Royal Turkish Istanbul

Leisure

Istanbul is on your doorstep! This city has a divine charm, which comes from the mix of two cultures - European and Asian - and an incredibly rich history. The symbol of a multicultural civilisation and the theatre of history, Istanbul is home to treasures dating back to the Byzantine Era, the Eastern Roman Empire and Ottoman Sultans. Guided by the school’s teachers, you will discover the Grand Bazaar, this endless tangle of covered shops and microcosm of Turkish everyday life, with its lively streets and chatting merchants, food vendors and tourists. Be sure to visit Hagia Sophia, which was the largest monument of the Christian world from 537 until its conversion into a mosque: admire its 32-metrewide dome sitting on four huge pillars 56 metres above the floor. Also visit the elegant Blue Mosque, built 1000 years after Hagia Sophia, whose interior is decorated with 21,000 tiles of blue earthenware. And stop at Taksim Square, right next to your Turkish language school, to get a taste of Istanbul’s lively atmosphere. Many museums downtown exhibit the cultural heritage of this bridge-city between Europe and Asia. You can also book a visit to the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Sultans for four centuries. The palace overlooks the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and Marmara Sea. Its gardens spread over 71 hectares, giving you an idea of what the palace used to be, when it was inhabited by 400,000 people, including one thousand women in the harem.