Destination Golf Turkey 2015 2015 | Page 12

PICTURE PERFECT Istanbul is a city of two very different halves, split between Europe and Asia. Picture-postcard Istanbul lies on the European side with the stunning Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace Museum. The museum has one of the world’s most amazing single rooms of exhibits, with the Sword of David, the Staff of Moses, the Beard of Muhammad and the Skull of John the Baptist. But don’t be distracted, there is much more to do. As well as the European side of the city (6m people) there is a burgeoning Asian city (9m people) on the opposite bank of the Bosphorous. Uskudar Chrysopolis, the ‘city of gold’ is a city in its own right, full of life and tradition. You can go to the farthest point at Fehnerbahce (the only major soccer club is on the Asian shore, unlike Galatasaray and Bezitkas) to walk the gardens and look back at Europe. Dominating the main square is the magnificent Iskele Camii, which was built sometime around 1557, by Sinan as a tribute to Mihrimah, daughter of Suleyman the Magnificent. If you make it to Yeni Valide Camii you will find a peaceful courtyard to sit in with cats for company. As the evening light fades the buzz of Bagdat Street matches anything back on the European side of the Bosphorous. Have a drink on Bagdat Street and soak up the atmosphere while watching the sunset. Istanbul is about water. The Bosphorous leads to the Black Sea, the Golden Horn, the world’s largest natural harbour, and the mouth of two rivers. The Bosphorous divides Europe from Asia, while the Golden Horn divides the European side in two. The long bridge where the salt water meets the fresh water is lined with anglers, day and night. The centre of Istanbul is Eminonu quay, a tram ride from the tourist attractions, where the throngs gather to cram the Destination Golf Turkey | Page 10 ferries bound every 15 minutes for the magical, mysterious Asian shores. The ferries are coloured vividly with scarlet lifebuoys, and belch black smoke as they chug away from one continent to the next. The 20-minute crossing to Uskudar can be a breezy pleasure, enhanced with strong tea in tiny tulip glasses. The skyline shines in every direction, as glistening mosques brandish their minarets like medieval bayonets and the silent Galata Tower, a relic of Genoesecolonial Times, peers down on the city below. Topkapi Palace lurks behind its veil of vegetation, and extravagant mansions and palaces line the shoreline. In the distance, the gatepost castles of the Bosphorous remind everyone that Constantinople was unstormable. The sunshine dances on the choppy surface of the Bosphorus. The mysterious Kiz Kulesi, a fairytale lighthouse on a rocky outcrop, sits near the shore. In the distance you can see the Princes’ Islands in the Sea of Marmara, a taste of holiday resort Turkey, just a short boat ride from the city. They are an enticing sight, sun resorts from the south east magically towed to lie within easy reach of the metropolis. Then, as you reach Istanbul’s Asian shore, the engines go quiet. Most tourists stay in the nest of hotels around Taksim Square, an eclectic area, which mixes popular bars, like the delightful Biz Jazz Bar (it has great live music and a bubbling atmosphere), with busy restaurants.