Semista, the name of Istanbul even before Constantinople, was a small settlement in about 1000 BC. However, commonly known history of Istanbul begins with Byzas, a Greek colonist who named and established the city: Byzantium.

In the early 100's BC, Byzantium was conquered by the Romans, and when Constantine became Emperor he proclaimed in 330 AD Byzantium capital of the entire Roman Empire and named it the Second Rome, Constantinople. In the 395 AD after the division of the Roman Empire into east and west, Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and with the fall of Rome to the Barbarians the sole capital of the Roman Empire called Byzantine Empire due to the numerous autocthon population and Greek language influence.

Istanbul, known for many centuries as Constantinople, the second Rome, possessed both a unique beauty and a strategic importance envied by a lot of enemies that Byzantines had west and east. Built on seven surrounding hills, the city has the control of the Bosphorus and easy accessability to the harbour of the Golden Horn. It was the most opulent and luxeous capital of the world.

After a long Byzantine period, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1453 and this was definitely a turning point in world history. The first actions of Fatih (the Conqueror) Sultan Mehmet was to let repair the damages caused by the war and to grant to all inhabitants freedom to practice their own religion. To its Byzantine splendours the Ottomans add their own marvels which both can be seen by the visitors today. Constantinople, Konstantiniye, Dersaadet, then with the Republic called definitely Istanbul, became the capital city of the Ottoman Empire. The city enjoyed a flourishing period until the World War I and when Turkey, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, won its War of Independence, and the Republic was established in 1923, Ankara became the capital and Istanbul remain the most important metropole. 

Note: From Monday 11 May 330 when Constantine founded it to the Tuesday 29 May 1453 when Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered it, the Byzantine Empire lived 1423 years and 18 days.

The summers in Istanbul are hot and quite humid whereas the winters can be cold and wet, but not as much as other areas of the country. The best climate can be experienced during spring and autumn. Therefore spring and autumn months are popular times to visit Istanbul. The average air and water temperatures for Istanbul are as following:

Istanbul is an incredibly rich city for ways of spending a day. Followings are some examples for activities should be done in Istanbul.

Bosphorus Cruise: The Bosphorus is 33 kilometers in length and it connects two continents and two seas. Istanbul has a beautiful view due to its geographical existence. If you visit Istanbul, a half-day excursion is necessary. During the tour the yacht goes up and down the Bosphorus. Daily and nightly tours are offered by big hotels and tourist agencies.
 
Visiting public bath (Turkish hamam): The city has so many popular and well known baths. Çemberlitaş hamam might be one of the most famous baths and it has been in use since 1584.

Golden Horn (Halic): This Horn divides European Istanbul. The Haliç harbors were the centre for the Byzantine and Ottoman navies and commercial shipping. They are today attractive parks and shores. Here is a wonderful place to enjoy the view.
 
Beyoğlu and Taksim: These places can be called as the heart of the city. There are many attractions can be done here. A good shopping places, restaurants, markets, cinemas, bookshops, fashion shops are the best of Istanbul.
 
Camping - Caravan: Silivri, Büyükçekmece, Küçükçekmece, Florya, Ataköy, Bakırköy, Kilyos and Şile are some of the so many sites for camping.
 
Hunt Tourism: Bakırköy, Çatalca, Beykoz and Şile are the areas for hunting. Hunting can be done only in parties. This activity is organised by Turkish travel agencies, authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. All information needed for hunting about seasons, authorized zones, permits, weapons and ammunition. Ducks, wild geese, boar, foxes, rare jackals, wolves, woodcock, pheasants, wild pigeon, rabbits and foxes are found.
 
For more information on hunt tourism:
Forest Ministry, National Parks and Wildlife General Directorate
Address: Gazi Tesisleri No 11, Gazi, Ankara.
Tel: (312) 221 1769/212 6300. Fax: 222 5140.
Youth and Sport General Directorate, Hunting and Marksman Federation
Address: Ulus Ishani A Blok 4 Kat No 404, Ulus, Ankara.
Tel: (312) 310 6160/310 3960. Fax: 310 6160.

Yachting: The following spots can be reached via Istanbul: The Black Sea harbours, Istanbul Straits and Marinas via the European channel system, and the Rhine and Tuna with the European internal seas from the North Sea, Turkish Mediterranean coasts and marinas. There are several preferred routes.
The open seas and magnificent sunsets, natural beauty surrounds Istanbul, historical richness the city offers make blue voyage, which goes through Istanbul, just perfect.

Diving: Due to its proximity to Istanbul, Saros can be counted as one of the best spots for diving in Istanbul. Its creatures and fauna can easily amaze divers.

Golfing: (1) Klassis Golf and Country Club and (2) Kemer Golf and Country Club are two golf courses in the city with licenses from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
 
Klassis Golf and Country Club: Length of the field - 5850 meters, 18+9 holes, 990 beds.
Address: Seymen Koyu, 34930 Silivri, Istanbul
Telephone: (0212) 748 4600 - Fax: 748 4643 
Kemer Golf and Country Club: 1455 Beds, 18 holes,  Training course, golf club facilities, artificial lake, stables, mountain bike and recreation club, eight tennis courts, mini football field, playground, administrative staff house etc.
Address: Goktur Koyu Uzun Kemer Mevkii, Kemerburgaz, Istanbul

Istanbul is a shopping paradise. It is totally an experience not just buying things. Bazaars of Istanbul foremost of their kinds and the buying possibilities and choices are limitless. Fashionable clothes and accessories with western brands and labels and all famous brands of the world can be found here. Carpets and brassware and jewellery goods are mostly interested products. Nişantaşı, Teşvikiye, and Kadıkoy; on Rumeli Caddesi, Osmanbey, and Bagdat Caddesi; in the modern shopping malls at Akmerkez and the Ataköy Galeria; are leading locations of the city for shopping.
 
The Covered Bazaar (Kapalicarsi)
The Bazaar is one of Istanbul's most significant tourist sites and has eight different entrances, each of them facing one of the city's most important historic monuments. Kapalı Bazaar, known as the Grand Bazaar has around 4000 shops and over 60 alleyways. It is the oldest and biggest closed bazaar in the world.
The structure still illustrates the beauty of its history.
Beside its shopping possibilities, it functions as an unofficial financial centre, with a particular emphasis on gold and foreign exchange trading.
It is open everyday, except Sundays and is closed on public holidays. It can be visited between 07:00 and 19:00.

Mısır Çarşısı (Egyptian Bazaar)
This Market is popular for great varieties of lokum (turkish delight), small souvenirs, flavoured teas. The Bazaar has six gates. It is still possible to find the aroma of ginger, cardamom, pepper and saffron from the piles of spices in the Market.
 
Bakırcılar (Copper Smiths)
It is located under the north and east walls of Istanbul University. Copper is beaten and produced into many shapes, sizes and forms, and shops sell cauldrons, saucepans, buckets, candlesticks and the like.
 
Bit Pazarları (Flea Markets)
These kinds of markets are street markets which most of them are visited by locals. It is an interesting way of shopping that is worth trying. Uskudar’s Bit Pazari is located on Buyuk Hamam Sokak, and Kadikoy’s is located on Ozelli Sokak.
 
Cukurcuma
Wooden furniture, antiques, and books are for sale. It is located at Istiklal Caddesi by the Galatasaray Hamam.
 
Ortakoy Bazaar (Pazar)
Art crafts and antiques, music cassettes and books are for sale. It is always crowded and open every Sunday.

Besiktas Bazaar
It is open on Sundays.

Sahaflar Carsisi
A second-hand Book Bazaar.
 
Fish Market
The fish markets are located in Eminonu and Beyoglu/Galatasaray, Besiktas, Kumkapı and Sarıyer.

Local Open Markets
Almost every neighborhood of Istanbul has its own local open market that set on a day of the week and markets take the neighborhood’s name. It is worth visiting cause you can experience another cultural aspect of the city. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, hardware, household gadgets, knicknacks, clothing, and textiles are for sale.

Beside, Istanbul has a number of permanent and seasonal markets. The Cicek Pazarı is one of those and is located in Eminonu (Flower Market). Everything from seeds, pot plants, and shrubs to pets, leeches, and ducklings are for sale there. It is open seven days a week throughout the year. There are many of them spread all around and in Istanbul.

Shopping Malls
Istanbul is the biggest city of Turkey and it is also the Shopping Paradise. There are countless big shopping malls that contain all kind of entertainment and small shops. All kind of fashion from almost all brands is for sale there. The followings are samples of those shopping malls.

• Brass and Copper articles for home decor
• Exquisite ceramics, which are called faience or coloured tile work
• Traditional heavily wrought jewellery and intricately worked items. The art of jewellery in Istanbul is inherited centuries of artisan skills of knowledge that can be easily seen in their work.
• Beautiful handmade carpets and seccade and Kilims. The Turkish kilim is a type of hand-made carpet and is it famous for it's geometric design. The patterns and the colours represent the Anatolian life such as prosperity, happiness, fertility, and other traditional values.
• Leather Apparel of all kinds
• Fine silk used to make shawls, scarves and other garments is another popular buy.
• Water-Pipes (Nargile): Although a rarity today, it still can be found in several shops
• Tea And Turkish Tea
• Turkish Coffee

Cagaloglu Turkish Bath:  Cagaloglu Hamamı is located in Cagaloglu, near St Sophia on the right-hand side of the Basilica Cistern Street.  During the Sultan Mahmud I period,  these baths were built in 1741 to provide revenue for the library of Sultan Mahmut.  The architect is unknown. However when we study the names of the head architects of that time we can see that its construction began with Süleyman Ağa and finished with Abdullah Ağa. Cagaloglu Hamamı is a unisex hammam with sections for both men and women.  It is unique in its use of Baroque and Classic Ottoman architectural motifs and was the last of the great hammams to be built before Sultan Mustafa III forbade their construction due to the increasing needs for water and wood in Istanbul.  Groups may rent the hammam. If you haven’t been in a Turkish Bath before, you’ve missed one of life’s great experiences.   This three hundred year old Turkish Bath is the best in the area and it is a successful hammam that is still operational to this day.  The door of the women’s section is on a side street named Hamam while the mens' entrance is from the main road with two marble columns and classical stalactite capitals on either side.  In time, as the street elevated, the mens’ section could be reached by a staircase of 10 steps.  The architecture of the door is contrary to eclectic Turkish style. 

Cemberlitas Hamamı (Bath):  Cemberlitas Hamamı is located in Çemberlitas Square on Divanyolu Street, in the midst of some of Istanbul’s greatest monuments.  It is adjacent to the Vezirhan monument erected by Constantine I (324 – 327).  The Köprülü Mahmut Paşa complex with its mosque, school and tombs is directly opposite the bath and on either side are the Vezirhan and the old university building.  Also in the close vicinity of the bath are the tomb of Sultan Mahmut II and its treasury, the Köprülü Library, the Atik Paşa Mosque and school and the tomb of Ali Baba.  The bath was established by Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Selim II and mother of Murat III, for the purpose of bringing in revenue to support the Valide-i Atik Charity Complex in Üsküdar.  According to the “Tuhfet’ül-mi’mârin*”, the bath is one of the structures built by the architect Sinan, in 1584. 
 

Galatasaray Hamamı (Bath):  Galatasaray Hamamı was built by Sultan Beyazit Han II in 1481, and underwent extensive repair and modification during the eras of Sultan Selim II, Sultan Mehmet IV, the Hunter, Sultan Ahmet III and Sultan Mahmut I.  The exterior of the bath has also been kept historically accurate.  Galatasaray Hamamı is one of the best examples of the famous Turkish Baths.  This bath has been maintained perfectly in its original form with both men's and ladies’ hammams.  These sections are available for use every day.

Uskudar Cinili Hamamı (Bath):  Located in Uskudar, Çinili Hamamı was built in 1640.  It is the oldest Turkish bath in Uskudar.  The marble slab and glass partitions in the dome of this hammam are authentic and were commissioned by Kösem Sultan in 1640.  There is a fountain at the entrance and freshly brewed tea is served as soon as you take your seat to enjoy the warm water. There is also a sauna and separate sections for men and women.