When to visit - climate
Istanbul has hot, humid summers and cold, rainy and often snowy winters. Snowfall is more likely to occur between December and March. Temperatures averaging 28 °C are not uncommon during the summer months of June to September.
 
Shopping
Great Bazaar attracts many people – it is advisable to arrive early in the morning. There are thousands of stalls selling almost everything; carpets, gold, cloth, spices. Haggling is essential.
The Spice Bazaar is at the base of the Galata Bridge in Eminönü is where you can buy cheeses, honey and sausages.
Popular shopping areas are in the suburb of Etiler and also the Nisantasi district. Another good shopping district is the long Bagdat Caddesi on the Asiatic side. There are many trendy shops here and prices are sometimes lower than in town because few tourists frequent this area.
On the way to the airport next to the Sea of Marmara is Galleria, a large shopping centre. Another modern
bazaar is Akmerkez in Etlier/Levent. There are 241 shops and restaurants on four floors.

Cuisine
A meal often begins with meze, a number of small dishes such as aubergine purée, various salads and cheese. Stuffing vegetables (such as tomatoes, vine leaves, aubergines and zucchini) with rice and minced meat is typically Turkish (dolmasi).

Lamb is preferred to beef as a staple of meat dishes. Lamb is spitted, stewed, grilled in kebabs or minced kofte (meatballs), and mutton is roasted or casseroled.
 
A traditional dessert is Baklava - a rich, sweet dessert made from layers of pastry filled with chopped walnuts or pistachios and sweetened with syrup or honey.

Nightlife
Istanbul’s nightlife pulsates around Taksim Square, however the really trendy places are outside the city centre, in Etiler, Levent and Örtaköy.

Turkish Baths
It is said that if you’ve never tried a Turkish bath then you’ve never been rally clean. The visitor moves
through several hot rooms and finally arrives at the massage table for a real going over. Men and women bathe
separately. One recommended bathhouse: Çemberlitas Hamam.

Did you know?
The only metropolis in the world situated on two continents

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