City guide Istanbul Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is the most populous city in Turkey.  The city also serves as a cultural and economic center.  The city is not the capital of Turkey, but is often considered the capital in terms of entertainment, commerce, culture, education, shopping, tourism and art.  There are several social and cultural activities to take part in and several festivals with orchestras, chorale ensembles, concerts and jazz concerts are very popular.  There are also a large number of nightclubs, restaurants and pubs.

Many major banks including Morgan Stanley, UBS, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse have recently sought investment properties in Istanbul.  There have been several new residential communities that have become popular for private overseas investors.  There are several developers building on the coast to attract tourists to the resorts.  There are also a large number of individuals looking for second homes for vacations and holidays.  The residential and property markets have been very hot markets as of late with excellent growth due to several economic and political factors.  For a period of time there was no foreign ownership of property allowed, but that has since been changed which has encouraged a large amount of investors to enter the market. 

One of the most beautiful areas near Istanbul is the Prince’s Islands.  The islands feature beautiful homes and horse drawn carriages.  The name of the islands comes from the princes that were exiled to the islands and separated from the city.  Other landmarks in the area that are popular with tourists include the city walls, the Galata Tower, the Golden Horn and the Beyazit Tower.  There is so much to see and do in the city that all of the parks, museums and landmarks cannot be named.  The history of the city is expansive and ranges from the Byzantine Period through the Ottoman Empire and into the Republican Era.  There are many landmarks and museums that tell this rich history to the visitors of the city.

Useful Istanbul Turkey resources

• http://english.istanbul.com/?Vst=2
• www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/turkey/istanbul/
• http://www.istanbulcityguide.com/

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