The Church on the Prince's Islands
If you are planning to visit Istanbul 2010 to experience what Istanbul has to offer in cultural and artistic happenings, you will have the chance to visit some of the wonderful tourist attractions of the city as well. Istanbul is full of things to see that shouldn’t be missed because the city has so much to offer, so full of things to see and experience. There are markets, historical buildings, mosques, galleries, museums, and plenty of cafes, restaurants and hotels.
You may choose to take a taxi, or a bus tour of the city of Istanbul, but it is equally as easy to visit everything Istanbul has to offer by a simple walking tour. There are many tour companies in Istanbul that can assist you in seeing the city and taking you to the sights you won’t want to miss. You may also pick up a book from the many books available before you go, to help you plan what you want to see while visiting Istanbul this year.
The following is a brief summary of the tourist sights you won’t want to miss while you are in Istanbul (and this is a basic list). If you want to experience some of the wonderful markets in Istanbul, try the markets in the district of Eminonu, where you will find the Grand Bazaar, and the Egyptian Bazaar (also known as the Spice Market). You could possibly spend hours here, shopping for such items as spices, coffee, tea, Turkish Delight, colored glass lanterns, jewelery, textiles and just about anything else you would like to buy for souvenirs of your travels to Istanbul. The streets are busy, filled with the crazy traffic of Istanbul and the markets and pathways are full of pedestrians and everyone going about their business.
The New Mosque
Nearby the market you will find the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) which sits on the square with a lively street market beside it, many pigeons, tourists and locals. Also, in Eminonu, you will be able to walk over the Galata Bridge where cars and many fishermen can be found. You can take a nice walk through the Galata neighborhood and visit the Galata Tower where there is a restaurant at the top and you can look out over the skyline of Istanbul. The Galata Bridge crosses over the Golden Horn to Beyoğlu. You can catch a ferry in Eminonu at the docks and for a cheap price, take a boat up the Bosphorus and see the city of Istanbul from the water.
Other major tourist sights you should not miss when traveling to Istanbul include the Topkapi Palace, the magnificent architecture of the Hagia Sophia Church, the Blue Mosque, the Suleymaniye Mosque, the elegant Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace, and ancient Hippodrome. Also be sure to include the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column and the Fountain of Wilhelm II. Istanbul is known for its lovely palaces and former residences of the Sultans where you will find many beautiful gardens and fountains.
For more of the tourist sights of Istanbul, you will find them in the old neighbourhood of Sultanahmet. Also be sure to take a cruise on the Bosphorus, the waterway which flows from the North Sea to the Sea of Marmara. In Beyoglu, you will find the Pera Palas Hotel and many cafes.
For a lovely day trip in Istanbul (you can always stay longer), take a ferry to the Prince’s Islands and rent a horse carriage and driver to take you around the island. The Prince’s Islands are beautiful with superb views of the coast, the lovely old wooden houses, the church at the top of the mountain you can hike to, some cafes and restaurants. There are also a few hotels on the Prince’s Islands if you think you would like to stay overnight.
There is lots to see and do in Istanbul 2010 for the Capital of Culture year as the city opens itself to visitors and lovers of art and culture.
The cinema of Turkey in Istanbul 2010 has experienced in more recent years and Renaissance after a few dismal years of films in the period of the 1960s – 70s. With such new and talented film directors emerging such as Fatih Akın (German director of Turkish descent whose films reflect the modern Turkish situation, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Yesim Ustaoglu (female director – Pandora’s Box), and Yılmaz Güney, Turkish films have come to the forefront of world class cinema.
Istanbul 2010 Cinema Projects
Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture projects aim to promote this growth in Turkish cinema with a wealth of upcoming film projects.
The 9th !f Istanbul AFM International Independent Film Festival in collaboration with “The Auteurs” an American film website, begins February 11 – 21 in Istanbul and continues in Ankara February 25 – 28. Funding for the Film Festival has been provided by the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture agency. Films showcasing at the film festival include: “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Precious”, “The Maid”, “An Education”, “Crazy Heart” and “Un Prohet” and “The Lovely Bones”. The festival will be hosted by Kurdish Iranian film director Bahman Ghobadi, who has been banned from Iran for making a film about the underground music scene in Tehran. The award winning film “No One Knows About Persian Cats” irritated Iranian authorities who don’t like music.
Other Istanbul 2010 Film Projects
Secrets of Istanbul
A documentary drama featuring the mystical city of Istanbul in the context of modern day Istanbul and its distinctive cultural urban legends. This film project is led by Nakiye Boran of Publicis Bold+ Agency. Scheduled for January 2010, at St. Irene.
Filmor – The 5th Element – Women – Woman Friendly City Istanbul
Melek Özman will train participants cinema workshop seminars and their resulting film projects will be presented
“İstanbul Beyazperde Kitabı” (The Silver Screen Book of İstanbul) – a discussion of films based in Istanbul.
“10 İstanbul”
Ten foreign directors from present their perspective of 10 different neighborhoods of Istanbul.
“Türk Sinemasında İstanbul” (İstanbul in Turkish Cinema)
A documentary showing various locations in Istanbul and how these film locations have changed over time.
Istanbul Goes to the Movies – January – February 2010
Director Safa Önal, a scriptwriter and director, will attempt to explain İstanbul by way of a visual archive and its evolution of language and culture, featuring over 7000 films and images.
Istanpoli:
“Claude Wampler” February 24, 2010
“Michael Laub” April 28, 2010
“Meg Stuart” September, 2010
“Rimini” September, 2010
This project brings five foreign artists, living in the city of Istanbul and inspired by the city of Istanbul and documented in a DVD and book.
Image source
Istanbul 2010 - Ortakoy Mosque
No doubt, if you are going to be visiting Istanbul in the year 2010, you are going to need a hotel to stay in. This is definitely the year to visit the city of Istanbul if you are in any way interested in art, culture, film, literature and photography, and especially in the Istanbul arena.
There are plenty of hotels in Istanbul to choose from no matter what your budget. There are many splendid luxury hotels in Istanbul to choose from as well as those in the lower price range, whether it be hostels, bed and breakfast inns, or cheap hotels in Istanbul. If you are looking for budget hotels in Istanbul, visit this helpful site: http://budgethotelsistanbul.com/
While in Istanbul you will also be able to sample some of the most delicious cuisine in the world at the many fabulous restaurants in the Istanbul. Restaurants come in all price ranges. Also, be sure to enjoy some Turkish coffee in one of the many cafes of the city and just relax or people watch.
The nightlife in Istanbul is also very lively, whether you want to dance at a nightclub, listen to jazz music, Turkish music or a blend of all — in fusion. There are so many nightclubs and bars in Istanbul because it is truly an international city.
The problem will be booking a hotel of your choice. Istanbul is overflowing with tourists this year and hotels are being booked up very quickly. As soon as you make plans to go to Istanbul, make your reservations on time, in plenty of time. Tourism in Istanbul will definitely increase this year which will be great for the city.
There is so much to see in Istanbul this year as Istanbul opens her arms to the world to display her cultural wonders and works.
A visit to Istanbul will show you what an inspirational city this is to artists and just about everybody there is.
