Istanbul, turkey - İmparatorlukların Yükselişi ve Çöküşü

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Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is a major European city that straddles Europe and Asia.  The history of the proper city began in 660 BC by Greek settlers.  They built the Acropolis adjacent to the Golden Horn.  It was initially named the New Rome and later Constantinople, after Constantine the Great, until the 1930s when Turkish authorities pushed for Istanbul.  Istanbul is in north-western Turkey and straddles the Bosporus Strait, which provides the only passage from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean via the Sea of Marmara making it ideal for trade. There is a European side on the continent of Europe of course, and An Asian side, on the continent of Asia.

I stayed on the European side after reading many reviews and recommendations. In hindsight, I wish I had stayed on the Asian side.  The European side, while having access to modern technology, still remains very conservative. I found it to be quite dirty as well.  While they have regular trash pick up, it doesn't appear that everyone holds cleanliness as a priority. (It doesn't help that many still do not use deodorant.) The Asian side is very modern in architectural, restaurants, hotels and shops. From my brief visit it also appeared much cleaner. I will be back in January of 2025 for some follow up dental work and will definitely stay on that side of the city. Overall, Istanbul was a let down, however I did enjoy my visits to the spice market, the mosque and the Hammam, and encourage anyone visiting Istanbul to check those out.

Istanbul is rich in history. I recommend checking out the following:

1. Visit a Hammam, a traditional turkish bath with multiple massages.

2. Go to the Blue Mosque, but be sure to wear proper attire and head coverings.

3. Take a cruise on the Bospherous.

4. Take a walk through Sultanahmet Square.

5. Tour Dolmabahce Palace.

6. Visit the Istanbul Aquarium, a favorite with the kids.

7. Go to a theme park like Vialand and Legoland with the kids, or young at heart.

8. Take a bus tour to see the top sights and learn to get around the city.

9. See the beautiful Basilica Cistern.

10. Go to the spice markets - a feast for the eyes and mouth!

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I had some rather extensive dental work done in Turkey, and after reading reviews and checking references I settled on Clinic Davinci, and I'm so glad I did.  I was assigned a personal concierge who spoke perfect English and was available to me 24/7. The dentist and surgeon were both awesome.  They provided transportation (and even hotel acomodations are included!, although I didn't need that). I couldn't be happier with Rezzan and Clinic Davinci and have no hesitation recommending them.