Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey is a bustling destination with a stunning skyline, vibrant nightlife consisting of rooftop cocktail bars and live music hubs, great shopping neighbourhoods, famous museums, colourful streets lined with cafes and restaurants and traditional Turkish hammans. Istanbul is a historic land with over 2500 years of history that covers several ruling dynasties, so ancient charm comes in leaps and bounds here, as well as cultural diversity in the form of cuisines, art and architectural landmarks such as cathedrals, churches and mosques. A particularly alluring building in Istanbul is Dolmabahçe Palace, featuring a blend of Ottoman, Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, gold ceilings, oil paintings and a large crystal chandelier gifted by Queen Victoria. As well as ancient beauty and retained cultural traditions, the city has plenty of state-of-the-art appeal with luxury boutiques, contemporary galleries and museums and fine dine restaurants, so there is a perfect blend of past and present here. Istanbul has so much to offer and therefore is an excellent city break destination. Traveasy offers an array of cheap flights to Istanbul, taking you to the heart of this exciting city.

Explore Istanbul’s Old City, a fascinating heritage site with many landmarks including the impressive Topkapi Palace featuring well-preserved Ottoman architecture, the Blue Mosque which has a particularly alluring interior of stained glass windows and 20,000 tiles and the Hagia Sophia Museum, a former church and mosque which features well-preserved architecture. Istanbul is also home to some of the most important museums and galleries in Turkey which allow an insight into the country’s history, art and cultures. The Istanbul Archaeology Museums is one of the prominent venues, consisting of three museum spaces with thousands of captivating artefacts spanning centuries. The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is another remarkable venue, home to an impressive collection of artefacts including calligraphy, antique carpets and handwritten Qurans. Make sure you buy some unique souvenirs in Istanbul by heading to the renowned bustling Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest covered markets and enjoy browsing over 4,000 stalls selling traditional items. For Turkish spices, oils, teas and sweets including Turkish delight, visit the Egyptian bazaar, one of the largest bazaars in the city. Book discount airfares to Istanbul and look forward to immersing yourself in cultures here.