Our stay at the The Magnaura Palace Hotel was the ideal choice.
A superb experience made all the finer through the hospitality of
Mehmet Atas and his staff. The hotel was perfectly located within
walking distance of the Blue Mosque, the Haji Sofia, Topaki Palace,
Sultanahmet Square, the Basilica Cistern, Kaiser Wilhelm's fountain,
Column Constantine and the many restaurants and cafes. We started
each day with a buffet breakfast on the hotel's rooftop restaurant
overlooking the Bosphorus, where were greeted by an early fog and a
vibrant sunrise to start our day.
Oh, let's not forget our favorite, the Hop-On-Hop-Off Big
Bus, which expanded our travels to the European side of
Istanbul, across the Galata Bridge, over the Golden Horn,
to see the Galata Tower, Taksim Square, Dolmabahce Palace
and Mosque, and more. Onward travel over the Bosphorus
Bridge to the Asian side of Istanbul, took us to see the
Orakoy Mosque and the Beylerbeyi Palace.
One of the most impressive sights in Instanbul is the
Dolmabahce Palace with its splendid interior decor and
luxurious furnishings. The grand facade is complimented
by the surrounding gardens and the adjoining view of the
scenic Bosphorus.
To add to our enjoyment, the weather was wonderful allowing
us to walk all over Istanbul, to see the Aqueduct of Valens, Faith
Mosque, the Chora Church, Sulevmanive Mosque and the many
outdoor markets. We trekked from Taksim Square through the busy
shops and markets of Isitkal Street to Galata Tower and beyond.
We went to the Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground
cistern of enormous cavernous size, capable of holding
100,000 tons of water. Its usage dates back to the
Byzantine period, 527 to 565 BC. Visitors walk on
elevated platforms with accented lighting to view its
ancient architectural elements.
We are able to enjoy a panoramic view of Istanbul, have a
leisure lunch at an outdoor cafe and then returned by cable car
to continue our day with a scenic boat cruise on the historic
Bosphorus, an important waterway through-out the centuries
and still remains so to this day.
THREE WORDS: NEXT STOP CAIRO!
