Flights to Istanbul Any

Flights > Europe > Turkey > > ALL (IST0)

Airport	Miles From City
Ataturk International (IST)	15
Sabiha-Gokcen (SAW)	70

Istanbul Any flights summary:

The main airport serving Istanbul is Ataturk International (IST), which is situated fairly close to the epicentre of the sprawling metropolis, and connected to the main visitor sites by a rail link. British Airways and Turkish Airlines operate regular flights to Ataturk International from London Heathrow. Turkish Airlines also serve Istanbul from Manchester.
The privately developed Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) airport, which is situated around 70 miles east of Istanbul on the Asian side of Turkey, has opened up the opportunity for more cheap flights to Istanbul, courtesy of Easyjet.

Istanbul Any in a nutshell:

Istanbul’s unique blend of East and West is both absorbing and irresistible, a meeting point of cultures, lifestyles, languages and customs. Divided into three symbolic land masses by the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus strait and the Golden Horn river, the ‘Queen of Cities’ is a quite simply a feast for the senses.

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Miles From City

Mini Guide to Istanbul Any

Although there are continued doubts about the size of Istanbul’s population – estimates range from between nine and 20 million – it’s definitely big. So where to start? Most visitors’ first point of call is likely to be the old city neighbourhoods of Sultanahmet and the Bazaar District, traditional corners full of mosques and çay bahçesis (tea gardens) and where two of the most beautiful buildings in the world – the Ayasofya and the Blue Mosque – take pride of place. Exploring the Topkapý Palace complex and bargaining in the famous Grand Bazaar are also essential activities in this part of town.

North of the old city and over Galata Bridge is the modern Beyoðlu area, whose main thoroughfare Ýstiklal Caddesi stretches all the way up to the emblematic Taksim Square. In sharp contrast to the conservative old city, this most European of districts is crammed full of bars and high street shops. Dinner at one of the many meyhanes on the lively street of Nevizade Sokak is an absolute must here, though how much water you add to your stiff glass of raký is entirely up to you. For a taste of something completely different, a quick ferry ride over the Bosphorus will take you to the Asian shore, where districts such as Üsküdar and Kadýköy show you a side of Istanbul where traditional Turkey is significantly more evident.

If you have more days at your disposal – and you’re likely to need them – then you can’t miss a boat trip up the Bosphorus. Going as far as the Black Sea, you can easily spend the entire day hopping on and off at different points of the journey and seeing at first hand the many faces of this enthralling city.