynia founded in the 7th century BC, in a valley leading down to the Bosphorus shore, by the inhabitants of the Greek colony of Khalkedon and was first known as Chrysopolis (city of gold), perhaps because it was a wealthy port, or because of the way it shone when viewed from Byzantium at sunset.

According to an ancient Greek geographer, the city received the name Chrysopolis because the Persian empire had a gold depository there or because it was associated with Agamemnon and Chryseis' son Chryses.

It’s a one of the best place to visit that you should not miss to visit during your turkey travel and Istanbul tours. You can see the Uskudar area from by boat if you take a bosphorus cruise in Istanbul and you can visit by land if you take a full day two continent tour at Istanbul.

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Uskudar

Kadikoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan district of Istanbul, Turkey on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus. Kadikoy it is also the name of the most prominent neighborhood of the district, a residential and commercial area that, with its numerous bars, cinemas and bookshops, is the cultural centre of the Anatolian side. Kadikoy became a district in 1928 when it seceded from Uskudar district. 

Kadikoy is a place mostly for local people that there is so many local restaurants, shops and shopping centers. If you have more time in Istanbul that you should not miss to visit during your turkey travel and Istanbul tours.

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy

Kadıkoy