I believed travelling this time to Istanbul is not advisable. Due to the current situation in this city, visiting it is not recommended. I have been  watching some travel news over the television regarding the  protests happening in some cities of Turkey including Istanbul.

In short, due to the massive anti-government protests taking place in Istanbul, it is NOT suggested as a tourist destination at the moment. If you have already planned a trip to Istanbul, contact your local embassy before traveling.

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Interior of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. © ww.travel-snapshots.com

I guess the situation in Istanbul and other cities  like  Ankara, Izmir,  Mersin, Adana and some other places in  Turkey,  are  getting better now. There have been numerous reports of violence, injuries, and at least two confirmed deaths resulting from or related to clashes between protestors and Turkish law enforcement authorities.

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The Obelisk of Thutmosis III in Istanbul located at the Hippodrome of Constantinople. It is known in Turkish as  Sultanahmet Meydanı, At Meydanı. It was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square named Sultanahmet Meydanı (Sultan Ahmet Square) in the Turkish city of Istanbul, with a few fragments of the original structure surviving. It is sometimes also called Atmeydanı (Horse Square) in Turkish.

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The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul during  our vacation in Turkey last 2011.  © ww.travel-snapshots.com

That was so far a great vacation we had in Turkey especially visiting one of its historical cities like Istanbul. It is Turkey’s most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. Located on both sides of the Bosphorus, the narrow strait between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, Istanbul bridges Asia and Europe both physically and culturally.

I had a lot of experience during our visit there. I also witnessed some of its famous sights like the Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), Galata Tower, saw the fine neo-classical and Art Nouveau buildings, experienced the Bosphorus Cruise, visited the famous Spice Bazaar, tasted local delicacies and many more.

If given the chance and finances in the future, I would love to visit Istanbul again. One reason is, I never had the chance to go inside the Sistine Chapel built by the Romans.

Enjoy viewing my snapshots from this city.