TRAVELERS to Istanbul can enjoy the best of East and West – literally.
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Experience the historic architecture of the old city on Istanbul’s European side, or the archipelago of islands on the city’s Asian side as you sightsee.
Travel to Istanbul Fly Emirates to Istanbul and experience our award-winning service to Turkey’s largest city.
Emirates offers flights to Istanbul via Dubai using our state-of-the-art fleet.
Discover Emirates’ luxurious inflight offerings, which include deeply reclining comfort in Business Class and a new generation of comfort in Economy Class on flights to Istanbul. All classes feature ice, Emirates’ onboard information, communication and entertainment system offering up to 1,500 channels, making flights to Istanbul fly by.
Flights to Istanbul arrive at Atatϋrk International Airport, 14km west of the heart of old Istanbul. Travelers can reach the city centre via several modes of public transport.
A 45-minute metro trip takes you directly into central Istanbul; the station is a 10-minute walk from airport arrivals, just follow the ‘light rail’ signs.
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Havaş, an express bus service, departs every half hour and takes 20 to 40 minutes to reach central Istanbul depending on the city’s notoriously bad traffic. Passengers can also take a taxi, but make sure the meter is running to avoid artificially inflated fares.
About Istanbul Istanbul is a city of two halves, bisected by the Bosporus Strait which links the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. The channel not only delineates the city, but it marks the border between Europe and Asia, both physically and culturally.
In 600 BC it became the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium, capital of the Byzantine Empire, and prospered due to its ability to levy tolls on ships passing through the Bosporus.
The city changed hands several times before becoming part of the Roman Empire in 73 AD, and in 330 AD Byzantium was renamed Constantinople by the order of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great.
In 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered the city and made it the capital of the Ottoman Empire, calling it Istanbul, although the name wasn’t officially changed until 1930.
The national capital in all but name, Istanbul is the country’s cultural and financial centre and the most populous metropolis with more than 13 million residents. The city also acts as a hub for Eastern Europe, with regular trains and flights to destinations such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary.
Attractions The majority of Istanbul’s sights are concentrated around the old city peninsula in areas such as Sultanahmet Square. Start your city tour here with the Sultanahmet Mosque. Informally known as the Blue Mosque – for obvious reasons – the working mosque features six minarets as well as sweeping architecture.
Sitting almost adjacent is the magnificent Haghia Sofia, built as a cathedral, converted to a mosque and presently a museum.
Bordering the Haghia Sofia is Topkapı Palace, the historic hub of Ottoman power. Overlooking the Bosporus from Seraglio Point, the 300-room palace is now an imperial museum and houses some of the most holy Islamic relics.
North of the old city, across the Galata Bridge is the district of the same name; head to the Galata Tower, a 66-metre high medieval stone tower with superb 360 degree view across Istanbul. Nearby at Karaköy on the banks of the Bosporus is Istanbul Modern, an art gallery with exhibitions of contemporary Turkish art.
Taksim Square is the heart of the city and a popular tourist destination. İstiklal Caddesi is a lengthy pedestrian shopping street which ends at Taksim Square, and a ‘nostalgic’ sightseeing tram runs from the square along the avenue.
On the east of the Bosporus is the other half of Istanbul, referred to as the Asian side. The historical districts of Kadıköy and Üsküdar have many attractions, including Maiden’s Tower on an island just 200 metres offshore. The area also has many quiet and picturesque neighbourhoods and is largely residential.
Dining and nightlife Eating out in Turkey involves food far more sophisticated than the döner kebab. However, this staple ingredient of Turkish stereotypes can be found in cafes across Istanbul; Taksim Square is home to dozens of small döner restaurants. Other local favourites include Hamsi, a Black Sea anchovy which migrates through the Bosporus. This ‘catch of the day’ can be enjoyed at small restaurants behind the fish merchants on the Karaköy side of the Galata Bridge.
Istanbul also has numerous street vendors which sell everything from roasted chestnuts and corn-on-the-cob to simit, a warm bread not dissimilar to a sesame bagel. Local ice cream, dondurma, is also sold: the peculiar and chewy consistency doesn’t melt and makes for entertaining vendor performances.
Istanbul is a great nightlife destination and several areas are renowned for cafés, bars and live music. These include Beyoğlu and Nişantaşı, both just north of the Galata Bridge, and Kadıköy, an easy-going suburb on the Asian Side of the Bosporus which is considered by many to be worth the intercontinental trip from old Istanbul.
Beyond Istanbul Off the southern coast of Istanbul are the Princes’ Islands, nine small islands where dynasty members were exiled during Byzantine and Ottoman times. The only way to reach the islands is by sea: take a boat from Kabataş on the European Side, or Kadıköy and Bostancı on the Asian Side.
Motorised vehicles are prohibited so residents and tourists travel by horse-drawn carriage or fayton. Destinations and prices are fixed. Enjoy the islands’ stunning wooden mansions, surrounded by pine groves and fragrant mimosa trees.
EK 713 departs Dubai every day at 0925hrs, arriving in Lusaka at 1435hrs. The service departs Lusaka at 1605hrs, arriving in Harare at 1710hrs. The return flight leaves Harare at 1840hrs, arriving Lusaka at 1950hrs. It departs Lusaka at 2125hrs and lands in Dubai at 0640hrs the next day.
For visa information visit the Embassy of Turkey at 15, Maasdorp Avenue, Alexandra Park, Harare. Tel: 04 799 761.
Book online atwww.emirates.com/zwor visit the Emirates office in Wakefield Road, Avondale, Harare. Telephone +263 4 799 999 or see your favourite travel agent. [email protected]
